By Well Sewn Staff
You were out for a night on the town, and things got a bit… wild. What started out as a social occasion to drink turned into quite the party, and now that you’ve woken up with Thor’s hammer smashing you in the skull, you are wondering where your life went wrong. Everyone that has had a few too many to drink has been there at some point or another in their life; the hangover is nature’s receipt for having too good of a time with drink, crashing the party hours later with effects that can range from mild annoyance to earth-shattering misery. The pain of the hangover can become so acute that many swear off drinking alcohol ever again, while others search in perpetuity for that ever-elusive cure to the monster lurking behind the bottle.
But what is a hangover, why does it cause so much distress to our bodies, and how can we work to prevent them? Shockingly, despite humans having been consuming alcohol for thousands of years, scientists are still learning more information about the potential causes of hangovers today, with different culprits being pointed at depending on who you talk to. That isn’t to say that there is no good news in the fight against post-drunk blues, however: there are steps that can be taken to help mitigate the worst of the effects of a hangover, or even help to prevent them from coming on in the first place. Join us as we take a look at the ins and outs of hangover science, the common myths and misconceptions behind them, and how you can try to cheat the system and beat your hangover.
The Science Behind Hangovers
The basic answer to the question, “What is a hangover?” is simple: you have poisoned yourself with alcohol, and now the body is attempting to cure itself. When we consume alcohol, enzymes in the body called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) metabolizes the alcohol, creating a rather nasty chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is harmful to the body, so it is quickly broken down by another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) into a new chemical called acetate. From there, acetate can be processed by the body into carbon dioxide and water, allowing us to expel the byproducts from the body.
Understanding the process of alcohol withdrawal is less noteworthy than understanding the effects of alcohol withdrawal on the body. Chemical compounds found in alcoholic beverages during the distillation and fermentation process called congeners can do a number of the body; these include the aforementioned acetaldehyde along with methanol and acetones that cause the body to process alcohol more slowly, worsening hangover symptoms. Alcohol affects neurotransmitter chemistry in the brain that leads to the symptoms of euphoria while drinking, but can also worsen the recovery period from hangovers.
One of the major culprits thought to be at the center of painful hangovers are cytokines, proteins emitted by cells as part of the immune system that help trigger our body’s natural defenses to pathogens. When we consume large quantities of alcohol, research indicates that the presence of cytokines in the body increases, which causes our immune system to begin ramping up. This inflammatory process can create many of the symptoms we associate with hangovers: headaches, fatigue, nausea, upset stomach, even problems with lapses in memory. When coupled with the presence of free radicals in alcohol that can damage the mitochondria in the liver, you have the perfect storm of your body straining to overcome the deleterious effects of alcohol.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
Now that we have an understanding behind the body’s reaction to alcohol, we can begin to unpack some of the myths and misconceptions that have acquired standing amongst the community of drinkers over the years. One of the most shocking misconceptions, albeit one that remains good advice on general grounds, is that dehydration is the primary cause of the worst hangover symptoms. The theory goes that consuming large quantities of water while consuming alcohol should mitigate the worst effects of the hangover the next day; unfortunately, the science behind this is unconvincing. While staying hydrated is always important, research has indicated little evidence to support that water consumption has a major impact on hangover severity.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen would seem to make sense given the body’s propensity to trigger a severe inflammatory response. However, a word of caution here: anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can cause severe irritation in the lining of the stomach, which might already exasperate feelings of nausea and general uneasiness following a night of heavy drinking. Taking pain medication should always be used in conjunction with some bland, easy-to-digest food to prevent worsening an upset stomach.
By far the worst misconception that some people have however relates to consuming more alcohol the morning after a night of drinking – the hair of the dog that bit you – to combat a hangover. Not only will this not help end a hangover, but it will also delay the end of your hangover, lengthening the misery! Consuming more alcohol to alleviate a hangover will only result in delaying the inevitable and could even heighten the symptoms of the very thing you were trying to avoid in the first place.
Prevention and Treatment
Unfortunately, there’s only one surefire way to prevent a hangover from occurring: abstain from alcohol entirely. While we would certainly be amenable to the health benefits of lessening alcohol intake on general principles, you would not be reading this article if abstaining from alcohol entirely were a goal. Thus, is there any other preventative measures one can undertake to avoid the worst effects of a hangover? Thankfully, there are some options for those who enjoy a beverage from time to time; clearer spirits such as vodka are thought to contain less congeners than darker spirits such as bourbon, which may lessen the severity of hangover symptoms the next day. Pacing yourself between drinks is also a wise strategy as it allows the body more time to process the alcohol you are consuming, preventing it from becoming overwhelmed. Consider drinking smaller amounts at any one time or pairing off alcohol with a non-alcoholic beverage to slow your rate of alcohol consumption.
If you still manage to find yourself in the unenviable position of dealing with a hangover the morning after, there are a few important tips to dealing with the worst of the symptoms. Unless you absolutely have to be up, avoid caffeine and allow your body to work off as much of the waste as possible while you sleep. People suffering from hangovers often suffer low blood sugar levels according to research, so eating easy-to-digest foods that can raise blood sugar can help alleviate some symptoms (this is particularly true if you are taking NSAIDs for their anti-inflammatory properties). Most importantly, take it easy and allow your body to do what it needs to do; remember, you only feel like death reheated. Soon enough, the worst of your symptoms will pass, and you will be ready to tackle the world once again.
