The dreaded hangover after a night out can make or break a person.
While most hangovers eventually fade on their own, some can linger for a full day, or perhaps longer.
Now, health gurus have revealed a 'little-known' tipple that could help soften the blow of those hangover blues. Before you gear up for a big night out and dread the morning after, there might be a trick to keep that hangover at bay.
Booze, whether it's a pint, a glass of vino, a shot or a fancy cocktail, acts as a diuretic, meaning it saps fluids from your body.
Oh, naughty, you've combined metric and imperial. You might get an interdenominational, you know, from mixing the two measurement systems, a hangover of that kind. pic.twitter.com/ZYfi6nRTZE
— Dobby Club (@DobbyClub06) July 9, 2024
This leads to more frequent trips to the loo as it flushes through your kidneys.
Expert Dr Holly Fennell swears by one "absolute rule" when it comes to pre-drinking rituals. She insists: "It's not a strategy if you're having alcohol to just to drink water later.
"If you are going to consume even one drink, have an electrolyte at least 20 to 30 minutes before. If you wait till you have already had a drink and then you start hydrating it's not as efficient and your body is having to work harder and is left in a more physiological stress state."
Catherine Gervacio RD, a dietitian and nutrition writer for Living. Fit, said: "While they won't prevent a hangover, electrolytes could reduce the symptoms of one."
Gervacio explains that since electrolytes aid in rebalancing your body's fluids after alcohol consumption, you might find the usual hangover symptoms less punishing.
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The only guaranteed way to dodge a hangover is to abstain from alcohol altogether
However, if you do choose to drink, pacing yourself and not going overboard can help minimise the aftermath.
A good strategy is to alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, helping to limit your intake and prevent you from getting carried away. A BAC calculator can be a handy tool to help you work out how much you can safely drink.
According to NHS guidelines, both men and women should aim to consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
Always remember to drink responsibly (18+) and stay Drinkaware.
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