Why Do I Feel So Awful After a Night of Drinking? Let’s Talk Hangovers!
Hey everyone! We’ve all been there, right? You have a fun night out with friends, maybe enjoy a few drinks, and then the next morning… BAM! You feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. That, my friends, is a hangover. It’s that awful feeling of headache, feeling sick, being really tired, and just generally feeling unwell after drinking alcohol.
But why does this happen? Why does something that can feel fun at the time make us feel so terrible later? Let’s break it down in simple terms. When you drink things like beer, wine, or spirits, you’re putting a chemical called ethanol into your body. Your body sees ethanol as something it needs to get rid of, so your liver starts working hard to break it down.
One of the big things alcohol does is make you go to the toilet more. This is because it stops a hormone in your body from working properly, a hormone that usually helps you hold onto water. When this hormone isn’t working as well, you pee out more water than usual, which leads to dehydration. Think of dehydration like your body being all dried out, which can cause headaches and make you feel really thirsty and tired.
As your liver breaks down the alcohol, it turns it into other chemicals. One of these is called acetaldehyde. This chemical is actually a bit like a poison to your body. Your body tries to break it down further into something less harmful, but for a little while, it can cause problems like feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, and getting a headache. Your body is working hard to get rid of this stuff, and that can make you feel really unwell.
What Makes Hangovers Worse and How to Feel Better
Besides dehydration and acetaldehyde, there are other things that play a role in how bad your hangover is. For example, some alcoholic drinks have extra things in them called congeners. Darker drinks like red wine, whiskey, and dark beer have more of these than lighter drinks like vodka and gin, and they can make your hangover worse and last longer. Also, the more you drink, the more ethanol your body has to deal with, so you’re more likely to have a bad hangover.
Drinking on an empty stomach is also not a good idea. Food in your stomach helps slow down how quickly the alcohol gets into your body. If you drink when you haven’t eaten, the alcohol gets into your system faster, which can make your hangover worse. And of course, not drinking enough water while you’re having alcoholic drinks will make dehydration worse the next day.
Even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it actually messes up your sleep later on. It can stop you from getting the deep, restful sleep your body really needs to recover, which leaves you feeling tired and groggy the next day.
So, what can you do to feel better when you have a hangover? The most important thing is to drink lots of water to rehydrate your body. You can also try eating something plain and easy to digest, like toast or bananas, to settle your stomach. Getting some rest is also really important to help your body recover. If you have a headache, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or aspirin, but it’s best to avoid acetaminophen. And while some people might suggest having another drink the next morning (“hair of the dog”), it usually doesn’t help in the long run.
Really, the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink in moderation. Knowing your limits and sticking to them is the most effective way to prevent feeling awful the next day. Hangovers happen because of a mix of things, including being dehydrated and your body dealing with the alcohol and its byproducts. By understanding this, we can make better choices about drinking and take care of ourselves. Remember to drink responsibly and stay safe!
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