Banish your hangover
Anyone else out there sorrier than usual that it’s Monday? If you’re still feeling worse for the wear after Saturday night’s antics…welcome to the club. Hangovers are never fun, and just like “grown up life responsibilities”, seem to get harder to handle as time goes on. I am not one to aim to get drunk per se, but occasionally (!) get carried away by bubbles, prosecco and general merriment. Steering clear of certain types of alcohol and mixers can help, but what about when it’s too late? After 5 years of college, numerous festivals and a stint in the Australian outback (with no air-conditioning, yup no matter how bad you were feeling yesterday morning, you should try it in 40 degree heat, a scorching sun and no Taytos), there are a few things I have found that not only help the headache, but also the grey, uneven skin – an added bonus. So aside from the standard paracetamol/berocca/cold 7up cures, these are the best remedies for your aching body.
Hydration is key
Water generally tastes pretty rank the morning after the night before, but the headache associated with a hangover is usually due to dehydration . A dioralyte sachet mixed in a glass of water is probably the best thing to drink – if you can stomach it. Coconut water comes a close second and some of you may even like it. I find the best cure is a smoothie, composed mainly of coconut water – with some spinach and a banana thrown in too. This tastes nice (basically just banana) and helps replenish the fluids and sugars you’re probably missing. The green colour makes you feel healthy AF too.
Detox
The green goodness from above is the first step to speeding up the detox process. Sweating is the next one (I know, you’re sweating anyway, and not in a good way), as this is one of our bodies’ natural mechanisms for flushing out alcohol. If you’re up for it, a run or cycle or some form of exercise will work best, however if (like most of us) this is downright impossible, a steam room or sauna visit, or even a hot bath with do the same thing. Just make sure you’re drinking water throughout to stay hydrated.
Balance your blood sugar
Your blood sugar takes a nosedive after excessive alcohol intake – and this can be responsible for you feeling tired and weak or shaky. The sugar from the banana in the green smoothie can help replenish this, but you will need something more substantial (and I am not talking about McDonald’s) to stabilise your blood sugar levels. Something sweet will bring your blood sugar levels back up but they’ll dip again pretty quickly – so seeking out some protein and other low-GI (glycemic index) foods will prevent your blood sugar yo-yoing up and down for the day. Eggs on toast with some avocado and bacon is an excellent (and delicious) choice, and bonus points if you add in some green veggies. The best avocado I’ve had recently was in Buckle Up in Sandymount – as a self-confessed avo snob, I hate when it’s not properly ripe. Their coffee is pretty good too.
The only thing the above may not target directly is the dreaded “fear” – although you may feel like you can handle life a little bit better when your head is clear, something that does chip away at the blanket of guilt/impending doom (however I did once resort to buying “Be Happy” tea and turning up at a friend’s house looking for a hug, so not always). The best fix for the fear is realising that everyone else can be just as stupid on occasion, and life is only going to get better – it’s Monday morning and that means the worst part of the week is nearly over already. So buy yourself a coffee and entertain yourself with some memes, and the world will feel like a more friendly place.
Do you have any tried and tested cures or ways of dealing with the morning after?