Hangover Symptoms, Causes & Long-Term Effects

Despite various over-the-counter pills and tablets that claim to prevent hangovers, the only guaranteed way to prevent a hangover is to avoid alcohol. A person who is unconscious or can’t be awakened is at risk of dying. If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning — even if you don’t see the classic signs and symptoms https://ecosoberhouse.com/ — seek immediate medical care. If you find that you are unable to control your drinking, it is essential to seek help. Light-colored alcohols, such as vodka or white wine, have fewer congeners (hangover-causing toxins). An over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication may relieve hangover headaches and muscular pains.

Extract of the fruit from Hovenia dulcis, a tree native to East Asia, also showed promise in a small study. And other research suggested that people who took extract of prickly pear cactus before drinking had less severe hangovers. Some people think you should take painkillers before bed when you’ve been drinking, but it’s important to avoid acetaminophen. But if inflammation is part of the reason hangovers happen, aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might help.

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All of this makes it very difficult to pin down an actual standardized hangover level. Previously, research noted 0.11% BAC was considered the “toxicological threshold,” meaning that sufficient alcohol had been consumed at that percentage point to develop a hangover. But recent research shows that “subjective intoxication” (in other words, the individual degree of reported drunkenness), and not BAC, is the most important determinant of hangover severity.

“Dietary intake over supplementation in general is a safer approach—one that can nourish the body without potentially harmful side effects,” says Dr. Pulde. So, if you can stomach it, try to get your B vitamin and zinc stores back up with foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and eggs. There are a couple how long does a hangover last reasons that taking an anti-inflammatory medication may help with hangover symptoms. For those needing more bland foods due to nausea, good options might include brown rice, oats and whole grain bread or toast, suggests Dr. Pulde. You want fast-digesting carbs that won’t linger in the stomach, adds Norton.

Lack Of Sleep

The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers. Drinking yourself into a state of hangover can also seriously tank your vitamin stores. However, certain vitamins may actually help stave off hangovers, so getting these supplies built back up is important.

  • According to a recent study, a person with type 1 diabetes will likely experience hypoglycemia after drinking alcohol.9 Hypoglycemia is a dangerous condition characterized by low blood sugar levels.
  • As it recalibrates, you experience a mild withdrawal from alcohol, which briefly impacts your nervous system and causes mood disturbances—even causing hangover anxiety for some people.
  • Learning to deal with mental health disorders in a healthy, controlled environment can influence you to make smarter choices and lessen the chance of relapse into substance abuse.
  • However, if you find yourself having regular hangovers, then this could be a sign that you are struggling with alcohol use disorder.
  • Estimates of lost revenues due to reduced job productivity and absenteeism from alcohol run as high as $148 billion a year in the U.S. alone.

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