What is a hangover and how can you treat it?

A hangover is a set of unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness, often experienced after drinking a lot of alcohol.

**The best way to manage a hangover**

**How to treat a hangover**



Common symptoms include headaches, feeling sick and dizziness.

Hangovers happen because drinking alcohol makes you pee more than normal. When this happens, you can become dehydrated, and it’s dehydration that causes many of the symptoms you get when you’re hungover.

## **The best way to manage a hangover**

You can reduce your chances of getting a hangover by:

- not drinking too much alcohol. If you aren’t sure of the recommended guidelines, read this article about [how much alcohol is safe to drink](/self-care/alcohol-alcohol-units)
- not drinking on an empty stomach – eat something with carbohydrates or fats before you start drinking. This will help slow down how quickly your body absorbs the alcohol
- drinking water between each alcoholic drink
- sticking to clear alcoholic drinks such as vodka, gin and white rum. These contain a low amount of a chemical called congeners, which may make a hangover worse


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## **How to treat a hangover**

You can help manage a hangover by drinking a pint of water before going to sleep after drinking alcohol. This may reduce your risk of getting dehydrated.

You can also ease a hangover by:

- taking painkillers for headaches and antacids to settle your stomach – speak to a pharmacist for advice on the best medicines to take for a hangover and how to safely take them
- eating sugary foods may help you feel less trembly
- drinking bouillon soup, a vegetable broth, to top up depleted vitamins and minerals
- drinking bland fluids such as water and isotonic drinks


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References

Dr Lauretta Ihonor

Dr Ann Nainan

Article information

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A hangover is a set of unpleasant symptoms you may develop after drinking a lot of alcohol. Common symptoms include headaches, feeling sick and dizziness. If you want to know the best way to avoid a hangover, here are a few tips.