Why a Glass of Water Can Help Ease Your Hangover
The morning after a night of drinking brings with it many unpleasant symptoms – pounding headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound. While nothing outright cures a hangover, hydrating with water is one of the simplest and most effective ways to start feeling better. Here’s a deeper look at why water works to alleviate hangover symptoms and tips for utilizing H2O to its fullest potential.
The Science Behind Water and Hangovers
A hangover occurs because alcohol dehydrates the body. Ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, is a diuretic. This means it makes you produce more urine than usual, leading to fluid loss and dehydration. When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume decreases which can trigger headaches and make you feel generally unwell.
Your body also has a harder time processing and eliminating alcohol byproducts and toxins when it’s low on water. Two of the main byproducts of alcohol metabolism are acetaldehyde and acetone. Both are believed to play a role in many classic hangover symptoms like nausea. Being dehydrated hampers your liver’s ability to break down these compounds efficiently, prolonging their circulation in your bloodstream and exacerbating unpleasant effects.
Getting rehydrated helps your body efficiently deal with alcohol breakdown. Water replenishes depleted fluid levels so your circulatory system can function optimally again. It also boosts kidney efficiency to help flush out excess toxins faster. Studies have shown beginning rehydration as soon as possible after drinking lowers hangover severity compared to waiting longer. Starting your morning with a tall glass of water gets recovery going right away.
Water Works Better Than Other Beverages
While coffee, sports drinks and sugary sodas may seem tempting morning-after picks, water really is best for hangover rehydration. Here’s why other beverages don’t cut it as well as plain old H2O:
- Coffee is a diuretic like alcohol, so it just causes further fluid loss through increased urination. Caffeine could also potentially worsen any headaches.
- Sports drinks contain electrolytes but are high in sugar. Extra sugar burden on your already overloaded system may induce queasiness. They also don’t replenish fluid levels as efficiently as water alone.
- Sodas and juices are loaded with sugar without essential electrolytes. Their sugar content may worsen nausea, while providing inadequate hydration versus water.
- Alcoholic beverages should obviously be avoided as continuing to drink will only prolong and intensify the hangover.
Plain water provides pure, efficient hydration without any risks of side effects from additional ingredients. Its absorption and fluid replenishment properties make water the undisputed champ of hangover drinks. Staying simple with H2O lets your body focus its energy on metabolic recovery instead of processing other substances.
Tips For Making Water Work Best
Getting the most bang for your buck out of water also depends on how you go about drinking it. Here are some best practices for optimizing hydration:
- Sip steadily throughout the morning instead of gulping down a big glass all at once. Spreading it out ensures steady, prolonged absorption.
- Add slices of citrus like lemon or lime. Their natural acidity and flavor can provide a visual and taste cue to keep sipping. Just be sure not to add sugar.
- Alternate water with a clear broth like chicken or vegetable stock for extra replenishment of electrolytes like sodium and potassium that alcohol flushes out. Just drink these in moderation if nausea is an issue.
- Drink water before bed to give your body a head start on rehydrating while you sleep. Set a glass by your bed for first thing on waking.
- Carry a water bottle with you as you go about your day to stay on top of fluid intake versus waiting until you’re thirsty again. Thirst isn’t always a good indicator of actual hydration level.
- Avoid very cold water, which can cause digestive distress. Room temperature is best tolerated. Consider using a stainless steel bottle to keep water from getting icy cold.
- If nausea is severe, sip small amounts more frequently rather than big gulps, which may create more gastric upset. Ginger ale can also help soothe an upset stomach.
The key is consistency – hydrating should be an ongoing process, not just a one-off attempt. Drinking water regularly throughout the day is the fastest route to recovery from alcohol-related dehydration.
Eating Helps Too (But Go Easy!)
While water alone can get the job done, properly fueling your body may also speed recovery. Eating helps regulate blood sugar levels to prevent worsening symptoms. However, when nauseous, heavy or greasy meals will only sit in the stomach uneasily. Light snacks are the way to go:
- Whole grains such as toast, crackers or cereals provide carbohydrates to restore glycogen stores depleted by alcohol without being too hard to digest.
- Bananas are easy on the stomach with potassium to replenish electrolytes. Their natural antacid properties soothe the digestive tract as well.
- Yogurt is hydrating, replenishing and contains probiotics to support gut health hindered by booze consumption. Look for smooth, drinkable varieties in mild flavors.
- Broths and miso soup replenish sodium and provide appetizing warmth when other meals seem unappealing. The drinks also promote hydration.
- Juicy fruits with water content like melon, grapes and citrus refresh the palate better than dried varieties. Eat a small amount at a time versus gorging.
Avoid foods high in fat, acidity or spice like pizza, bacon and peppers that may irritate the stomach lining. Nursing a hangover is a time for gentler fare close to its natural state. Eating balances hydration for more complete recovery.
Other Non-Drink Hangover Helpers
While properly staying hydrated and fed is the foundation for conquering alcohol’s side effects, a few additional recovery methods speed the process:
-Pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen tame pounding headaches that come with dehydration. Avoid aspirin which can further irritate the stomach.
-Ginger, taken as supplements, tea or candied slices, settled nausea through its well-documented anti-emetic properties.
-Vitamin C supplements replenish antioxidant stores depleted by alcohol’s harmful byproducts. Citrus fruits also provide a refreshing dose.
-Rest and relaxation allow the body low stress and ample opportunity for healing. Naps give extra time for repair while avoiding more triggers for symptoms.
-Cool cloths or showers on sore foreheads alleviate heat and pressure from headaches. Consider an eye mask too for light sensitivity.
-Fresh air and moderate exercise like walking gently stimulate circulation to scatter alcohol from the system via increased sweat. Avoid vigorous reps at first.
-Herbal teas with caffeine-free varieties like chamomile or peppermint promote relaxation and hydration in comforting warmth.
Taking a multi-pronged approach combining rehydration, nourishment, medication and self-care shortens recovery window. Proper nursing facilitates return to full function faster.
Conclusion
While hangovers sadly come with the territory of fun nights out, their severity needn’t define the next day. Staying on top of hydration through good old H2O sets the foundation for minimizing side effects from alcohol’s dehydrating effects. Keeping sips flowing steadily along with gentle eating gets precious fluids and nutrients where they’re needed most.
With additional supports like rest, pain relief and natural remedies, coping strategies turn discomfort into a temporary blip. A morning spent wisely replenishing sets the body up for getting back on track as easy breezy as possible. And who doesn’t feel pretty proud pulling off daytime duties without a trace of last night?
