Top 10 Best Hangover Cures

A hangover is nature’s way of telling you that you overindulged the previous night. Most people who have drunk alcohol at some point in their lives get to know the symptoms, which can include: grogginess, tiredness, pounding headache, sensitivity to sound and/or light, general aching, nausea, dehydration, rough throat, upset stomach, bad taste in mouth, and an inability to think straight. I have heard multiple suggestions for the best hangover cures – the only remedy that is absolutely guaranteed to work, of course, is not to drink in the first place, but failing that, here are the top 10 best hangover cures that I believe to be the best.

1. Drink lots of water. Many of the worst effects of a hangover are caused by dehydration. The best time to drink lots of water is before you go to bed. You should down at least one large glass of water. Whether you remember to drink water in the evening or not, you should also drink water when you get up in the morning as well.

2. Eat a big fry up. Greasy, fatty food eaten before bedtime will help to ward off a hangover the following morning according to many drinkers. If you don’t eat it the evening before, try eating it first thing in the morning after you’ve woken up.

3. Hair of the dog. This idea goes back to William Shakespeare’s time and involves drinking an alcoholic drink on the morning after to cancel out the effects of the hangover. Traditionally, many people choose a Bloody Mary as their hair of the dog hangover drink of choice, but in theory it can be any alcoholic drink.

4. Drink lots of coffee. Coffee will perk you up for a short while, but how much good it will do in the medium term is questionable. Some think that it might even make you even more dehydrated so should be avoided. It can also make a headache worse.

5. Work off the hangover with exercise. Many people believe physical exercise to be one of the best hangover cures - I don’t know how well it works, but going to the gym, or out for a run can certainly make you physically and emotionally feel better in my experience.

6. Alka Seltzer works well for some people. Avoid taking pain relievers such as aspirin, Tylenol and ibuprofen, however, as the negative side effects of these drugs can be much greater and more potentially damaging when they are taken alongside alcohol.

7. Some people with hangovers find that sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Powerade, are effective at tackling the hangover by replenishing necessary minerals and salts, as well as helping to re-hydrate the body.

8. Sleep for as long as can get away with in a quiet, dark room. The longer you spend in bed, the longer that your body has to recover from the damage that you have done to it.

9. Try some flat ginger ale, which can help soothe your stomach. Avoid drinking milk, if you can, as this can upset your stomach and make you queasy. One traditional recipe for a hangover cure is known as a Prairie Oyster, which involves mixing together a whole raw egg, salt and pepper, and a dash of worcestershire sauce, before drinking it.

10. Try drinking a fruit juice that is high in vitamin C, such as orange juice. Try also taking Vitamins B6 and B12, as a deficiency of these two vitamins can make a hangover worse.