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Partying is an essential part of student life as a counterbalance to the hard day-to-day study routine. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an overflowing flat-sharing party with humid drinking games or the seductive happy hour in your favourite bar: Too much wine, beer or hard alcohol is bound to cause headaches and nausea the next day. You’ve had another long night out and had too much to drink? Here you’ll get lots of tips on how to fight a hangover or be prepared for an emergency.
A hangover has many faces. Some people feel sick to their stomach because of the alcohol. Others simply feel tired and listless the next day or have a heavy head. Dizziness is also a common side effect. The fact is: being hungover is annoying and it is not uncommon for people to swear that they will drink less next time. In fact, this would be the most effective way to prevent a hangover. This is because alcoholic beverages disrupt the regulation of fluid balance by inhibiting the release of the hormone vasopressin. In short, the more beer, wine and hard alcohol you drink, the faster your body dehydrates. As a result, your electrolyte balance becomes unbalanced. Important minerals are lost. In addition, your liver has to work hard to break down the alcohol. The resulting substances lead to the well-known unpleasant symptoms of a hangover. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining. The full extent of this usually only becomes apparent when you wake up the next day.
Depending on how your body reacts to too much alcohol, different things can help. Try out for yourself how you can prevent a hangover and which of the following tips help best after a hard night of partying.
The next party is coming up? Then make sure you have a good foundation by eating enough and as richly as possible. Carbohydrates, for example in pasta or pizza, are especially recommended. Fatty meals also slow down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. The drop in blood sugar levels caused by alcohol consumption often leads to cravings. However, instead of visiting the kebab, pizza or sausage stand late at night, you should rather eat a good sandwich. After all, your liver has enough to do with the alcohol. Greasy food would be counterproductive.
Drink plenty of fluids, not only the next morning, but also the day before. Non-alcoholic, of course. During the party, keep reaching for a glass of water and compensate for the loss of fluids. You should also drink plenty of water before going to bed. In this way, you can prevent dehydration, which manifests itself the next day in the form of headaches, dizziness and tiredness. By the way: The well-known counter beer is not a good idea. Even if you feel relief for a short moment, the alcohol in the beer only causes you to lose fluid again and your liver has to work even harder. You should therefore disregard this myth.
There’s no question about it: liqueurs, cocktails and mulled wine simply taste good. However, the sugar in sweet drinks causes the alcohol to enter the bloodstream more quickly. This also applies to sweet wines. Stick to tart drinks like beer or dry wine instead.
Your head is pounding? Then replenish your mineral reserves. The best way to do this is with a delicious breakfast after a night of drinking. Ideally, it should be hearty, salty and light. Fatty foods are hard to digest. If your stomach is offended, only light food is called for. A nourishing broth, an omelette with vegetables, sandwiches or smoked salmon will provide you with plenty of essential nutrients and healthy fats that your body craves.
Ginger is an all-rounder and belongs in every student’s room. Finely chopped ginger slices also help with nausea. To make a wholesome tea, simply cut the fresh ginger root into small pieces, pour hot water over it and let it steep for a few minutes. With a healthy ginger tea you can often do without the tablet, as the miracle root can provide relief from headaches. And if your breath still reminds you of last night despite brushing your teeth and using mouthwash, just chew a slice of ginger to fight bad breath.
Willow bark is known as a natural remedy and has a long tradition. Therefore, willow bark tea should not be missing from our list. Pour hot water over the tree bark and treat your troubled stomach to a portion of natural healing power. The salicylates contained in it help against pain, which in a similar or synthetic form in well-known headache tablets help against these very complaints.
This sweet gold helps with sluggishness and fatigue to get you going again. Add a spoonful of honey to your anti-hangover tea, for example. Of course, you can also sweeten your hangover breakfast with honey, like your muesli or yoghurt. And if you want to give your body a good energy boost, mix warm water with a dash of lemon juice, freshly ground pepper and honey.
Puree some tomatoes, add water and lemon juice. Season the drink with salt and pepper. This will get your circulation going again and provide your body with important minerals that were flushed out the day before. Marjoram is also known for its anti-hangover effect and can give the tomato juice a pleasantly tart note.
If you have a headache, put a few drops of peppermint oil on your wrists and rub it on your temples and neck. Peppermint is pleasantly cooling and therefore beneficial for tension, migraines and headaches. You can also put the oil in a fragrance lamp. If you prefer to apply the peppermint oil but find the scent too intense, mix the peppermint oil with natural oils such as olive or almond oil beforehand.
Once you’ve regained your composure, make sure to get outside. A few laps around the block can be enough to make you feel fitter. If your hangover allows it, even a light workout is advisable. The positive side effect: as soon as you make your body sweat, you will burn off some of the calories you consumed through yesterday’s alcohol.
An alcohol-induced hangover is a physical reaction to having had too much to drink. The best remedy is, of course, to refrain from drinking too much alcohol. Drinking a glass of water regularly and switching to non-alcoholic drinks in good time will save you the morning after. Have fun at your next party!