How Long Does a Hangover Last?
After a fun night out or simply when one has had too much, the question “How long does a hangover last?” usually arises. For most people, the main hangover symptoms end within 24 hours. However, sometimes it can actually take more than one day to fully recover. That is, you can feel uncommon sleepiness and even mild nausea for two days after the party.
The hangovers and the severity of the condition most often depend on how long you sleep. Sleep is useful for overcoming intoxication syndrome, so even if you had a lot of fun, but you managed to get 8-10 hours of sleep, you will feel better. After all, you need to make up for the time you did not sleep when drinking late and lack of restful sleep due to drinking itself. However, this varies from person to person, so if you tend to suffer from headaches even after a couple of glasses of wine, then it will be just less pronounced.
Of course, you should always consider how much alcohol you drank. If you drank too much, there is a high risk that you will feel normal again only after about 48 hours. Also, if you drank little water before and during drinking, the hangover will be more severe. How long does a hangover last in the worst cases? In general, a hangover can last up to 72 hours.
There is also a factor that drinkers tend to forget, which is the speed at which alcohol is consumed affects both the intensity of intoxication and the length of the hangover. After all, our body breaks down alcohol at the same rate, so if you drink more, it will not do it faster. Moreover, it might not have enough time to metabolize large doses that enter your body, and the intoxication may be stronger.
How long does a hangover last if you go for dark drinks, such as whiskey, cognac, and red wine? There is evidence that the presence of congeners, enzymes produced during fermentation that have an intoxicating effect on the body, can make you feel worse. Studies show that darker alcoholic drinks have more congeners compared to lighter.
If your symptoms do not seem to go away or at least get better, you should seek medical help because this may not be a severe hangover, but serious alcohol poisoning.
How to ease a hangover?
A hangover is a state that is familiar to almost every adult. Unfortunately, the only cure for a hangover is time and the only working way to avoid a hangover is not to get drunk. But we understand that it can be too late sometimes. How to ease a hangover if you did drink a little too much? Luckily, there are some simple ways to ease suffering.
- Drink a few glasses of water during and after drinking – the more water you drink and the sooner you do it, the easier it will be to get through the hangover morning. Mineral water is the best choice because it relieves swelling and restores water-salt balance. One note: those who have problems with the heart and blood vessels should drink water in small portions. Avoid combining carbonated drinks and alcohol, as carbon dioxide accelerates alcohol absorption. Since the body is poisoned by toxins, the face is usually swollen from dehydration. You might consider turning to ice packs to reduce the swelling.
- In case of nausea and the urge to vomit, it is better not to torture yourself and empty the stomach.
- No alcohol or coffee. It is not recommended to fight a hangover by drinking alcohol. This will aggravate the problem and make the condition worse. Yes, at first you will feel a little better, but this is an illusion. After a while, you may feel bad again, since you have not restored the water-salt balance, and will want to drink more. Doctors advise not to consume alcohol at all for several days after heavy drinking in order to allow the body to recover. Also, although it might seem that coffee can actually help, quite opposite is possible. Strong coffee and tea can worsen hangover for several reasons and even cause cardiovascular complications. Therefore, it is not recommended to use stimulating drinks in a state of a hangover.
- Juices, milk, and broth. Pomegranate, orange, or apple juices, as well as honey dissolved in water with an addition of lemon or coconut water that can be mixed with pineapple juice are effective relievers of hangover symptoms. It is also good to drink milk to bind and stop the absorption of toxins accumulating in the intestines, or you can replace it with meat broth.
- Bananas are a great source of potassium, an electrolyte that one loses when peeing and sweating. Antioxidant vitamin C and B6 also help with headaches, fatigue, and lessen the damage done to the body by alcohol. Just like honey mentioned above, bananas provide quick glucose for the body to ease irritation and even help to metabolize alcohol.
- Healthy breakfast. Usually, we are tempted to eat a lot of fast food. Don’t make matters worse: a protein breakfast, soup, and plenty of fluids are all you need on a day-after-party. A toast with avocado, eggs, or peanut butter is what the body needs during a hangover. A salty bagel with cream cheese and bacon is also a good option because you will replenish potassium and sodium that one loses when drinking and receive protein for neutralizing acids, which are left by the alcohol and irritate the stomach.
How to ease a hangover when it is really bad? A hangover is essentially poisoning. We poison ourselves with the decay products of ethanol. Since these products are already in our blood, the whole body is suffering. Unfortunately, acetaldehyde (the main poison left after a fun time) takes time to remove.
Alcohol poisoning can lead to more than a bad morning. Sometimes it provokes more serious conditions, including a stroke or heart attack. Therefore, seek emergency help if you notice:
- Severe headache
- Chest pain, which can radiate to the left arm
- Frequent heart palpitations
- Paleness up to bluish tint
- Decrease in body temperature
- Vomiting that does not stop and does not allow drinking
- Confusion of consciousness (difficult to answer questions, not clear where you are).
Take back control of your life and start on the road to recovery now.
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