Feeling sluggish the morning after a fun night out with friends (or a night in with Netflix?) Hangovers are something most of us experience at one point or another, and there are many different ways to relieve their symptoms. Here are five simple tips and tricks to get your day back on track!
1) Prevent the hangover before it happens
The best way to prevent a hangover is by taking action before going to sleep. Staying hydrated and drinking modest amounts of alcohol are the most effective methods of prevention. There is the age-old 1 for 1 rule that suggests you should drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. Another great trick is to drink lighter alcohols such as vodka, gin, white wine, or light beer as they have fewer congeners than darker alcohol such as darker beers, red wine, or bourbon. One last trick to prevent hangovers is to try less sugary mixers with cocktails. Sugar can contribute to stomach problems and a sugar crash coupled with a lot of alcohol is bound to make a hangover worse! For less sugary mixers try seltzer, diet tonic, or a recoup! Recoup is an excellent wellness drink but also works great as a mixer, check out some of our cocktail recipes here!
2) Don't hit the snooze button
The easiest thing to do after going out is to sleep in. Hitting the snooze button and going back to bed only prolongs the hangover symptoms and will ruin the rest of the day. It is important to get up at a normal hour to put your body back on the right track. Making a to-do list or a goal to accomplish can create some much needed motivation. Once you are up and running you can feel proud that you accomplished something instead of lying in bed with a hangover. If you are still tired after being productive, you can always rest or nap later on. This is important as previous research has shown sleep deprivation is not the cause of hangovers, but it can worsen the symptoms so getting home at a reasonable hour is key! Getting up also makes sure you can put good things into your body (food, water, nutrients) and help your body continue to detox.
3) Hydrate!
Much of the hangover feeling is caused by dehydration. Metabolizing alcohol creates acetaldehyde which your body aims to eliminate and dehydrates the body. The most important and effective way to relieve hangover symptoms the morning after is to rehydrate your body. Water is a great way to rehydrate your body but other drinks can also give you a boost to start the day and recover. The ideal hangover cure has a mix of water, electrolytes and a little sugar, to actually speed up the hydration process. That's why recoup can also help you the morning after, the hydrating tree water and juice have naturally occurring electrolytes including potassium and a little natural sugar from honey to help absorption. Our fav is the cucumber + lemon flavor because it is the most light and fresh. A caffeine surge from coffee or tea could help productivity, but be careful since caffeine also promotes dehydration.
4) Start your day with a great breakfast
A good homemade breakfast is a great way to start the day. However, nausea is a common side effect of a hangover. Drinking more water and fluids can help the nauseous feeling before eating food. Supplement your food with red ginseng or ginger which have been proven to help alleviate nausea symptoms. Other easy and quick to prepare foods include bananas, oats, yogurt, and eggs that can all contribute to increasing one's blood sugar which helps start the day off right post-hangover. Honey and fish made the list of Refinery 29's Hangover Foods That Will Truly Make You Feel Better.
5) Be active
Working out may be the last thing you want to do when you wake up hungover. However, a light workout is just what someone needs to kickstart their day. It is important to not try to set any personal bests with a strenuous workout, as that will only dehydrate you more. It is critical to hydrate before, during, and after any exercise during a hangover. Therefore, going for a light run or trying some great yoga poses is a great post hangover exercise. If you are really feeling unwell, then even something as simple as a long walk outdoors or meditation can bring you benefits that can alleviate some symptoms, clear the mind, and be productive!
Do you have a go-to hangover tip? Let us know at info@recoupbeverage.com
By: Will Stapleton