It was great while it lasted. In the morning, however, you discovered you needed to deal with the consequences. Maybe you didn’t even drink that much, but now you’re suffering from hangover nausea. Now you wish you had stayed home instead of going out.
Don’t worry! It happens to everyone once in a while. So, instead of being overwhelmed with regret, start looking for a solution. Or, if you can’t even get out of the bed, have someone help you out. Here are a couple of tips and tricks to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.
1. Water Is Your Best Friend
Drinking alcohol makes you visit the bathroom more often than usual so, naturally, you end up losing a lot of fluids. Even more if you can’t stop throwing up. You need to replace those fluids if you want to avoid hangover nausea and headache. Drinking plenty of water will help your body rehydrate.
Drink as much water as you can keep down, even if it makes you feel more nauseous at first. The trick is to take small sips with frequent breaks and not drinking the whole bottle at once.
You will be going to the bathroom often, but it’s a good thing. You’re cleaning your body from the inside: water in, toxins out.
2. Salty Foods for Electrolytes
What you also need is a special diet for the rest of the day.
Don’t eat anything too greasy because your stomach needs rest as well. Opt for salty and dry foods, such as soup or toasted bread, even sports drinks. These will help you regain the electrolytes you’ve lost and soon you’ll feel your strength coming back.
You know how professional athletes always talk about hydrating and electrolytes? It’s not only about how to get rid of hangover nausea – it’s more than that. Electrolytes are responsible for many bodily functions and you need to have enough of them to be able to perform your everyday tasks without issues.
3. Sleep It Off
If possible, stay in bed. Getting plenty of rest gives your body enough time to recover.
If you don’t have any urgent meetings to attend or other obligations you can’t cancel, it’s best to sleep until the nausea is gone. Taking your time to get well isn’t being lazy in this case.
Even if you’re feeling normal, you should still get enough sleep. Maybe you’re not aware of the effects of drinking on your body, but putting off rest isn’t beneficial for you in the long run.
If you force yourself to do more than you actually can, you’ll probably notice your performance isn’t as good as usual. This is a message from your body – I need more sleep!
4. Eat Ginger
Ginger is a very healthy ingredient in many of today’s dishes, but did you know that people use it to relieve nausea after drinking too much alcohol?
There have been studies that show its effectiveness in curing different types of nausea, such as morning sickness during pregnancy, so it may well help with hangover nausea. Some researchers claim that ginger’s as good as some meds, but it’s safer to use when it comes to side effects.
5. Take Meds If Necessary
If you’ve tried everything but you’re still feeling awful, maybe it’s time you reached for some meds. Sometimes, when nothing else helps, this is how to get rid of hangover nausea.
However, you might want to consult a doctor or a pharmacist before you do. Do not take anything just because a friend told you so. Certain well-known pain relievers, such as Tylenol, can be extremely harmful if combined with alcohol.
6. Give It Time
Now, this may disappoint you, but in many cases, you just need to wait for the hangover to pass.
A few tricks and home remedies can help relieve your pain and nausea, but there’s only so much you can do. The alcohol needs to leave your body and after that happens, you’ll feel better.
Be patient and follow the advice about staying hydrated and trying to eat. It’s hard to put anything in your mouth when you’re constantly vomiting, but you need to be persistant and eventually the food you eat will stay down.
7. Prevention Is Better Than Cure
The best option is not to experience hangover nausea at all. You can do this by following a few easy steps:
- Never drink on an empty stomach – your body absorbs alcohol faster on an empty stomach and you’re more likely to get drunk and/or sick.
- Eating greasy food will only make you feel worse when you’re already dealing with a hangover. But eating olives or something similar before you go out and start drinking may slow down alcohol absorption.
- Drink water or juice between alcoholic drinks. Before anything, it’s good to take a break between drinks. Also, if you drink a glass of juice, the sugar content will help the body to process alcohol more quickly.
- Have at least one glass of water before you go to sleep (and also put one on your night stand for when you wake up). It remains a mystery as to whether you should drink water while you’re drinking or after, but one thing is clear: water can’t hurt.
Wait It Out
The bottom line is, you don’t have a magic wand that will help you get rid of hangover nausea and other symptoms after a night of heavy drinking.
What you can do for yourself is to know your limits and not take that last glass of wine that might turn out to be one too many. When you know you’ll be drinking, be prepared and never go out before having something to eat.
If it comes down to it, try some of these remedies that can bring you a bit of relief. But don’t forget that it’s always better to prevent than to cure.
References:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/white-seeber-grogan-the-remedy-chicks/natural-hangover-remedies/
https://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/advanced-knowledge/electrolyte-replenishment-why-its-important-and-how-to-do-it-right
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002041.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hangovers/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ginger-for-nausea#effectiveness
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