You woke up. Your head feels like a construction crew is using a jackhammer on your frontal lobe, your mouth is a literal desert, and the mere thought of light makes you want to crawl back into the dark. It’s the "Day After." We've all been there, staring at the ceiling and wondering why that third margarita seemed like a good idea at 1:00 AM.
Figuring out what to do with a hangover isn't just about survival; it's about understanding the biological mess you've made of your system. Alcohol is a diuretic. It forces your kidneys to flush out water, taking essential electrolytes like sodium and potassium along for the ride. But dehydration is only half the battle. Your liver is currently churning through acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of ethanol metabolism that’s significantly more poisonous than the alcohol itself.
Honestly, most "miracle cures" are garbage. That charcoal pill? It won't do anything once the alcohol is already in your bloodstream. That "hair of the dog" drink? You’re just delaying the inevitable crash and making your liver work overtime when it's already exhausted.
The Immediate Science of the Morning After
Your brain is literally shrinking. When you’re dehydrated, the fluid-filled sac around your brain loses volume, causing the brain to pull away from the skull. That’s the source of that pulsing ache.
Dr. Robert Swift, a researcher at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, has spent years studying this. He’s noted that alcohol also triggers an inflammatory response in the immune system. It’s why you feel like you have the flu even though you don’t have a virus. Your cytokines are firing off as if you’re fighting an infection.
Water Isn't Always Enough
If you just chug plain water, you might actually feel worse.
Why? Because your body needs a specific balance of salts to actually absorb that moisture. If you’ve flushed all your electrolytes, plain water just passes through you, potentially diluting your remaining salt levels further. This is where Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) come in. Think Pedialyte or Liquid I.V. These were originally designed for cholera patients in developing nations because they hit the "sodium-glucose cotransport" mechanism in your gut. Basically, the sugar helps the salt get in, and the salt drags the water with it.
Don't overthink the fancy brands, though. A glass of water with a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon does a similar job for about four cents.
💡 You might also like: How to take out IUD: What your doctor might not tell you about the process
Food: Greasy Spoons vs. Science
We’ve all heard that a massive plate of bacon and eggs "soaks up the booze."
That is a total myth.
By the time you’re hungover, the alcohol is long gone from your stomach. It’s already been processed or is sitting in your blood. Greasy food is actually quite hard on a sensitive stomach and might trigger acid reflux, making your nausea even more unbearable.
What you actually need:
- Eggs: They contain cysteine. This amino acid helps break down acetaldehyde. It’s like sending in a cleanup crew for the toxins.
- Bananas: Easy on the stomach and loaded with potassium. Your heart and muscles need that potassium to stop the "hangover shakes."
- Honey on Toast: Your blood sugar is likely cratered. Alcohol inhibits glucose production in the liver. A bit of honey provides a controlled spike of fructose to get your brain functioning again without the crash of a candy bar.
Complex carbohydrates are your friend here. Oatmeal is great. It’s bland, it’s full of B vitamins, and it’s heart-healthy. If you can't stomach a full meal, just nibble on a plain cracker. Keeping your blood sugar stable is a huge part of what to do with a hangover when the world feels like it's spinning.
The Dark Side of Pain Relief
You reach for the bottle of Tylenol. Stop. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and alcohol are a dangerous duo. Your liver uses the same pathway to process both. When you combine them, it can lead to toxic metabolites that cause permanent liver damage. If you must take a painkiller, go for an NSAID like Ibuprofen (Advil) or Naproxen (Aleve).
But wait. There's a catch.
📖 Related: How Much Sugar Are in Apples: What Most People Get Wrong
NSAIDs are notoriously "gastric irritants." If your stomach is already doing somersaults, Ibuprofen might give you a one-way ticket to vomiting. Always take it with a little bit of food—even if it's just a few bites of a banana.
Sleep and the "Micro-Withdrawal"
Ever wonder why you wake up at 6:00 AM after a night of heavy drinking, unable to fall back asleep despite being exhausted?
It’s called the Glutamate Rebound.
Alcohol is a depressant. It mimics GABA, the chemical that makes you feel relaxed. To compensate, your brain pumps out Glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter. When the alcohol wears off, you're left with an overstimulated brain. You’re jittery, anxious (the "Sunday Scaries" or "Hangxiety"), and your sleep quality is abysmal.
The only fix for this is time and darkness. If you can manage a nap in a cool, dark room, do it. Your body does its best repair work when you’re out cold. Avoid blue light from your phone; your over-sensitized brain doesn't need the extra input right now.
Does Coffee Help or Hurt?
It’s a double-edged sword.
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. It can help with the headache by narrowing the blood vessels in your brain. However, caffeine is also a diuretic. If you’re already dehydrated, that second cup of coffee might push you further into the red.
👉 See also: No Alcohol 6 Weeks: The Brutally Honest Truth About What Actually Changes
If you’re a daily coffee drinker, skipping it will give you a caffeine withdrawal headache on top of your hangover. That’s a nightmare. Drink one small cup, but pair it with twice as much water. Skip the cream and sugar if your stomach is touchy.
Natural Remedies: Ginger and Prickly Pear
There is some genuine evidence for ginger. A study in the American Journal of Physiology showed that ginger is effective at reducing nausea and motion sickness. If you can’t keep anything down, ginger tea or even a high-quality ginger ale (with real ginger) can settle the stomach.
Then there’s Prickly Pear cactus extract.
A famous study by Dr. Jeff Wiese at Tulane University found that taking this extract before drinking could reduce the severity of a hangover by about 50%. It works by reducing the C-reactive protein levels in the body—basically dampening the inflammation before it starts. If you’re reading this while you’re already hungover, it might be too late for the prickly pear, but it's a solid tip for next time.
Summary of Actionable Steps
Recovery isn't an instant process, but you can definitely speed up the timeline by being smart about your choices.
- Hydrate with Intent: Don't just chug water. Use an electrolyte solution or a DIY mix of salt, lemon, and water. Aim for about 500ml every hour until you feel human.
- Choose Cysteine-Rich Foods: Eat two eggs, poached or scrambled, to help your liver process the remaining toxins.
- Manage the Inflammation: Take an Ibuprofen only if your stomach can handle it and only with food. Avoid Tylenol entirely.
- Soothe the Gut: Use fresh ginger tea to stop the nausea.
- Rest and Environment: Dim the lights, put the phone away, and let the Glutamate Rebound settle down.
- Walk it Out: If you can manage it, a 10-minute walk in fresh air can help. Increased circulation helps your metabolic processes, though don't push yourself to a full workout. You're already dehydrated.
The reality of what to do with a hangover is mostly a game of patience and harm reduction. Your body is incredibly efficient at cleaning itself up if you just stop getting in its way. You’ll feel better by tomorrow. Probably.