5 Hangover Cures to Help Start the New Year Off Right
Welcoming the new year is all fun and games until you wake up the next day to face the literal, head-pounding truth: you’re not young enough anymore to drink the night away and still walk off the hangover the next morning.
If this sounds familiar (though we understand if you won’t admit it), here are five tried-and-true hangover cures that’ll have you feeling like a functioning adult again—or at least close enough.
Hangover Cure #1: Hydrate Like You’re a Withering Houseplant
You’ve been popping bottles of champagne like you are in The Great Gatsby movie, but now your body feels like it’s been left in the desert. According to Harvard Health, alcohol makes you pee. So, if you don’t want to be dehydrated and your hangover includes diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting, water is your new BFF. You can even drink coconut water or an electrolyte-packed sports drink (if you can keep it down). Apologize to your aching and dehydrated body by finishing that bottle of water your kind roommate placed on your nightstand.
Hangover Cure #2: Legit Excuse to Load up on Carbs
Load up on carbs to fight hangover because, per WebMD, your blood sugar is low when you drink alcohol. This is why people with hangovers (aka you) get dizzy. Fortunately, it’s nothing like a plate of bacon, eggs, and hash browns can’t fix. If you still can’t eat a heavy meal, try toast, crackers or fruits to bring your blood sugar levels up.
Hangover Cure #3: Go Au Naturel
According to GoodRx, there are natural remedies and treatments you can try to get rid of your hangover. However, there isn’t sufficient scientific evidence to back these up, as they are based only on small studies.
- Clove extract
- Pyritinol, a form of Vitamin B6 (more about this below)
- L-cysteine, an amino acid
- Red ginseng (a herb commonly used in Korea, perhaps this is what your favorite Korean actors and actresses drink in the drama the next day after a night of drinking soju)
- Korean pear juice
- Prickly pear extract
- Dihydromyricetin
Before taking any of the above-mentioned remedies and treatments, it’s best to seek first the advice of healthcare professionals.
Hangover Cure #4: Pop That Vitamin B6
As Healthline suggests, Vitamin B6 can help reduce hangover symptoms. Grab that turkey sandwich in your fridge or the chicken salad your sister made. Munch on some fried (or mashed) potatoes or enjoy any non-citrus fruits. If none of these are available, take a multivitamin—Vitamin B6 is often included.
Hangover Cure #5: Sleep it Off
Sometimes, the best cure is curling up in a blanket and waiting for time to heal all wounds (including your pounding headache). Also, be patient since most hangover symptoms tend to be more tolerable and manageable within eight to twenty-four hours after drinking.
Remember, the best hangover cure is not getting one at all—but where’s the fun in that? Happy New Year, and may you not forget your resolutions and blame it on your hangover!
