While it may not be a good idea to party outside during a pandemic, people can still have a bit of fun in the comfort of their homes. But they should make sure they have these informal gatherings with family and friends with whom they regularly socialize to prevent the spread of the virus.
Aside from food, these gatherings may see alcoholic drinks served, leading to a hangover the next morning if people drink a few too many drinks. The symptoms of hangovers include thirst, headache, nausea, fatigue, and aching muscles.
Even as these symptoms may go away after some time, people who have many things to do the next day have to find ways to treat their hangover to make themselves productive. Here are the different ways people can treat hangovers.
Drink Water
The easiest way to solve a hangover is to drink water. Alcohol increases the amount of urine that the kidney produces, which results in dehydration. People also lose fluids in their bodies when they sweat or vomit after drinking too much the night before. When a person suffers from dehydration, he’ll have a headache and dry mouth.
Before going to sleep, people should drink water to reduce the effects of alcoholic drinks in the morning. They should also drink water the next day to keep themselves hydrated. A sports drink can also replace any electrolytes that they lose in case they vomit.
Heavy drinkers can also try IV hydration therapy to replenish around 50 percent of the fluids in their bodies. These types of therapy provide them with vital nutrients their body needs along with an antioxidant to optimize liver function and clear free radicals from the body. But they should make sure to go to a professional if they want to try this therapy.
Eat Nutrient-Rich Food
Eating nutrient-rich food can prevent people from experiencing a hangover the next day. Food can help the body metabolize alcohol and allow it to break down alcohol quickly. This happens since food increases the levels of anti-diuretic hormones and sugar fructose in the body. It also enhances blood flow into the liver.
While people may crave greasy food after a hangover, it does not absorb the alcohol already in the liver. When they crave a bacon and cheese sandwich, they are only demonstrating the body’s response to dehydration and low blood sugar levels.
Instead of greasy food, people can eat food items filled with minerals, such as bananas. They can make a smoothie made of banana, coconut water, peanut butter, and protein powder. It can replace the minerals that get depleted after a night of drinking.
Get Some Sleep
Resting is the best way for a person to get over a hangover. Even though alcohol can induce deep sleep in a person at the start of the sleep cycle, the overall quality of sleep will deteriorate since it prevents REM sleep. The person will also experience a lot of sleep disturbances throughout the night. This is particularly true after the person drinks a lot.
If the person wakes up in the middle of the night, he can get a glass of water and take a pain reliever before going back to sleep. Going back to sleep allows a person to restore his circadian rhythm. If he does not get enough rest, he will experience irritability and anxiety. He will also have a depressed mood the next day. So, a person needs to get enough rest after a night of merrymaking with family and friends.
Take Vitamins to Restore Energy and Immunity
Drinking alcoholic drinks can cause nutritional deficiencies in many people. These deficiencies result in the hangover symptoms that people experience the next day. To counter this situation, people can take some vitamins the next day to restore the nutrients they lost while drinking.
They can take vitamin B, which can restore their energy levels and enhances brain function. It also helps the nervous system and immune system to function properly. Since alcohol is associated with a weakened immune system, people can also take vitamin C to help the body protect itself from colds and other illnesses. The vitamin can help the body to defend itself from these illnesses until it flushes out the alcohol.
People who are not keen on taking pills can eat food that is filled with these vitamins. They can eat eggs since these are good sources of vitamin B. They can also eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C.
People can still have fun even during a pandemic. But if they have one drink too many, they should prepare for the hangover that will come the next day.
