5 Ultimate Hangover Cures (That Actually Work)

A dry mouth, a wave of nausea, a pounding headache —yep, it’s the dreaded hangover. Cocktails, wine, and beer are loads of fun to indulge in. But they can also lead to an unfortunate experience the next morning. That’s when you need the ultimate hangover cure.

Maybe you’re celebrating the holidays and enjoying time off work. Or maybe you’re experimenting with some new and exciting cocktails this season. Whatever the case, you might find yourself with a minor (or major) hangover. But with these reliable hangover cures, you can get back to your life faster.

At Prestige Haus, we’re not here to sell you any gimmicks or waste your time. We’re here to give you true, helpful information that can relieve your headache, ease your nausea, and help you feel like yourself again.

Here’s what happens when you have a hangover — and a few of our favorite hangover cures to have ready before your next night out.

What Even Causes a Hangover?

You probably won’t be shocked when we tell you what causes a hangover — too much alcohol.

Duh.

There’s more, though. You may be feeling at the top of your game the night before. But there are plenty of factors that can lead to that unfortunate feeling the next morning. These include:

• Dehydration: Alcohol tells your kidneys to retain more fluid. This is why you have to use the bathroom more often — and it’s also why your body will lose more fluids. The result? Headaches, thirst, and exhaustion.
• Poor sleep: Even though you might think you got a good night's sleep after a big night out, your sleep might not have been the best. It’s often disrupted, meaning you’ll feel tired and less productive.
• Stomach irritation: You might love your cocktails, but your stomach doesn’t. Alcohol directly affects the lining in your stomach and tells it to create more acid. This can leave you feeling nauseated and downright uncomfortable.
• Mini-withdrawal: Even if you just sipped on cocktails for an evening, you might be going through a mini version of withdrawal. While drinking, you feel calmer and more relaxed. When the buzz wears off, your brain has to re-adjust. This can leave you feeling a bit restless and anxious.

Hangovers are unique to each person. You might experience a hangover one way, while the next person has a completely different experience.

Fortunately, these hangover cures can relieve a wide variety of symptoms. That way, you can move on.

5 Hangover Cures That Actually Work

Hangovers happen. But they don’t have to ruin your whole day. There are plenty of gimmicky hangover cures out there. But here are some tried-and-true ways to feel better from a hangover that actually work. 

1.   Eat a good breakfast.

While breakfast may be the last thing on your mind after a long night out, it might be just the thing to make you feel better again.

Eating a good breakfast is a great way to ease hangover symptoms. For one, it can help get your blood sugar levels back in order. Alcohol can cause low blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling nauseated and tired.

A healthy breakfast can also replenish some vitamins and minerals you may have lost from your celebration.

To give this the best chance of working, opt for a nutritious meal (not your reheated pizza from the night before). Scramble some eggs, butter some toast, and drink some OJ — your body will thank you.

2.   Drink Water.

Along with that breakfast, do your body a favor and replenish the water that it lost last night. Dehydration isn’t good for you any day. But after a night of indulging, it can leave you feeling tired, thirsty, and downright awful.

Good old water will do the trick here. But if you want to get fancy, try a drink with electrolytes, like Gatorade, Vitamin Water, or Pedialyte (yes, that drink for kids). These can give you some much-needed rehydration to get you back on your game faster.

Pro tip: In the future, stay hydrated during your night out. This can help prevent dehydration — and hangovers — the next day.

3.   Sleep in (or take a nap).

After a night of drinking, that poor night of sleep can really do a number on how you feel the next morning. And while lack of sleep doesn’t necessarily cause your hangover, it sure can make you feel worse.

If you can, sleep in a little longer. Or take a nap during the day instead. If neither of these is feasible, head to bed a little earlier the next night. Your body needs rest, and there’s only one way to make it happy — by heading to your bed.

4.   Try some natural supplements.

Research is a bit limited when it comes to natural supplements and hangovers. But since they’re natural, it’s worth a shot.

Some natural supplements that might ease those hangover symptoms include:

• Ginger
• Red ginseng
• Prickly pear
• Borage oil
• Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng)

Keep in mind that these supplements need more studies. Still, if you’re stuck with a hangover that won’t quit, give one of these a try.

5.   When all else fails, have a small drink the next morning.

Typically, your body needs to rest, relax, and recuperate after a night of heavy drinking. However, there are some people that swear by having a drink the next morning.

Also known as “hair of the dog,” some people reach for a Bloody Mary, mimosa, or another easy-drinking cocktail to ease hangover symptoms.

Similar to natural supplements, the scientific jury is still out on this. It may have something to do with the way your body processes methanol (a chemical that is found in small amounts in alcoholic beverages).

Keep in mind that this method is not recommended most of the time, as it can lead to alcohol dependence and unhealthy habits.

Hangovers: Prevention is Key

If you’re stuck with a nasty hangover that won’t ease up, give one of these hangover cures a try. However, your best bet is to avoid one in the first place. This means drinking plenty of water, eating enough food (like this easy tailgating food, for instance), and drinking at a slower pace.

Cocktails are meant to be enjoyable — not to cause you misery the next day. So the next time you decide to celebrate, do your best to prevent a hangover. And if you wake up with a headache, have that water bottle ready.

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What hangover cures do you swear by?