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Have Your Shots and Scull Them Too – Without the Consequences of the Morning After  

We’ve all been there.  It’s twelve o’clock in the afternoon and you’ve finally risen from your hazy subconscious.  Foreign stamps tattoo your wrists and arms and your breath wreaks like a carcass.  But it’s your throbbing head, nausea and barren insides that leave you cursing at your feckless past self and uttering the all-too-familiar blatant lie, “I am never drinking again.”  Low and behold, you are experiencing the classic signs of a body in its most vulnerable state. The diagnosis: a hangover.   

It’s too good to be true to be able to overindulge in six tequila shots and a whole bottle of rosé, and never feel the pain and self-loathing of the following morning.  Or is it?  To clarify, I’m not the kind of person to encourage the binge drinking life-style, however, there are very specific and few (let’s hope) moments when we lose control of our liquor and the bathroom floor becomes our domain.  Or, you could just be prone to hangovers. 

Here you will find a list of tried and tested ways to reduce the effects of a hangover. I do not want to lead you on and say that your hangover will be cured – there is no such thing as a cure.  However, if you follow these steps you might be able to have your shots and scull them too (in moderation of course). You are welcome.  

 

  1. H2O is always the answer 

 My mum says the best thing to do before you go to bed after a night out is to drink two cups of water.  In this case, mothers certainly do know best, because this trick has always worked wonders.  However, this article is about remedying, not preventing, the mighty sting of the hangover.  Which takes me to my next point – rehydration.  

 Repeat after me: “my water bottle is my best friend.”  Remember the twenty trips you took to the bathroom last night?  That was your body getting rid of the little liquid you had left in your body.  More often than not, it is dehydration that triggers a lot of the symptoms of a hangover.  Take regular sips throughout the day and you can thank me later. 

Liquids other than water are also beneficial – for example, Gatorade and sugary drinks to give you a well-earned boost.  But, stay away from any alcohol or caffeine, which can increase your dehydration and your already unbearable hangover symptoms.  

 

2. Electrolytes are life-givers

 Water is not the only thing that our bodies lose on a killer night out.  We also lose a whole lot of salts called electrolytes, which aid in hydrating our bodies.  Low electrolyte levels can lead to that god-forsaken queasiness in your stomach.  Long story short, electrolytes are super vital and need to be replenished after all that sweating on the D-floor.   

My advice: invest in some hydrolytes.  You can find these holy pellets at your local chemist or supermarket.  Add two to your trusty two-litre water bottle and you’re already half-way there to an (almost) hangover-free day.  It is best that you stock up beforehand to save the harrowing trip in your unstable condition.  I highly recommend the Strawberry and Kiwi flavour – every sip reincarnates your dead soul with fruity goodness.    

 

3. Fill your stomach 

 One of my friends swears by a hearty bowl of Mi Goreng to heal her hangover woes.  Another believes that a good old-fashioned bacon and egg cook-off is the cure.  Whatever it is, listen to your cravings and go for them.  This is your body calling out to you and telling you what it needs and deserves after the atrocities it suffered the night before.  More often than not, you will feel much better after it, even if your craving possesses no nutritional value whatsoever. 

 

4. Take a nap. Or two. Or five. 

It’s what you want to do and, frankly, it’s what you need.  Chuck on some Netflix or Stan, set the mood with a light-dimmer, shut all the curtains, and feel yourself catching some much needed Zzs.  Unless you have a nine o’ clock shift or early lecture.  In that case, I commend you for inflicting this pain on yourself and still finding the tenacity to get out of bed.  You are an icon to us all.  For the rest of you, don’t forget to wake up every now and again to eat some food and sip your water. 

 

5. Time  

 This is the most effective remedy of them all.  Your Blood alcohol concentration (BAC), varies between different age groups and is dependent on certain factors such as weight and the amount of drinks you have sculled in a short period of time.  That means that the time it takes for the effects of alcohol to wear off also depends on these factors.  However, I guarantee that you will feel better after 24 hours.  The next day will be a brand new one – let’s hope you don’t repeat the same mistake. 

 

 6. Don’t overdrink. Period.

 Better yet, set a trend and go sober.  That will show your hangover – you won’t get one.           Overall, there are so many reasons not to binge drink, one being it’s just not good for you.  A hangover is your body’s way of telling you it detests what you have done and really wishes that you had not done it.   

 

Although, it may be a painful reminder the next time you decide to bring a beverage to your lips.  In the event of that happening, my job here is done.  

 

Lot's Wife Editors

The author Lot's Wife Editors

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