The First Thing You Should Do If You Wake Up With A Hangover
Depending on what and how much alcohol you drink, a hangover can last just the morning after drinking the previous night, or it can last up to 24 hours, according to the Mayo Clinic. While the general assumption is the more alcohol a person drinks, the more likely they'll experience a hangover the next day, alcohol tolerance is different for everyone. Mayo Clinic asserts that "there's no magic formula to tell you how much you can safely drink and still avoid a hangover." Tell-tale signs of a hangover include fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, nausea and/or vomiting, dizziness, or a sense of the room spinning.
No matter what the severity of your hangover, you're probably desperate to get back into fighting — or at least not miserable — shape as soon as possible. There are plenty of helpful remedies. Sunglasses and Advil. Shutting off the alarm and sleeping in. There are also a few unhelpful suggestions. We know how delicious a burger and fries may sound after a big night of drinking, but you should never eat greasy food to cure a hangover. There is, however, one first thing you should do, without fail, when you wake up with a hangover.
Drink as much water as possible
The best and first thing you should do after waking up with a hangover is to hydrate! It could be with the water bottle on your nightstand, from the kitchen sink, or even the lawn hose. It doesn't matter. Just give your body some necessary hydration immediately. "Each person has to consume a certain amount of water on a daily basis to maintain the body's normal function," explains Kim Rose, a registered dietitian nutritionist, to Byrdie. "For this reason when someone consumes too much alcohol, water must be replaced in order for the body to function normally." Other hangover remedies offered by health experts at Byrdie include drinking Pedialyte, drinking some chicken or bone broth, and eating a nourishing meal — if your body can handle it.
Sometimes the best cure comes in the purest form. In addition to rehydrating your body with water, it wouldn't hurt to keep the sunglasses and Advil close by as well.