- Rehydrate with water or electrolytes to ease alcohol-related dehydration.
- Eat easy-to-digest, hydrating foods and rest to help your body recover.
- Avoid more alcohol and choose safe pain relief, like ibuprofen, to ease hangover symptoms.
We’ve all been there. A harmless happy hour turns into “just one more,” and suddenly, you wake up with the dreaded hangover. Your head feels like it’s hosting a marching band, your mouth is as dry as the desert, and the concept of moving off your bed feels like the ultimate marathon.
The good news? There’s something simple you can do to start feeling like yourself again. It’s not some elaborate remedy or a mysterious cure. According to Johannah Katz, M.A., RD, a preventive care dietitian, it’s plain and simple hydration. Yep, that magical elixir you might have neglected last night is your best friend this morning. Grab a big glass of water (or a few), and let’s talk about how to bounce back after having a few drinks last night.
Why Hangovers Happen
A hangover is the unpleasant aftermath experienced after drinking too much alcohol. While everyone’s experience can vary, common symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and a dry mouth. Simply put, a hangover feels like your body is out of sync and trying hard to get back to normal.
Hangovers happen because alcohol impacts just about every system in your body. It dehydrates you, irritates your stomach lining, messes with your sleep quality and more. Alcohol also disrupts your brain’s chemical balance, which can leave you feeling moody, anxious or even foggy the next day. Essentially, a hangover is your body working overtime to detoxify and bring things back into balance, reminding you why moderation is key. That’s two or less drinks for men and one or less for women.
The First Thing You Should Do in the Morning
First things first, you’re likely hungover because alcohol causes dehydration. “Alcohol is a diuretic, as it suppresses an antidiuretic hormone, and dehydration can contribute to worsening of symptoms,” notes Katz. And if you forgot to take some water breaks between rounds, your body is probably low in water supply. According to the National Institutes of Health, the mild dehydration that results from the vasopressin hormone suppression likely contributes to hangover symptoms such as thirst, fatigue and a headache.
While there isn’t enough data confirming a magical solution that will be a surefire way to say goodbye to your hangover, intuitively, it does make sense to get your hydration in check after a night on the town. And if anything, it won’t hurt, right?
So, when you wake up with that pounding headache, we recommend that the first thing you do is to reach for water. While each person’s body will react differently, it may help to sip on something with electrolytes, too—think coconut water, sports drinks or even a pinch of salt mixed with water. Proper hydration restores balance to your body and may alleviate the symptoms of dehydration that often accompany such mornings. You can even try to eat hydrating foods like apples and watermelon.
Trust us when we say that prioritizing hydration first thing in the morning over scrolling on social media will help you feel like a functioning adult again.
Other Tips to Relieve a Hangover
While hydration may be your hangover hero, it won’t be a guaranteed solution. For some, there are other tricks you can add to your recovery arsenal.
1. Get Some Food: You might not feel like eating (hello, nausea), but even something small may work wonders. Alcohol may negatively impact your blood sugar regardless of whether you have diabetes, which can leave you feeling weak and shaky. Opt for carbs like toast or crackers to fuel your body with glucose without risking exacerbating nausea, or whip up some scrambled eggs, which are a natural source of protein and cysteine—an amino acid that may help break down alcohol.
2. Rest, Rest and Rest Some More: Alcohol does a pretty poor job of letting your body experience a restful sleep, even if you feel like you are out cold. If you can, allow yourself extra time to snooze or at least lounge around. Your body needs time to recover and repair itself from your night out.
3. Pain Relievers (But Not All of Them or Too Soon): For headaches that just won’t quit, popping ibuprofen or aspirin can help, but avoid acetaminophen (or paracetamol). Your liver is already busy trying to process all that alcohol and it doesn’t need any extra work. In fact, mixing alcohol with acetaminophen might cause liver damage. Alka-Seltzer Hangover Relief may offer some benefits, too.
5. Avoid the “Hair of the Dog”: Sorry to burst your bubble, but more alcohol is absolutely not the answer. That temporary buzz people swear by only delays the inevitable crash and will probably make you feel worse in the long run. Stick to water, my friend.
6. Move If You Can: We know dragging yourself out of bed is a monumental task, but light movement, such as a short walk or gentle stretches, can promote circulation and release endorphins, possibly helping you feel better faster.
Our Expert Take
Recovering from a hangover isn’t about magical fixes or elaborate rituals—it’s about helping your body rehydrate, refuel and rest. Drinking water (or a drink with electrolytes) should be your top priority the moment you wake up, with a few supporting tricks like eating, resting and refreshing yourself sprinkled in. And while we’re all human and a drink (or three) too many can happen, remember that moderate drinking—and a tall glass of water between cocktails—can save you from the morning-after mayhem altogether. Until then, hydrate as if your life depends on it (because, honestly, it kind of does). Cheers to feeling better!
