Your Guide to Curing a Hangover

It is Sunday morning. You wake up at 5 A.M, dying of thirst. Drink an entire glass of water. Your stomach feels a little queasy, but you eventually get back to sleep. You wake up at 7 A.M with a pounding in your head. You think about taking some Advil, but it would require getting out of bed and that is just Too Much Work. You get back to a restless sleep for a little while but there’s not much use, your body is forcing you to live through it.

This is not a hypothetical situation: this is my life as I am typing this article. The tired, grumpy, headachy, slight nausea of too much whiskey from the night before is a typical Sunday morning problem. Luckily, there are ways to prevent and cure it that don’t require never drinking again.

Odwalla Blueberry B / B complex

This drink will change your hangover life. Within a few sips, hangovers start to diminish as quickly as they appeared. Taking a B complex vitamin before you drink and before bed should have a huge impact on the severity of your hangover, but if you are a giant child like me and cannot ever remember to take your vitamins, this drink will do all the work. You will instantly feel like an actual human being.

Tons of Water

Duh. I think this goes without saying, but keeping yourself hydrated while drinking and before bed will keep your headaches away. Try to have a glass of water in between each drink. At the very least, keep a glass at your table so you can have a few sips throughout the night. Always try to drink an entire glass of water (with a B vitamin and Advil!) before bed. You might not be able to stop peeing, but at least you won’t dread the entire next day.

Brunch

A weekend gift from the gods, the most beautiful thing of all, brunch. Nothing helps soak up the leftover alcohol and shame of the previous night like a giant plate of pancakes, eggs and bacon. Or tacos. Or a buffet. Or… let me stop, the thoughts are too beautiful. Alcohol causes us to lose a lot of important nutrients, so refueling our bodies with things like potassium and cysteine, both found in common brunch staples such as eggs and orange juice, helps break down the nasty, hangover causing toxins. You can also get yourself a mimosa or bloody Mary, since many swear that the best way to help too much booze is more booze.

Naps

If all else fails, a nap is in order. Sometimes sleep is the only thing that can help you escape the pains of the morning after, even if you couldn’t stay asleep through the morning. After you have taken your vitamins and drank plenty of water, turn on Netflix, grab a blanket, and fall asleep to the sounds of Buffy.

Honorable Mentions

Pho (this is actually more than an honorable mention, this is the next best thing if brunch isn’t what you are after), coconut water, Dramamine or Benadryl (they both work wonders for nausea and dizziness), going for a run, and the greasiest food you can find.

Hopefully this helps you find some relief on those awful hangover days. What are your favorite hangover cures? Share them in the comments!

Written by Sarah Pires
Follow her blog, Adventurously!