We’re back with another Sunday blog post!
I’m sure 99% of the people reading this post have woken up on a Sunday morning (or a Tuesday, it happens sometimes) and had their head absolutely throbbing from all the fun they had the night before involving alcohol consumption.
The common symptoms from a hangover are fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure.
Hangover symptoms usually peak when your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) returns to about zero. The symptoms can last for 24 hours or even longer if you really went hard the night before. Hangovers are annoying, obviously, because you don’t feel well, but a lot of people don’t realize that they can be dangerous because a person’s cognitive processing, decision- making and coordination can be impaired. Even menial tasks can seem difficult because you’re just feeling a little ‘off’.
There is no scientifically proven way to cure a hangover. There are the myths of: Coffee, shower, take a NSAID, and just get moving, among thousands of others. This is actually… really bad advice. Coffee has caffeine which although it will make you feel more alert, it is a diuretic and will only compound on your symptoms. Also, over the counter pain killers said as the NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatorys) mentioned above such as Aspirin, Aleve, Ibuprofen, etc. will increase the amount of irritation in the stomach and liver.
Although not scientifically proven, the use of drinks enriched with electrolytes seems to be the most commonly used method to try and alleviate symptoms. Research has not been shown to support this, but it is likely not doing any harm so its one of those things that if it helps you even from a placebo effect it may be worth it!
If you have a hard night of drinking, it may be in your best interest to stay out of the gym for the next day because you may still have the effects of the alcohol in your system without really even knowing it! Make sure you eat nutrient rich foods and get back on your diet, and don’t let it become a downward spiral!
Do you need help with accountability and changing certain habits? DM me or check out the pages on my site!
