This may seem a bit strange coming from someone who hasn’t drunk alcohol for over five years. But fear not, there were plenty of times I dragged my hungover body from my student halls to KFC to soak up the previous night’s excess with a Zinger Tower Meal and a Fanta.
Even the smell of them now brings me out in a cold sweat.
And these hangover self-care ideas aren’t just if you’re planning on suffering from over-indulgence from tonight; they can be useful tips for those sipping the Nohitos and the Seedlips too.
They’re a great way to make sure you enter the new year feeling vibrant and awake and raring to go.
Get Enough Sleep.
Independent of any hangover, having an interrupted night’s sleep can affect how you feel both mentally and physically the next day.
As alcohol impairs sleep quality as well as sleep length, it’s best to get as much sober sleep as possible.
If you don’t want to stop drinking early in the evening, try rolling some lemon essential oils on your feet before you hit the sack.
Lemon is anti-inflammatory and helps the body to cleanse itself of toxins (make sure you follow any essential oils guidelines if you do this.)
Stay Hydrated.
Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which means it causes the body to lose water. That’s why trips to the toilet increase with each pint you drink.
Alcohol also reduces the re-uptake of water to your kidneys, so rehydration is key. But don’t reach for the coffee or the orange juice as these are not your friend. Anything too citric will be harsh on your stomach, and caffeine is also a diuretic and can deplete an already depleted water supply.
Try a non-caffeinated sports drink to replenish electrolytes, or coconut water if you can get your hands on it which contains natural sugars and potassium which is a healthier way of rebalancing lost electrolytes.
Eat A Good Breakfast.
Though being hungover can make you feel like you want to reach for last night’s leftover pizza slice, it’s best to have a good breakfast. And I don’t mean a KFC (though I still swear that they helped me out of a hangover dip or five!)
Ideally you will have eaten both before and after drinking, but if you need something tasty that will help reduce your nausea and headache the day after then opt for one of these great choices:
Bananas for potassium to replenish lost salts. Eggs which help break down the toxic byproducts of alcohol. Honey which may help your body eliminate the alcohol quicker. Oatmeal which provides a slow release of energy and can reduce feelings of fatigue.
I think you could probably whip up a smoothie with those ingredients if food is too much to bear.
Acupressure.
Acupressure is an Asian bodywork therapy with theories that applying pressure along the meridian lines (invisible channels of energy) of your body can help release the energy and help with ailments.
Vicky Vlachonis, author of The Body Doesn’t Lie spoke to Goop recently about the four best acupressure points to help provide relief from your hangover.
For your headache apply pressure to the fleshy bit between your left thumb and forefinger; where you can feel the edge of your finger apply pressure for 10-20 seconds at a time.
To stem nausea, bend your knee to a 90° angle and feel for the dip to the outer edge at the lower side of your kneecap, apply pressure for 10-20 seconds and do both knees.
Chamomile To Reduce Hangxiety.
Hangover anxiety or hangxiety is a real and very powerful thing. Alcohol floods your brain with dopamine—the feel good chemical— which leads to a short sharp burst of positivity.
When this dips back down feelings of anxiety can be overwhelming. To counteract this, try sipping camomile tea. Though a natural relaxer, camomile tea has been found to significantly reduce anxiety in people with Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
And it is great for calming the mind and relaxing the hungover body as well as getting to work on digestion and nausea.
