Hangovers National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

In a 2010 study, researchers compared participants’ self-reported hangover severity after drinking bourbon or vodka. You’re likely to drink more alcohol in a shorter amount of time if you kick off your night with hard liquor, he says. It makes you inebriated faster — and you may feel inclined to drink more than you would slowly sipping a beer. It may offer some temporary relief by raising your alcohol levels and masking symptoms like jitteriness or anxiety, says Marino. “But your hangover is just going to be pushed down the road.”

But you might not realize that while a few glasses of wine could put you to sleep, vino certainly won’t help you get your deepest snooze on. commission paid meaning “People tend to have interrupted sleep following a drinking episode,” says Dr. Goggans. To make the answer even more complex, bodyweight and size also make a difference in how you metabolize alcohol. “So there are many factors—so many, in fact, that you’ll have to pay close attention to what works for your own body,” notes Hultin.

In this article, read about hangover duration, remedies, prevention, and when to consult a doctor. Hangovers tend to go away on their own, even if you don’t do anything. As your body readjusts to the lack of alcohol, you start to feel better. Hangovers are miserable, but most subside within 24 hours. Drinking in moderation is key if you want to avoid them.

There are treatment approaches that can relieve some of the severe effects of a hangover. In addition to getting some rest, you can drink fluids, eat in moderation, and take over-the-counter (OTC) medications. There is no cure for a hangover, but there are some treatment strategies. Waiting is typically the most common way of dealing with hangovers because they tend to resolve on their own. However, you may not want to sleep all day and have other obligations like work or school. In some instances, symptoms of a hangover can begin before the effects of alcohol have worn off.

Mixing different types of alcoholic beverages will increase your risk of severe hangovers. An over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication may relieve hangover headaches and muscular pains. Take these medications with a meal to avoid stomach irritation or further harming your stressed liver.

If you’re not sure which OTC nausea treatment to choose, consider speaking with a pharmacist. However, the progression and severity of symptoms over time can vary from one person to the next. They found that participants tended to report feeling worse after drinking bourbon, which has a higher congener content.

Nausea and vomiting

If you find that you are unable to control your drinking, it is essential to seek help. Light-colored alcohols, such as vodka or white wine, have fewer congeners (hangover-causing toxins). Drinking on an empty stomach may cause nausea or vomiting, so stop immediately and inform the person you’re with how you’re feeling. You may have heard that sports drinks will hydrate you faster and speed your hangover recovery. But there’s no research to back up the idea that electrolytes — whether you drink them or take them in through a vein in your arm — are a cure. You might feel better for a little while if you have another drink in the morning, but you’re only postponing your symptoms.

What Does a Hangover Feel Like?

Inpatient treatment programs provide intensive therapy and medical care in a residential setting. You’ll receive 24-hour care and support from medical professionals. Drinking and smoking at the same time increase the severity of a hangover. Talk with your healthcare professional before trying any alternative medicine.

Hangover Symptoms

The fact that we feel worse after the alcohol has left our bodies has long been a mystery to researchers. Most of us can break down about one drink’s worth of alcohol each hour. They are thought to contain chemicals called congeners that add to ethanol’s harmful effects. Like many medical facilities across the nation, our supply chain is feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath.

Avoid smoking

1. The fact that we feel worse after the alcohol has left our bodies has long been a mystery to researchers.
2. As your body readjusts to the lack of alcohol, you start to feel better.
3. Hangovers are miserable, but most subside within 24 hours.
4. But after a few drinks, your heart starts pumping faster, and the blood vessels can’t expand enough to accommodate all the blood.

That’s why you’re likely to wake up very thirsty after a night of too much drinking. It’s also why booze’s drying effect was long thought to be the main cause of hangover symptoms. Repeated drinking can lead to liver scarring, known as cirrhosis. Certain inflammatory chemicals increase in the blood and affect various natural hormonal pathways. The stomach lining may become irritated, increasing nausea and the chance of bleeding. The extra calories consumed often become converted into fat.

You may notice these effects after you drink alcohol and then sleep for a few hours. Generally, hangovers are characterized by discomfort—and you may want to stay in bed all day. Sometimes, hangovers can be more serious and can cause health issues that require medical attention. It’s possible to reduce hangover symptoms by eating food and drinking plenty of water while you’re consuming alcohol, but there’s only so much you can do to avoid one.