With St. Patrick's Day festivities just finishing up and spring break around the corner, the alcohol is free-flowing and abundant. I'm all for having a good time; however, I'm not a fan of hating myself the next morning because my head is pounding and I didn’t sleep well. So how can you have one without the other? Well, here's four tips to preventing (or at least subduing) that dreaded hangover.
First, Hydraate.
This is pretty obvious, but oh-so-easy to forgot during the night. That pounding headache you wake up with is mostly due to the dehydration caused by alcohol. A general tip is to try and drink one glass of water in between alcoholic drinks. This is so much easier said than done but very worth it, I promise! If anything, at least chug a glass or two right when you get home.
Second, drink the right thing.
An amaretto sour or tequila sunrise might taste good in the moment, but drinking those kinds of drinks with more sugar in them ensures you'll feel the effects of it the next morning. Spikes in your blood sugar lead to headaches, so pair that with the dehydrating alcohol and your head may be pounding all day. Water, diet sodas, tonic water or club soda are your best bets. In addition, clear liquors tend to produce less of a hangover effect than dark ones. Sorry, whiskey lovers.
The third tip? Eat.
Eating something, even just a little, will speed up
the recovery process and will help in getting the alcohol filtered out your system. Drunk-eating pizza or fast food might help a little, too but waking up your body with a big, strong cup of coffee and some nutrients will help more than you can imagine.
Last, get moving.
As tempting as it is, don’t lay in bed all day. Simply getting fresh air when walking to class (probably in your PJs—no judgement) will make you feel much better!
Remember, it's all about how you rally. College days consist of on and off drinking. Prolong the hangover, or prevent it altogether, so you can keep up with everyone, keep your grades up and not wake up feeling like you have just gotten hit by a bus.
