Hangover

A hangover is a group of unpleasant symptoms you get the day after drinking too much alcohol.

Hangovers affect people in different ways. It is hard to say how many drinks cause a hangover. If you drink enough to be drunk (intoxicated), you are likely to have a hangover the next day. But it can take less than this for some people.

Hangover symptoms

Common hangover symptoms include:

• fatigue (extreme tiredness) and weakness
• thirst and dry mouth
• headache and muscle pain
• nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (getting sick)
• stomach pain
• dizziness
• sensitivity to light and sound
• anxiety or feeling down
• shaking and sweating
• increased heart rate
• increased blood pressure

How bad symptoms can be

Hangover symptoms range from mild to severe. How bad your symptoms are usually depends on how much you drink.

But other factors can influence how severe your hangover is, including:

• your age - younger people tend to drink more and report more severe hangovers
• your sex - women absorb alcohol faster than men and it stays longer in their blood
• some health conditions are linked to more severe hangovers - for example, depression
• genetics
• your weight, size and metabolism (how your body breaks down food and drink into energy)
• what you ate before or while drinking
• any prescription medicines you take - some medicines can interact with alcohol and cause more severe hangovers
• other drugs you may have taken while drinking

Ingredients in some alcoholic drinks can also cause hangover symptoms or make them worse. For example, congeners (natural chemicals) that improve taste and smell in some drinks or sulfites added as preservatives.

Mixing alcohol with medicines or drugs

How alcohol affects sports performance

Causes of hangover symptoms

A hangover is caused by drinking too much alcohol. A hangover is a set of physical and mental symptoms.

Dehydration

Alcohol is a diuretic - it makes you pee more than usual. This can lead to dehydration.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• thirst
• tiredness
• headache
• dizziness

Electrolyte imbalance

Alcohol makes you pee more, so you lose electrolytes. These are vitamins and minerals such as sodium and potassium. This electrolyte imbalance can lead to headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps.

Inflammatory response

Alcohol can trigger an inflammatory response in the body. This means your immune system produces substances that make you feel unwell. They can affect your memory and concentration, energy levels and appetite.

Stomach irritation

Alcohol can irritate the lining of your stomach. It also increases the amount of acid in your stomach. These can cause stomach pain, nausea or vomiting.

Drop in blood sugar level

Drinking alcohol can cause your blood sugar level to drop. This can make you feel very tired or weak and shaky. It can also cause mood changes.

Sleep problems

After you drink alcohol you may wake up in the night or sleep less than usual. The lack of good-quality sleep can leave you feeling very tired and lacking energy.

Anxiety

Alcohol increases the brain’s feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine. This may make you feel relaxed and happy while you are drinking. But you can later feel low or anxious.

Feeling down after drinking too much alcohol

Hangover cures

There is no cure for a hangover other than time. A hangover will usually pass after 8 to 24 hours.

Having another alcoholic drink (sometimes called hair of the dog) will not help your hangover. It puts extra pressure on your liver as it tries to recover. More alcohol is likely to make your hangover last longer.

There is also little evidence that your hangover will get better if you:

• drink coffee, cola or other drinks with caffeine
• eat a fry-up - such as bacon, sausage and fried egg
• have a shower
• exercise
• take vitamin C

Hangover remedies

There are no proven hangover remedies. Alternative products cannot cure a hangover. There is no evidence to show milk thistle can prevent or treat a hangover.

Tips to ease a hangover

There are some things you can do to help ease the discomfort caused by a hangover.

Rehydrate

Drink lots of water. Try to do this before going to sleep, and the next day. This helps ease dehydration symptoms. Istonic drinks such as sports drinks can help replace lost minerals and vitamins.

Oral rehydration sachets can also be helpful - these are powders you mix with water.

Treating dehydration

Eat bland foods

Eat foods that are easy to digest. Vegetable-based broth (thin soup) is easy on your stomach and a good source of vitamins and minerals. Toast, crackers and bananas may help boost your blood sugar and settle an upset stomach.

Sugary foods can sometimes help if you are feeling shaky or trembling.

Get sleep if you can

You may fall asleep quickly after drinking alcohol, but you might not sleep well or for long. Even a nap during the day can help you feel more refreshed and alert.

Take an antacid

Antacids may help neutralise acid in your stomach and ease any pain or discomfort you may have.

Common types of antacids

Take a painkiller

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Nurofen) or aspirin may help with pain, such as headache. But they can irritate your stomach, especially if your stomach is already upset.

When to get medical advice

You do not usually need medical advice for hangover symptoms. A hangover will usually ease after about 24 hours.

If someone drinks too much too quickly, they may have alcohol poisoning.

Avoiding hangovers

The only way of avoiding a hangover is to drink alcohol in moderation or not at all.

If you chose to drink alcohol, make sure to:

• follow our tips for drinking less
• stick to the weekly low-risk guidelines
• read the labels on drinks containers to check for alcohol content
• have food before and while you are drinking
• avoid drinks with congeners (natural chemicals) - light-coloured drinks such as vodka and gin usually have fewer congeners
• drink water or fruit juice between alcoholic drinks - fizzy drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol in your body
• drink water before you go to sleep - keep a glass of water beside your bed to sip if you wake during the night