The Happy Hangover
April 11, 2024
Writer: Tyer Peterson
Editor: Ava Londa
You're nauseous, your head is pounding, and your hangxiety leaves you questioning how much you overshared last night. College students and corporate workers alike know the feeling of a hangover. Lucky for you, science says the cure might be found a few steps away…in your kitchen!
While the best way to “cure” a hangover may be to pace yourself with glasses of water in between drinks, when the music is going and conversation is flowing, it may seem impossible to stray away from the fun. You can set yourself up for success before you leave to go out, though, allowing yourself to sing “Rich Baby Daddy” unapologetically and worry less about the next morning. Before you leave for the night, set yourself out a full water bottle of Liquid IV, or another hydration multiplier, some ibuprofen (stay away from Tylenol as it’s processed through your liver), and a carb-filled snack to soak up some of those straight Svedka shots. All of these products can work together within your body overnight to ease some of those morning-after symptoms.
In reality, though, in the midst of perfecting your winged liner or swapping black Princess Polly tops with your roommates, you may forget to prepare your hangover cure before heading to the frats. Don’t fret, you can still help yourself in the morning. Drinking a cup of pickle juice, Gatorade, Pedialyte for electrolytes, or trusty Liquid IV will replenish the fluids you’ve lost. Make a breakfast sandwich with eggs: they contain amino acids that break down Acetaldehyde, the chemical formed during your hangover in an attempt to expel the alcohol. Avocados can help raise your potassium levels, which get depleted after a night of drinking. According to Healthline, research even shows avocados can prevent liver injury! However, if it is one of those hangovers, heavy food might be the last thing your body can process. In this case, try some plain toast or chicken noodle soup- easy on your stomach, but still packed with carbs to help your body break down alcohol.
Ultimately, your saving grace is something you can find anywhere: ice and water. And no, not for drinking (although drinking room-temperature water will hydrate you without shocking your circulatory system into a worse headache!) Known as the Mammalian Dive Reflex, dunking your head in a big bowl of freezing water helps in more than one way. The cold will restrict the blood vessels in your head, easing that pounding feeling. HungoverAF caps are amazing for this as well! This polar plunge can also manage your mental and that terrible feeling of “hangxiety”. If you suffer from anxiety like I do, or even if you don’t, a night after drinking may have you taking deep breaths to quiet your mind. The rapid and stark change in temperature shocks your central nervous system right back into a grounded mind state. Cool, right?
Armed with these kitchen remedies and recovery strategies, the post-celebration aftermath neednot be synonymous with suffering. Embrace the healing power of simple ingredients and wavegoodbye to the hangover hardships!