8 ways to avoid a hangover
- Use common sense: This means limiting yourself to 1-2 drinks. There's no way around it, hangovers are caused by drinking too much.
- Drink according to your size: Don't try to keep up with your friends. If you are smaller, drink less. Smaller people can only handle half as much as people who outweigh them.
- No champagne: Champagne and any other drink that is bubbly (like rum and coke) is going to increase your chances of getting a hangover. Why? The bubbles put the alcohol into your bloodstream much more quickly. Your liver can’t keep up, so the alcohol goes right into your bloodstream.
- Eat before you drink: Never drink on an empty stomach. Food slows the absorption of alcohol, so always eat before you drink. But avoid sugary foods like cookies, cakes and chocolate. It will mask the affect of alcohol and cause you to drink more than you realize.
- Drink slowly: The same principle that applies to eating slowly also applies to drinking slowly. Give the alcohol time to reach the brain. The rule of thumb is one drink per hour.
- Vitamin C: Some claim that taking extra vitamin C before drinking helps with hangover symptoms, especially if it is taken several days before drinking and at bedtime after a night of drinking.
- Pain relievers: Be careful about using aspirin and other pain relievers because they can be hard on an already sensitive stomach. Some recommend taking Alka-Seltzer before going to bed.
- Drink before you drink: One of the causes of a hangover is dehydration. Make sure you have enough liquids during the day if you plan to go out drinking that night.
Read more at www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/31/461594898/want-to-avoid-a-hangover-science-has-got-you-covered
