Everyone and their mothers have a homemade hangover remedy, with each usually involving something disgusting, such as a raw egg. Before you subject yourself to these culinary crimes against humanity, let us help you. Here are four effective (and sane) hangover remedies that don’t involve any weird food combinations or pacts with the devil. They’re not the most glamorous, but they will get the job done.
- Chug water.
This is not so much a remedy in and of itself as it is a key component of any strategy for fighting a hangover. Chances are you weren’t drinking enough H20 the night before, and it's unlikely that you are drinking enough water in general. Chugging some the morning after can’t do anything but help. Drink as much as you need to quench your thirst when you wake up, but don’t forget to sip throughout the day as well. You’ll be properly hydrated before you know it.
- Embrace Alka-Seltzer.
It may seem like an old-man remedy, but Alka-Seltzer can really take the edge off after having a little too much fun. Sure, it’s going to taste worse than anything you drank the night before, but it’s loaded with sodium bicarbonate, which is great for settling the general unpleasantness that’s taking place in your stomach right now.
- Go back to bed.
If you have an empty schedule the next day or if you’ve got some sick leave saved up at work, now is the time to go back to bed and let the world pass you by. Heavy drinking can disrupt your normal sleep patterns, and grogginess is the last thing you want to add into the hangover mix. Stake your claim on the couch and let the gentle sounds of a Netflix marathon lull you back to dreamland.
- Don’t drink.
I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but the best way to avoid a hangover is to simply not drink at all—it’s guaranteed to work 100% of the time. Before you decide to imbibe, think about the head-pounding grumpiness that’s waiting for you the next morning. For lots of people, just the thought of alcohol-induced discomfort is more than enough to keep them off the hooch. This is obviously not a sustainable strategy if the only thing that gets you through the work day is the glass (or bottle) of wine waiting for you at home, but hopefully an awareness of the consequences will help you abstain from time to time.
