The end of a long night comes with a lot to handle, even beyond the cleanup from various drunken shenanigans. After the fun and festivity, you’re left with the dreaded hangover as a small reminder of why we keep telling ourselves that we’re “never going to drink again”. Headaches, nausea, soreness, and irritation – it’s never a good time. With a little bit of preparation and a healthy amount of self-care, though, you can help make that painful morning after just a little bit more bearable. You’ll be thanking yourself when you’ve got to drag yourself out of bed for work in less than an hour someday.
Prepare Beforehand
It’s a step that we’re the most likely to skip, forget, or just straight up neglect, but it’s the one that’s going to make the most difference. The last thing you want to do when everything hurts at the same time is to try and take care of yourself. However, waking up hungry, thirsty, and sore all at the same time prompts you to do exactly that. Fixing yourself some easy prep (or pre-prepped) supplies can take a lot of the stress off your morning.
First and foremost – you’re going to want something to drink. The hair of the dog that bit you, or more alcohol to stave off the alcohol withdrawal, is a method that can work. However, you’re just putting off the inevitable at that point. Water is the most recommended remedy to rehydrate your tired self, but maybe you’re in the mood to treat yourself a bit. Tea, juice, milk, or Gatorade can help kick start your morning and don’t take a lot of effort. Studies show that anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen can also numb and cut down a good number of symptoms – so having one handy is recommended, too.
Soon after, it’s time to follow age-old advice and treat yourself to the most important meal of the day – breakfast! A hearty breakfast can help you counter low blood sugar – a common ailment after drinking that can contribute to the feeling of weakness and headaches. A cold breakfast prepped the night before is the easiest way to take care of yourself the morning after – something like a smoothie, overnight oats, or plain breakfast cereal and milk. Leftovers are also an absolute fan favorite in these trying times, too – a quick trip on the stovetop or in the microwave, and you’ve got a hot, delicious hangover haven. With the morning after taken care of the day before, now you can focus on your night out!
Keep Track Throughout The Night
Trying to prevent that dreaded hangover throughout the night doesn’t have to be a big chore. Heck, it doesn’t even have to detract from a fun night out, aside from sticking to a few ideals. The same behaviors that can cure your hangover also work to prevent them as well!
The first step to having a good night out is making good choices with your poison of preference – different kinds of liquor can influence how you feel later. This isn’t some advice like the cockamamie cautions like “tequila makes you loud” or “wine makes you emotional” – there’s hard science behind the idea. Congeners in liquor are compounds that give various alcohols their color and flavor – and as they sit in your system, they metabolize into aldehydes. Aldehydes are the toxic substances that are responsible for a good amount of how bad you feel the next morning. As a rule of thumb, clear liquors (vodka, tequila, gin, etc.) are usually far lower in aldehydes than darker colored drinks (whiskey, bourbon, rum). This is also the reasoning behind the age-old advice never to mix strong liquor with weaker drinks.
On top of your choice of drink, it’s wise to pair it with something to eat! For ages, pubs and bars serve typical “bar fare” for a good reason – one more important than “it tastes good when you’re drunk. Foods high in fats, fiber, and vitamin C can help absorb the alcohol and ease you into the night a little smoother. The worst kind of drunk you can be is drunk on an empty stomach – since there’s nothing to absorb it, and it all goes right into your bloodstream. Get a platter of nachos for the table (with guacamole), or get yourself a burger to pair with your beer!
The easiest way you can help yourself during the night, though, is to drink water. Have a glass in between glasses of beer, and try and stay away from soda. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes you ‘lose water’ rather quickly through the night. Going to bed dehydrated can lead to a whole mess of problems when you wake up, so alternating with some cool, crisp H2O can be just what the doctor ordered. Soda isn’t recommended to help quench that thirst – the sugar and caffeine can dehydrate you even more, and the carbonation can make you absorb more alcohol more quickly.
Trust Us – We’re the Experts!
Vegas Pub Crawler has been taking locals and visitors alike on tours of the sudsy scenes of Las Vegas for years now – if anyone knows drinking it’s us! Whether you follow these tips or not before a night of fun, why not make the night memorable and fun for everyone! Learn more about us, and book a pub crawl tour when you’re ready for a fun night out in Viva Las Vegas!