Author: Alex Thompson

What Causes Hangovers? Causes and Cures

Typically, it comes on around 10 hours after your blood alcohol peaks — but this varies according to sex, weight and genetic disposition. Granted, some folks are more sensitive to their own body or have higher sensory thresholds for detecting inner abnormalities (officially called “interoception,” via Habits for Wellbeing). They might have cottonmouth, for example, but not notice because it’s not bad enough, or if they do notice, they don’t care because of a tolerance for discomfort. Eating before or at the time of drinking can slow down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. It is crucial for a person to measure their drinks and be aware of how much they are drinking.

Is it okay to drink alcohol while on Zoloft?

But shot after cocktail after beer after whiskey, neat, with no hangover whatsoever? It sounds like magic, and a potentially dangerous door to alcohol dependence. Or you know, maybe your friend has the opposite problem and gets loopy and beet-red after half a glass of chardonnay. Drinking a lot of alcohol and going to bed early do not necessarily go hand in hand.

The main form of alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethanol, but the darker liquors contain chemically related compounds (congeners), including methanol. The same enzymes process ethanol and methanol, but methanol metabolites are especially toxic, so they may cause a worse hangover. While dehydration is commonly blamed for hangovers, it’s only part of the story. It’s true that alcohol is a diuretic, or a chemical that causes us to relentlessly pee, but dehydration could simply “co-occur” with hangovers rather than drive them.

The Unpleasant Symptoms of a Hangover

When drinking at home, some people may pour themselves more substantial measures or be less aware of the volumes they are using. This can make it more difficult for an individual to keep track of their alcohol consumption. Alcohol can have a negative impact on both the quality and duration of sleep.

Why Do I Feel Hungover Without Drinking?

As alcohol affects so many systems in our bodies and brains, a hangover is equally complex so there are myriad possible ways to suffer. Obviously, not drinking any alcohol is the best prevention, but if you know you are going to be drinking, these tips can help prevent that dreaded hangover. How much is safe for an individual to drink will vary from person to person and depends on many factors, such as how much food they have eaten, how much water they have drunk, and how much sleep they have had. Here, we look at nine ways to prevent or reduce the severity of a hangover.

Pain Relievers (Except Tylenol)

1. The duration of a hangover can vary widely depending on factors such as the amount and type of alcohol consumed, individual metabolism, and overall health.
2. They’re probably just along for the ride, and consuming a hearty breakfast and an electrolyte-rich drink should stave off these nasties.
3. It is crucial for a person to measure their drinks and be aware of how much they are drinking.
4. We meet the scientists creating wagyu beaf, a Japanese delicacy with a distinctive texture, from cells.
5. I was skeptical, but it turns out my friend might not just be a liar with his pants on fire.
6. The severity of a person’s hangover can depend on many factors, such as how much and what type of alcohol they drank, how much sleep they got, and whether they had any food or water.

However, about 20-25% of people who drink are “hangover resistant” and experience no symptoms (1, 4). The severity of hangovers increases with the amount of alcohol you consume. For this reason, the best way to prevent hangovers is to drink in moderation — or abstain completely. As it turns out, genetics explains almost half the variation in hangovers experienced between individuals — though the potential explanations (which genes are doing what) are countless. The mystery of why some individuals seem immune to hangovers while others suffer greatly the morning after drinking has long intrigued both scientists and social drinkers. Recent studies have shed some light on this phenomenon, revealing it is likely due to genetics.

How to cure a hangover

By luck of the draw, some people will experience the most minimal hangovers possible, if at all, just as genetic fate determines the shape of one’s jaw, how quickly one gains muscle, and the strength of one’s tooth enamel. For the rest of the unblessed (or uncursed), there’s no recourse but to act within your limits and, if necessary, sip very, very slowly while not getting jealous of the liquor-soaking beasts partying around you. The risk of developing these conditions increases over time with the amount of alcohol a person drinks. Other drinkers vouch for a variety of seemingly scientific cures—Vitamin B or caffeine, for instance—but studies have also failed to show that these provide any relief either. Some people are extremely prone to hangovers, and some can drink with impunity. Just in the nick of time, here’s our complete guide to the science of hangovers—what we know, what we don’t know, and how you can use this information to minimize your suffering.

Intriguingly, the suffering of a hangover may also hinge on certain personality traits; one study found that neurotic people are more likely to suffer from hangover than people who are more laid back. That doesn’t mean that the agony is necessarily “made-up” or exaggerated; emotions are known to modulate the experience of pain, meaning that feelings of guilt and anxiety might amplify, the real, physical distress. Alcoholic hangovers refer to adverse symptoms — such as dizziness and nausea — that appear when people sober up after excessive drinking. A good rule is to drink a glass of water — or another non-alcoholic beverage — between drinks and to have at least one big glass of water before going to sleep.

Coffee can alleviate hangover symptoms like fatigue and grogginess due to its caffeine content. However, it can also contribute to dehydration and stomach irritation. It’s best to drink coffee in moderation and ensure adequate water intake. The body transforms booze into a substance called acetaldehyde, which is up to 30 times more toxic than alcohol and causes nausea, sweating, and a racing pulse. Acetaldehyde, along with its broken-down form, acetate, may be responsible for the lion’s share of hangover symptoms.