7 hangover helpers

Had too many party drinks? Find the best ways to get relief -- fast.

Updated:: 2009-10-14 19:57

Published:: 2006-12-27 00:00

By: Sarah Snowdon

What causes a hangover?

Your head is throbbing, your mouth is dry and the sun is painfully peeking in through the window. Slowly, you recall last night's events and that one drink that took your alcohol intake to one glass too many. Even for the most self-controlled individual, rampant holiday socializing can cloud your judgment. Here are some easy remedies and tips to get you off the bathroom floor and out of your hangover slump.

How your body reacts to too much alcohol
Eight to 10 hours after you down your last drink, hangover symptoms appear. "The symptoms are multifaceted, but the main ones are thirst, lethargy, sensitivity to sunlight and noise, and headache," says Dr. Michael Evans, an associate professor of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto.

Dehydration, defined as a loss of greater than three per cent of your body's water weight, is the most common consequence of an alcohol binge. "Alcohol is a diuretic, thereby causing stomach lining irritation, severe dehydration and low blood sugar," says Wende Wood, a psychiatric pharmacist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto.

Common symptoms of dehydration are dry mouth, low urine output with concentrated urine, sunken eyes, muscle fatigue, shortness of breath and headaches. "The only hangover cure that seems to work is rehydration," says Evans.

Ease your hangover hurt
Here are seven ways to deal with your symptoms.

1. Mix up a homemade cure
Losing electrolytes after a night of heavy drinking can leave you feeling shaky and weak. Energy drinks like Gatorade contain key electrolytes such as minerals sodium, potassium and chloride, but may make you lose more water as your body tries to dilute sugars with its water supply. Julie Zepp, doctor of naturopathic medicine at the Regina Rehab and Family Medical Clinic, suggests avoiding products that list glucose, sucrose or fructose as a first ingredient. She recommends drinking a homemade mixture of water, honey, baking soda, salt and lemon juice or combining sea salt with pure unsweetened fruit juice.

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