Keen to avoid getting a hangover from a few party drinks? Want to find out the best hangover cure?.

There’s nothing worse than waking up and realising that all that advice on mixing your drinks must be true, because you’ve got a raging hangover.

“The best piece of advice is, of course, not to drink too much alcohol or get drunk,” says nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker.

“But on Christmas Day, at Christmas parties or on New Year’s Eve, many people do end up drinking more than the recommended three to four units per day (for men) and two to three units per day (for women) of alcohol.”

Although you are most likely to wake up feeling dreadful the next day, you can benefit from advance preparation and taking hangover cures that really work.

Getting ready

If you do think you might over-indulge, then the following tips from Sarah could help limit your intake and the effect that alcohol has on you.

• Try not to drink on an empty stomach; the presence of food in your stomach will help delay the absorption of alcohol into your blood, stopping you getting drunk so quickly.
• A good pre-party meal is a bowl of vegetable soup with a wholegrain roll, or a bowl of wholegrain cereal with low-fat milk. Both are satisfying enough to take the edge off your hunger but not so filling that they’ll make you feel over-full and sluggish. Both are high in fibre, so stay in the stomach longer, slowing the absorption of alcohol.

“Don’t forget,” adds Sarah, “that apart from the negative effects on health, alcohol also contains calories and can contribute to the weight gain many of us experience during the festive season.”

Sensible drinking

In addition to preparing yourself before you go out, there are practical steps you can take to drink sensibly while you’re out, which could reduce your chance of getting a hangover.

Sarah suggests alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks or glasses of water to limit alcohol intake and to help prevent dehydration.

Try and avoid having your glass topped up before you’ve finished a drink, so you can keep a closer eye on exactly how much you’re drinking – and avoid getting caught up in buying rounds, as this also makes it harder to control how much you drink.

Your drink choices are important too, as what you drink can affect whether or not you get a hangover. According to Drinkaware, dark-coloured drinks contain substances called congeners that tend to make hangovers worse. So does mixing drinks.

Best hangover cures

When it comes to dealing with hangovers, there are all sorts of tales and stories about what you can do to relieve your suffering but some have more elements of truth in them than others.

1. Water - “Rehydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water before you go to bed to help reduce the effects of a hangover,” advises Sarah. Drinkaware also advises continuing drinking water the next morning too. 
2. Painkillers - If you’ve got a thumping headache and need relief, then take a painkiller, such as paracetamol or Ibuprofen. “A soluble one is good for a headache and gentle on the stomach,” says Drinkaware.
3. Rehydration sachets - Rehydration treatments, which replace lost minerals and salt, can be purchased over-the-counter; Drinkaware suggests that they may help. 
4. Food - Eat something to line your stomach, suggests Drinkaware. Bananas or kiwi fruits are good options, as they contain potassium, which is something you’ll have lost due to the diuretic effect of alcohol.
   
   Although some people claim that a fried breakfast might offer the perfect hangover cure, the jury is still out on this one.
   
   Dr James Garbutt, an alcohol researcher from the University of North Carolina, says that, although fat can help slow down the body’s absorption of alcohol and eating food before you drink and in between drinks can be beneficial, a big greasy ‘morning after’ meal is unlikely to be effective in curing a hangover.
5. Rest, relaxation and air - Get plenty of rest and relaxation to help your body recover and take a break from alcohol, says Drinkaware. Getting some fresh air may also help clear your head.

Hangover myths

A common claim is that drinking coffee helps with sobering up but is there any truth in it?

“Coffee won’t help you sober up and the caffeine could interfere with your sleep,” says Sarah. Drinkaware agrees and adds that, although caffeine drinks (tea, coffee or energy drinks) may give you a slight lift, they’ll dehydrate you further.

You should avoid trying the ‘hair of the dog’ hangover cure. It only delays the problem and falling into the habit of trying to drink off hangovers may be one of the first signs that you’re becoming dependent on alcohol.

Send us your tips for avoiding a hangover and share your hangover cures with other be healthy readers by posting a comment below.

Useful links

Drinkaware - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk

Alcohol Concern - http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk