16 Science-Backed Ways to Get Rid of a Hangover Faster

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Everyone has had a night where they drank a little too much and woke up the next morning with a headache and a whole lot of regrets. For some of us, it’s nausea and a churning stomach. For others, it’s a pounding headache and an aversion to loud voices and sunlight. Whatever it is that’s plaguing you, there are things you can do to feel better.

Here are 16 ways to feel better when you’ve got a nasty hangover.

1

Drink a ton of water. [1]

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  1. One of the reasons you feel so headachy, nauseous, and light-headed is because alcohol causes your body to lose lots of water, causing dehydration. Drinking water throughout the day can help you to rehydrate and recover the water you’ve lost. [2] This can dramatically improve your headache.
    • While we’ve probably caught you the day after, anytime you can do this before you fall asleep on a night of drinking, you can lessen your hangover symptoms the next day.


2

Drink a sports drink. [3]

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  1. These drinks contain electrolytes, which are important for you to replace when you’re dehydrated. [4]
    • Although it’s tempting to try to wake yourself up with some caffeine, it's better to avoid the caffeinated sports drinks, as they can further dehydrate you and even make the hangover worse.
    • Vitamin packets — or oral rehydration packets — are another great thing to toss into some water for a pick me up.


3

Drink fruit juice. [5]

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  1. This might sound a little out there, but one study found that people who drank fruit juice had less severe thirst and headache symptoms. This could be because fruit juices are generally high in fructose, which is a sugar that affects your energy and your liver function. Your liver is in charge of processing the alcohol you drank, so juice might improve how quickly your body metabolizes alcohol.
    • Tomato juice, orange juice, and coconut water are all good choices, as are green grape juice and pear juice. [6]


4

Drink ginger tea. [7]

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  1. It’s often used by pregnant women when they’re dealing with morning sickness.
    • One option is to boil several slices of fresh, peeled ginger root in about four cups of water for 5-10 min, then add the juice of one orange, half a lemon, and a half cup of honey. This yummy concoction can provide quick relief from your hangover by stabilizing your blood sugar levels.
    • While it might be tempting to swap in ginger ale over ginger tea, fizzy drinks are a bit iffy for your hangover. Because they’re bubbly, they can increase the pressure you’ll be feeling on your stomach.


5

Sip fluids throughout the day. [8]

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  1. Instead, try taking small sips throughout the day. Taking regular sips of water, fruit juice and/or a sports drink will help you replenish your lost fluids, vitamins, and nutrients as the day goes on, making you feel better in the end.


6

Avoid caffeinated drinks.

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  1. Skipping the coffee might feel like a real challenge, especially if you’re really dragging, but it will be totally worth it. Caffeinated drinks like coffee can actually make you more dehydrated and thirsty than you already are. [9] [10]
    • Plus, caffeine narrows your blood vessels and raises your blood pressure (yikes!). This can make your hangover symptoms worse.


7

Eat some eggs. [11]

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  1. By helping cleanse your body of these leftover toxins, eggs can help you to feel rejuvenated and more energized.
    • Avoid making your eggs with too much fat or grease if you feel nauseous, as it might exacerbate those symptoms.


8

Have bouillon soup to restore your vitamins and minerals. [12]

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  1. Don’t know what bouillon soup is? It’s a thin vegetable, beef, or chicken-based broth that is a good source of the vitamins and minerals you need to replenish after drinking. In particular, it’s perfect for replenishing the salt and potassium that you may have lost. [13]
9

Eat foods rich in potassium. [14]

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  1. It turns out that when you pee so much, you lose more potassium than normal. Those lowered potassium levels can contribute to tiredness, nausea, and weak limbs, all symptoms you might be feeling right now.
    • Luckily, you probably have some cheap ways to tackle this already waiting in your kitchen. Bananas and kiwi fruits, as well as baked potatoes, leafy greens, mushrooms, and dried apricots are all good potassium sources. [15]
10

Eat bland foods like toast and crackers. [16]

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  1. [17] If you’re feeling tired and nauseous, flavorless foods might be your best option. Complex carbohydrates (like oatmeal or whole-grain bread) are also a good choice if you think your stomach can take it.
    • Remember, the point of eating to tackle a hangover is not to "absorb" the alcohol, but to boost your blood sugar and replenish your nutrients. [18]
11

Go back to bed if you can. [19]

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  1. The kind of sleep you get right after drinking may involve less of the REM (rapid eye movement) stage — the part of sleep that actually makes you feel rested. So, it’s natural that your body and brain want a little more rest. In the end, the most surefire cure for your hangover is time, so if you can kill a little bit of that time sleeping — all the better. Make sure that the room is dim or dark: the light can make you feel worse. [20]
12

Take an easy walk. [21]

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  1. A brisk walk can help speed up your metabolism and the clearance of alcohol from your system. [22] You also might be able to increase the rate that alcohol toxins are broken down in your body by increasing your oxygen levels. Overall, a huge win!
13

Take an over-the-counter painkiller.

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  1. Stick to aspirin-based painkillers or NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) and steer clear of acetaminophen-based painkillers (like Tylenol, Paramol, and Anacin), which can damage your liver when taken with alcohol in your system. [23] [24]
14

Take an antacid pill for your stomach.

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  1. Antacid pills (think Tums, Mylanta, Maalox) can neutralize your stomach acid and tackle your feelings of indigestion — making your stomach woes more bearable. [25]


15

Take a multivitamin pill.

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  1. [26] A multivitamin tablet is a great way to restore those nutrients to your body. Be careful to avoid effervescent tablets, as they might make your nausea worse.
    • The added carbon dioxide in effervescent causes them to fizz up — adding pressure to your stomach (like ginger ale!) — and exacerbating stomach pain and nausea. [27]
16

Be wary of “miracle cures”.

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  1. Like most things in life, hangovers don’t have one easy, cure-all solution. While ‘hangover pills’ claim to be able to tackle all your hangover symptoms at once, scientific studies have concluded that their effectiveness is, at best, limited. [28]

Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I help my loved one quit drinking alcohol?
    Tiffany Douglass, MA
    Founder, Wellness Retreat Recovery Center
    Tiffany Douglass is the Founder of Wellness Retreat Recovery Center, a JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) accredited drug and alcohol treatment program based in San Jose, California. She is also the Executive Director for Midland Tennessee at JourneyPure. She has over ten years of experience in substance abuse treatment and was appointed a Global Goodwill Ambassador in 2019 for her efforts in residential addiction treatment. Tiffany earned a BA in Psychology from Emory University in 2004 and an MA in Psychology with an emphasis on Organization Behavior and Program Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University in 2006.
    Tiffany Douglass, MA
    Founder, Wellness Retreat Recovery Center
    Expert Answer
    It's really a family process. People who have long-term success are usually those who have loved ones who are engaged and are involved in their day-to-day lives. It's important to do the work to overcome any codependency that can keep the person unhealthy.
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      Tips

      • Drink responsibly and know your limits. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women have no more than 3 drinks on a single day and no more than 7 drinks per week. Men should have no more than 4 drinks on a single day and no more than 14 drinks per week. [29] "One drink" means one of the following: 12-ounce beer, 8-9 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
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      • To avoid a hangover, drink water between each alcoholic drink and before bed.
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      • Try a cold shower. It should cool you off, and help with your head and stomach.
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      Warnings

      • Even without treatment, a hangover should last no more than 24 hours. If you're still feeling bad after that, call a doctor.
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      • Exercise does not make a hangover go away. In fact, it might make the hangover worse by further dehydrating you. If you choose to exercise, drink extra water.
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      • The "hair of the dog" approach, or drinking more alcohol in the morning, only delays your hangover and ultimately will make it worse when it does arrive.
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      • If you can't remember what happened while you were drinking, if you get hangovers on a regular basis, or if drinking is affecting your work or your relationships, you may have a drinking problem.
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      • If you're having trouble controlling your drinking, reach out to a therapist in your area. They can help you determine the best way to treat your addition, whether that's in a therapeutic setting, an outpatient setting, or inpatient treatment. [30]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/hangover-cures/
      2. ↑ Murphy Perng. Certified Wine Consultant. Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.
      3. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002041.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2008/12/10/2442749.htm
      5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5894779/
      6. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5894779/
      7. ↑ https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/life/will-anything-help-your-horrific-hangover
      8. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
      9. ↑ Murphy Perng. Certified Wine Consultant. Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.
      1. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
      2. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-cure-hangover
      3. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002041.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hangovers/basics/treatment/con-20025464
      5. ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2011/12/sciences-best-hangover-cures/333719/
      6. ↑ https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php
      7. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
      8. ↑ https://www.mydr.com.au/addictions/hangovers-how-your-body-is-affected
      9. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/9477-alcohol-hangover-myths-revealed.html
      10. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/5960-hangover-cures-works.html
      11. ↑ Murphy Perng. Certified Wine Consultant. Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.
      12. ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/4-gentle-exercises-will-help-ease-your-hangover-symptoms-ncna949481
      13. ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/monica-reinagel-ms-ldn-cns/cure-hangover_b_1165668.html
      14. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681004.html
      15. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/paracetamol.html
      16. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Hangovers.aspx
      17. ↑ https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2039990_2039991_2040040,00.html
      18. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cons/alka-seltzer.html
      19. ↑ https://www.princeton.edu/uhs/healthy-living/hot-topics/alcohol/
      20. ↑ https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking
      21. ↑ Tiffany Douglass, MA. Alcohol Treatment Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 March 2020.

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