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For as long as people have gotten drunk there has been people looking to find a way to not suffer a hangover the next day.
There has been no shortage of suggestions over the years.
Back in 2022, a team of fitness professionals concluded that tequila is your best choice — more specifically blanco tequila – to avoid a hangover if you’re going to drink to excess.
Another study found that whiskey, cognac, and red wine are the among worst to drink if you don’t want to suffer the next day.
Getting a good night’s sleep helps prevent a hangover, but there are also several other tips we can follow to avoid feeling sick the next day.
According to Martin Seeley, a sleep expert and the CEO at MattressNextDay, there are seven key steps you can take to avoid a hangover and get a decent night’s sleep.
“Eating after drinking can help to stabilize your glucose levels,” Seeley gives as the first step. “Fatty foods can actually stop your body from absorbing too much alcohol, so eating a big meal with red meat (like a burger) before going out drinking is ideal, but a post-party kebab is okay too.”
Step number two involves pomegranate juice.
“Pomegranate juice is high in antioxidants and protein, which helps restore muscles and reduces inflammation, preparing you for a night of heavy drinking,” he advises.
The reason for this is because it has three times more antioxidants than green tea.
He also adds that drinking a smoothie made of leafy greens and pomegranate seeds before you head out will also help.
The third tip he provides applies to those that enjoy drinking vodka.
Seeley explains orange juice neutralizes the stuff in the alcohol (called congeners) that cause hangovers.
“Vodka itself actually has low levels of congeners compared to brandy or rum, so I’d recommend a classic vodka orange (or as it’s sometimes known, a ‘screwdriver’),” he says.
While carbonated mixers like lemonade and coke can get you drunk much more quickly, they will also give you a worse hangover.
He suggests mixing your alcohol with fruit juice or water instead.
His fifth tip is to pace yourself by ordering drinks like plain lemonade or a bottle of non-alcoholic beer poured into a pint glass to pace yourself as the night goes on. No one will be the wiser.
However, when you do order a drink with alcohol in it, get it with ice.
“Sip your drink slowly, and as the ice melts, your drink will be diluted. This will increase the time between refills, as well as giving you a little extra hydration,” he advises.
If you can, however, definitely try to drink water in between alcoholic beverages. Don’t chug loads of water when you get home, though, as this will cause stress to your body, and cause more damage than good. One or two glasses of water when you get home is ideal, and keep a glass near your bed for when you wake up thirsty.
Seeley’s seventh tip for avoiding a hangover is one that many people miss: avoid ibuprofen.
“While you might be tempted to reach for some ibuprofen to prepare yourself for the inevitable headache that comes with a hangover, taking medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin can irritate your stomach,” he explains.
“B Vitamins and Zinc, however, have been found to help alleviate the symptoms of hangovers. Red meat is full of Zinc – another reason to enjoy a take-away after your night out.”
He also suggests Red Ginseng due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
For other tips on subjects like what causes a hangover, why hangovers get worse with age, how to prevent feeling anxious after drinking, and what not to do when you have a hangover, just click here.