We’ve all likely had one (and let’s be honest probably more than just one) but let’s take a deep dive and explore why hangovers suck so much, shall we? Hangovers are the price we pay for a night of drinking and while everyone’s threshold and experiences are different a hangover isn’t exactly pleasant.
For some unlucky people even, a single alcoholic drink can be enough to trigger a hangover. Yes, it will only be a slight one but still, no one wants to experience a hangover after just one drink do they? So, let’s look at why hangovers happen in the first place and see if there is a way to avoid them.
How Do Hangovers Happen?
Everyone who is of legal drinking age will know about hangovers, but few people probably know why they happen. It is believed the primary cause of a hangover is dehydration and if you’re thinking why does drinking something cause me to feel dehydrated, I don’t blame you it seems a little confusing doesn’t it?
But there is a good reason for this alcohol is a diuretic and this goes for all forms of alcoholic beverages. This means that it will make you want to urinate more often which means a greater loss of water and that leads to greater dehydration.
But it isn’t just dehydration that could be behind the unpleasant hangover feelings you experience. Alcohol has a variety of effects on the body and when you combined these together you will likely begin to see why hangovers can be so unpleasant.
Alcohol can irritate your stomach and cause it to become inflamed which can lead to nausea and vomiting. There is also some research that points towards our immune systems being connected to hangovers.
So, why do hangovers happen? Well, dehydration is definitely a factor although how much of a factor is definitely up for debate. A hangover is likely the result of a combination of many different things and we likely won’t have an exact answer as to why they happen. But even without a clear cut answer we can say one thing for sure they certainly do suck, don’t they?
Symptoms Of A Hangover
Ask anyone you know what their hangovers are like and you will probably get dozens of different answers. Some symptoms are quite common while others a much rarer and every hangover you experience will be different.
But let’s look at some of the symptoms you can look forward to experiencing if you drink too much. Tiredness and fatigue are common, and you can almost guarantee them to some degree, headaches and muscle pain are also quite common, dizziness and difficulty concentrating, and even shaking can also occur.
Nausea and vomiting aren’t as common as you might first think but they aren’t exactly rare symptoms of a hangover either. You can also expect excessive thirst as well after a hangover due to dehydration as well. A heightened sensitivity to light and sound can also be expected.
How long these symptoms will last can vary greatly it will depend on how much you drank, what you drank (some alcoholic beverages can be much stronger than others), and your own individual body and health. But either way you can expect the symptoms to last for at least a few hours.
Preventing A Hangover
You’ll find lots of tips online that claim to help you avoid a hangover or even completely cure one! Unfortunately, the latter advice is a case of too good to be true, you can’t really cure a hangover, but you can take preventive steps to lessen them and make them easier to manage.
Drinking plenty of water can help and so can having breakfast the morning after. Many people won’t want to eat when experiencing a hangover, but it can help speed up the recovery process a lot. Avoiding very strong beverages is another good tip and so is drinking in moderation but of course, this isn’t always easy.
After a few drinks, our plans for a quiet night out don’t always go to plan, do they? One of the best ways to avoid a hangover is to stick to non-alcoholic or alcohol-free alternatives. There is now a huge range of these beverages available so finding something you like should be quite easy nowadays. You can still enjoy the taste of your favourite beverage but without the risk of a hangover.