Britons celebrated the New Year with a bang on Sunday night, as fireworks displays lit up the night sky and parties in nightclubs and homes were allowed to continue without coronavirus restrictions.
So if you wake up on Monday regretting that you overindulged last night, medication may be tempting.
But if you prefer to avoid pharmaceuticals, there are natural solutions you can try.
While there is no complete “cure” for a hangover, there are steps you can take to relieve the pain while you wait out the unpleasant symptoms of a heavy night.
We’ve spoken to nutrition experts to learn about some of the natural hangover remedies you could try.
1. ginger
Ginger has long been used in Chinese medicine as an anti-nausea measure. This traditional thinking is well-founded: a 2016 study concluded that the plant is “an effective and inexpensive treatment for nausea.”
A cup of ginger tea the morning after a heavy night out could be an inexpensive way to kill two birds with one stone. You’ll be replenishing some of that much-needed water and you’ll also get a major injection of stomach-calming ginger.
Since ginger also has anti-inflammatory and heart benefits, you may want to make it part of your daily routine.
When it comes to making ginger taste good, registered nutritionist Rob Hobson recommends adding one or two teaspoons of ginger powder, half a lemon, and two teaspoons of honey to a teapot and filling it with boiling water. Let it rest for five minutes before serving.
“The spicy flavor is very energizing and the honey will help rebalance low blood sugar levels,” he says.
2. A balanced breakfast
Tea is all well and good, but many of us can empathize with the lack of appetite for real food the morning after drinking it. However, eating is also vital, as alcohol consumption significantly affects blood glucose levels.
The cliché would dictate that you eat the greasiest full English available, but our experts warn against this: “Ditch the fried breakfast the next day,” says Hobson.
Granola with sliced fruit can give you a dose of natural sugars and also provide some valuable vitamins as an added benefit.
Rhiannon Lambert, Harley Street nutritionist and author of the book. Re: nourish, says: “Foods containing potassium can help your body replenish electrolytes lost after a night of drinking. “Bananas and avocados are good sources.”
3. prickly pear
The prickly pear is a photogenic cactus with a bright red fruit. Studies have shown that the extract of this fruit can be used for hangovers with impressive effect.
It has been found to reduce nausea, dizziness and headaches, all of which sounds pretty brilliant from the point of view of hangover sufferers in Britain.
If you want to try it, look for a supplement called Hovenia Dulcis extract.
4. Artichoke extract
Another extract you can try is artichoke. “This supplement stimulates bile production and may help relieve bloating and other indigestion symptoms associated with alcohol consumption,” says Hobson.
5. water
It may be the simplest cure, but it is one of the most effective.
Even relatively light consumption causes dehydration. This, in turn, can cause headaches, fatigue, and lack of energy that many of us associate with hangovers.
When you wake up feeling sick, drinking a glass of water should be at the top of your to-do list.
Lambert says that despite not being a big drinker, she’ll likely drink more water in the days after having a glass of wine or two.
Rehydrating will be even easier if you remember to drink a glass of water before going to bed at the end of the night, but don’t panic if you haven’t succeeded. Making sure you take regular sips throughout the morning should help you feel better.
6. Sleep
There really is no substitute for sleep and alcohol can seriously damage the quality and quantity of our sleep.
Whether the night stretched into the wee hours of the morning or alcohol consumption affected your ability to sleep, the downsides of even a lack of light sleep are significant.
If you feel unwell the next morning, be sure to schedule an afternoon nap and don’t forget to go to bed early at the end of the day.
Always drink responsibly. For more information visit Drinkaware.es.
