While it is easy to say, “I will never drink again!” when you feel that headache the next morning, usually, that sentiment does not ring true, and you find yourself with another headache sometime down the road.
From over the counter cures to home remedies, the advice varies. Here, though are some top tips for really treating that hangover headache!
Drink Water
One of the easiest ways to prevent a hangover headache is to drink lots of water throughout the evening, even as you imbibe, and to drink an extra glass of water before you go to bed. This helps to dilute the alcohol in your system, and reduce its impact on your body (including your head).
But if you forget to drink extra water, and you wake up with that pounding alcohol-induced migraine the next day, there are a number of ways to rid yourself of that headache caused by a hangover.
Also note that sodas or diet sodas do not count. These are not the equivalent of water, and can actually dehydrate you, making the next morning’s headache worse.
Eat Fatty Foods or Burnt Toast
Start with a greasy breakfast (or brunch, depending upon when you wake up). You may have heard this advice in the past, but thought it was just an old wives’ tale (or the musings of a crazy college student, hoping to pass off pizza as breakfast).
The reason a greasy breakfast works is because fat slows the body’s absorption of alcohol. You can always eat a fatty meal before you go out drinking, or even as you drink, but again, if you forget, eating a fatty meal first thing can help. Tried a fried breakfast or even that leftover pizza.
If you do remember to eat a fatty meal before you drink, note that the fat will sit in your body and line your intestines for about 12 hours. This makes the absorption of alcohol much slower, and the effects of the alcohol will not be as tough on the body.
Additionally, with that fatty breakfast, have some burnt toast! That’s right, burnt. Make sure to burn that bread. Why? Because the carbon is in the burnt part of the toast, and carbon filters out impurities. So, this will help to filter out the alcohol, fast. Try two pieces while you are at it.
Make sure that you also read: Best hangover food.
Add Eggs
And make sure to add eggs to that fried breakfast! They contain the amino acid cysteine. This amino acid has been proven to help with hangovers, especially hangover headaches!
Take Ibuprofen
Additionally, ibuprofen can help. Take a couple of Advil or other ibuprofen right before you go to bed, and a couple more in the morning (these are typically better absorbed with food, so have them with breakfast or a midnight snack before bed). Stay away from acetaminophen because alcohol will disrupts how the body liver processes this over the counter drug. It can actually inflame the liver and, worst case scenario, cause permanent damage. So, Advil it is!
Boost the Blood Sugar
If you boost the body’s blood sugar, with complex carbs, you can bring your body’s blood sugar levels back to normal. Low blood sugar causes fatigue and headaches (like the one you just woke up with).
If you opt for pizza for breakfast, you are getting those carbohydrates that you need. If you are not opting for pizza, grab a bagel, some rice, that toast as mentioned before, or any other complex carbohydrate. Fruit juices and fruits can help too, as they do raise the blood sugar quickly.
Drink your Orange Juice
When potassium levels drop, your head pounds. And you lose a great deal of potassium through frequent urination, which is caused by drinking alcohol. To increase potassium levels quickly grab a banana, an avocado or a glass of orange juice. Drink up, and see if that headache does not recede.
Minerals
Ginger is a great, all-natural headache cure! From migraines to hangover headaches, ginger can help. In addition, ginger can easy a nauseated stomach, too. If you have ground ginger, sprinkle it into a cup of tea, add it to water, or even sprinkle it over oatmeal.
Or, if you have whole pieces of ginger, boil a few and make tea from them. Add some honey for flavor. Also read: How to get rid of a hangover stomach ache.
Milk Thistle and Dandelion will also help to detoxify your liver, you can typically find both of these in tea form. Pop a couple of Magnesium and Calcium tablets, too. They will both help to replace the nutrients you lost the night before. And a B Complex vitamin, along with a vitamin C will aid in quick recovery.
Sleep
And finally, sleep. If you wake up with a hangover headache, you may simply not have gotten enough shut eye. Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M.) is the most important part of sleep, especially for restoring brain function, which can be off after drinking alcohol. Sleep can fix it. Have breakfast, take some ibuprofen, and go back to bed. Sleep it off!
