Beat That Saturday Night Hangover

Did you want to get rid of the Saturday night hangover? Of course yes! Every Saturday you think of drinking less but eventually that just-one-more drink continues till you ultimately get a hangover
A hangover (also known as veisalgia) is the sum of unpleasant physical and mental effects following heavy consumption of alcohol. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover are headache, irritability, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, dehydration, redness of eyes, muscle aches, loss of appetite, sensitivity to light and noise, increase urge for micturition, diarrhoea and increased thirst. Other symptoms may include increased systolic blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, tremor, and sweating.
There are a number of factors that may lead to hangover symptoms in you. Ethanol causes a dehydration effect by causing increased urine production. This causes headaches, dry mouth and lethargy. Due to this dehydration, there is an increased desire to drink more water. Also, ethanol affects the stomach lining causing nausea and vomiting. Over-consumption of ethanol may cause vitamin B12 deficiency which is a water soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system and also in the formation of blood.

One of the products of ethanol breakdown is acetaldehyde which on further breakdown forms acetic acid. Acetaldehyde is around 10 to 30 times more toxic than alcohol itself. It is also known to be cocarcinogenic (a substance or factor that will not promote cancer by itself but can potentiate cancer when acting with other carcinogenic agents) and mutagenic (an agent such as a chemical, ultraviolet light or a radioactive element that can induce or increase the frequency of mutation in an organism).
The by-products of alcohol fermentation, also called as congeners, exaggerate many of the hangover symptoms. Dark alcohols such as brandy, whiskey and red wine contain more congeners than lighter spirits like vodka, white wine or gin. Likewise cheaper alcohols are more likely to cause a hangover as they contain more of these impurities.
The sweeteners used to alter the flavour of alcohol may also contain congeners that will contribute to the severity of hangovers. Smoking while drinking can lead to nicotine poisoning which also worsens hangover. Other factors like genetics, weight and age also play a vital role in the development of a hangover. People with lesser weights are prone to suffer more from hangovers. Old age is another factor that makes a person more susceptible to severe hangovers.

Tips To Be Kept In Mind While Drinking To Beat The Hangover...

• Consume a good meal before drinking alcohol as food in the stomach prevents rapid absorption of alcohol into the blood stream.
• Drinking milk before having an alcoholic drink also helps as milk forms a protective coating on the stomach lining.
• Always go for light coloured drinks as darker drinks contain congeners that cause blood vessels to dilate leading to headaches.
• Avoid mixing different types of drinks as different alcohols consumed at one sitting will cause increased exhaustion. They may also increase the intensity of the hangover.
• Avoid salty foods along with your drink as they will make you drink more which will worsen your hangover.
• Drink one glass of water with every alcoholic drink to prevent dehydration.
• Never take prescription drugs with alcohol or mix it with alcohol. This can prove fatal.
• Always try to drink in moderation.
• Do not drive or operate any machinery for your own safety and for the safety of others after drinking.

Tips To Beat The Hangover That May Develop After Drinking...

• If you had some heavy boozing then have snack before going to bed to keep blood sugar levels high as low blood sugar levels on waking will aggravate your symptoms
• Make sure you drink lot of water or other fluids such as apple juice or sports drink before going to sleep in order to prevent dehydration and to replace the lost nutrients.
• Try to have a good night sleep.
• Alcohol dilates blood vessels near the skin and this will cause the body to loose heat but feel warm. So wrap up warmly after heavy drinking.
• Drink a lot of water in the first hour upon waking to cope up with the dehydration.
• Eat a breakfast that is easy to digest. Honey in breakfast would be a good source of vitamin B and sugar.
• To replenish the lost vitamins consume bananas, carrots and oranges. You can eat them or have them as juices. Eggs or chicken soup could also make a good meal to replenish the lost minerals.
• Avoid consuming salty food as salt being a diuretic has a tendency to enhance the process of dehydration. Therefore, it can be dangerous.
• If you are consuming coffee then make sure you even consume lot of water along with it or else caffeine will only worsen the dehydration.
• If you feel fine the next morning then workout as exercising will increase the blood flow and oxygen supply to your body making you feel more active.

The effects of most hangovers usually subside after 8 to 24 hours. Drinking in moderation will save you from a lot of discomfort. But still if you happen to get a hangover, then the above tips will help you ease up the rising discomforts.