Beating the Hangover

Drinking is awesome, but many times the next morning isn’t so much. Why? It is the dreaded and mysterious hangover. The headaches and nausea are sometimes so unpleasant that the familiar mantra of “I’m never drinking again!” is uttered to no avail.

For some, hangovers are non-existent. Certain people can drink like fish and wake up the next day - maybe more tired than usual - but without the common symptoms of a hangover (or veisalgia, for Latin or science types). Vulnerability to hangovers varies depending on genetics, so people may not be lying when they claim they don’t get them.

Beer Before Liquor

A good rule of thumb when trying avoid hangovers is: “Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear. Beer before liquor, never been sicker.” This makes sense from a volume standpoint. For example, when going out to dinner, it is alright to have a cocktail or two before eating, and then switch to beer or wine. But going from scotch to beer to wine and then hitting up the Irish coffee after dinner may not be as good as it sounds. The reason is, when you are already a little intoxicated, you are more inclined to continue drinking, and less likely to feel the immediate effect. If you are drinking something with a high alcohol content, it’s much easier to exceed your limits without even realizing it. It’s best to stick with a lower proof beverage if you want to maintain control of yourself.

What You Drink Is Important

Everyone has the friend that only drinks vodka and always seems fine the next day. Well, duh. Vodka (the super-premium kind - read: not Skol or Dmitri) is just give or take 40% ethanol by volume diluted with water. The fact that only ethanol is present in vodka reduces some of the symptoms of the hangover.Other drinks, like whisky or cognac, have significant amounts of another type of alcohol called methanol, and thus are more likely to cause a hangover the next morning.

But drinking vodka is not the drunk’s panacea for hangovers. They can still occur because everyone is different. Some folks can ingest a fifth of Johnny Walker and feel fine the next day. Others will be worshipping the porcelain goddess for the rest of the weekend.

What Is The Cure?

People tend to run towards the medicine cabinet to relieve their headaches and stomach pains, but that is not necessarily a good idea. Beware of excessive ibuprofen intake after drinking. Also watch out for acetaminophen, or its popular brand name, Tylenol. Tylenol is double bad for the recovering drunk, as it can destroy the liver and cause severe discomfort. It is hard to combat the ills of the hangover when it strikes. The best method is to prevent it the night before. After a night of drinking, drink lots of water, take an aspirin and an antacid and take it easy.

Hopefully the next morning won’t ruin tomorrow night.

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