We’ve all been there. We’ve all had (at least) one too many and woken up with a headache, nausea, and a potentially ruined day. But what are hangovers, and how can we avoid them (or at least make them a little less painful)?
What is a hangover?
Drinkaware defines a hangover as usually involving “a headache, nausea, tiredness and dehydration. One of the main causes of your hangover symptoms is dehydration.”
They say that one of the leading causes of hangovers is the “effect of ethanol – the alcohol in your drink.” Ethanol is a toxic chemical that causes our bodies to want to wee more, dehydrating us.
Are there any ways we can avoid a hangover? Or make it less painful?
Tip One to avoid a hangover – BEFORE you drink, eat something
We should all have heard the advice not to drink on an empty stomach. Much scientific research backs up the claim that drinking on an empty stomach allows the alcohol to absorb into your bloodstream faster – which is a bad idea!
So, if you want to drink but don’t want a hangover, eat something before you go out. It doesn’t have to be a three-course dinner, but it should contain a lot of healthy fats such as avocados or nuts.
Tip 2 to avoid a hangover – When you’re out, drink Citizen Spritz
Just because you are on a night out doesn’t mean you have to drink alcohol and end up with a hangover – you could skip it altogether by drinking a Citizen Spritz.
Citizen Spritz non-alcoholic spritzes were designed to be packed full of flavour and are unique in the world of non-alcoholic drinks in that they offer the elusive warming tingle that is one of our favourite things about some of the boozier beverages we enjoy. They are so flavoursome that you might forget you are not drinking an alcoholic cocktail!
We are not teetotallers, not by any means; we still enjoy a drink ourselves, so some nights we will drink just Citizen Spritz, and sometimes we go one-for-one – one alcoholic beverage and then one spritz. As Citizen Spritz is made with sparkling water, it can be an excellent way to ensure you are staying hydrated through the night.
Tip 3 to avoid a hangover – AFTER you drink, eat carbs!
So, you’ve enjoyed your night, had a few drinks, and woken up feeling a bit fuzzy-brained the next day. This can be caused by a drop in blood sugar due to drinking on an empty stomach. (Which you won’t have done if you followed tip 1 – tut, tut!)
Our best advice here is to load up on carbs! But we’re not talking about a McDonald’s breakfast; we’re talking about good carbs. Honestly, a glass of apple or orange juice and a slice of toast will make you feel much better in the long run! If you want to speed up the recovery process, add an egg or some yoghurt to your breakfast, which will help your blood sugars recover faster.
So, what’s the bottom line?
Here at Citizen Spritz, we believe in everything in moderation, especially moderation, and we know that life gets in the way sometimes. You won’t be the first person to get a hangover, and you certainly won’t be the last. No judgement here.
If you want to avoid a hangover, don’t drink alcohol and stick to Citizen Spritz instead. Or stick to one or two alcoholic drinks a night, and sip on your spritz in between.
