Let’s be honest…
The holidays often mean parties, and those parties inevitably (and sometimes necessarily) bring alcohol into the picture.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to kick back and enjoy the festivities from time to time, either - but we can certainly be strategic with how we set our bodies up to win.
Namely, it’s good to know what the alcohol you’re consuming is doing to your body...and how you can enjoy yourself while minimizing - and perhaps even sidestepping completely - the dreaded holiday hangover in the process.
But first, in order to know how to prevent a hangover, we need to know why we even get them in the first place.
So, let’s dive into it.
What causes hangovers?
The easiest answer to this question is simply: drinking alcohol. Alcohol consumption - especially in excess - can cause a hangover.
There are ways to help yourself prevent the effects of a hangover, but if you’re drinking alcohol, you’re at risk of experiencing one.
So, what is a hangover? It’s basically defined by the symptoms you experience after drinking.
Symptoms that you’re hungover can include:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Sore muscles
- Vertigo
- Sensitivity to light + sound
- Sweating
- Increased blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Thirst
But, what is the alcohol doing in your system to cause the symptoms of a hangover?
There are a few things at play in your body when you get a hangover.
These include dehydration, low blood sugar, inflammation, poor / disrupted sleep, electrolyte imbalance, gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, acetaldehyde exposure, genetics, and mini-withdrawal.
Dehydration & Electrolyte Imbalance
The most commonly understood result of drinking alcohol is increased risk of dehydration. When you consume alcohol, a hormone in your body called vasopressin is suppressed.
This hormone is responsible for the body’s regulation of how much fluid is in the kidneys. When vasopressin is suppressed, your kidneys lose regulatory control of how much fluid they should hold onto.
This results in more frequent urination, causing you to become dehydrated faster than normal.
The ensuing hangover symptoms like a headache, increased thirst, and fatigue can be linked to this alcohol-induced dehydrati