Hangovers are rough. And the more you drink the night before, the more severe your hangover symptoms might feel the morning after. Show
Most of the time you just need to drink water, eat some food, and walk it off. But if you’ve had too much to drink, you may be harming your body and need to see your doctor for treatment. Let’s look at how to tell the difference between a mild, temporary hangover that you can treat at home and one that may need some extra medical attention. Each of these 10 common symptoms stems from a physiological response to the presence of alcohol in your digestive and urinary systems, especially your stomach, kidneys, and bloodstream. 1. HeadacheAlcohol expands (dilates) your blood vessels. At first, this can be beneficial, making you feel relaxed as your blood pressure is lowered. But after a few drinks, your heart starts pumping faster, and the blood vessels can’t expand enough to accommodate all the blood. This additional pressure can cause headaches. Blood vessel dilation has also beenlinked to migraines. 2. Nausea and vomiting (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Alcohol does adouble whammy on your tummy: A few drinks can not only make your stomach produce more acid, but also keep your stomach from emptying. This can make you feel sick and induce vomiting. 3. SluggishnessAlcohol can direct heavier blood flow to areas in your pancreas known as islets. This causes your pancreas tomake more insulin, which can make your blood sugar drop. This can make you feel exhausted, tired, and weak. 4. Trouble sleepingAlcohol can interfere with your sleep cycle. When you drink, your body adjusts to the alcohol in your system in order to maintain a normal 8(ish)-hour cycle of sleep. But your body generally eliminates all the alcohol from your system after five to six hours, yet still remains adjusted to the presence of alcohol. This “rebound effect” interrupts deep, rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, which can make you feel much more tired the next day. 5. Excessive thirstAlcohol’s a diuretic. This means it makes you pee more often than usual, which can quickly drain your body of fluid as well as important minerals and vitamins. As you lose fluid through frequent urination, you’ll become increasingly dehydrated and extremely thirsty as a result, especially if you’re drinking in a hot environment that’s making you sweat, too. 6. Racing heartAlcohol is known to increase your heart rate. The more you drink, the more your heart will respond. A 2018 study of 3,000 attendees of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, found that high levels of alcohol, especially in younger people, are associated with symptoms like sinus tachycardia. This is a heart rate over 100 beats per minute, which is well above the average heart rate. The study also suggested that heart rate increases as you drink more alcohol, and these increases can raise your risk of arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat. 7. DizzinessDizziness is a common symptom of the dehydration that comes with a hangover. When you’re dehydrated, your blood pressure drops, which limits blood flow to your brain and causes dizziness. 8. Losing concentrationDrinking alcohol, especially if you’re alreadydehydratedor becoming dehydrated, can make it harder to focus on certain tasks, react during situations, and make decisions. 9. Mood changesThe fluctuations in blood sugar that accompany drinking can lead to negative moods, which might include anxiety and anger as well as mood instability. This can occur both during and after drinking. Drinking can also affect your mood if you already have a mental health condition or use alcohol as a coping mechanism for your mental health. A 2017 study found that many people report feeling more aggressive or even feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions when they drink, especially if they had some dependence on alcohol. 10. Cognitive functionYou may feel much less alert, less able to remember things, and less able to make logical decisions when you’re hungover. A2017 studyfound that these aspects of cognitive function were all highly impacted during a period of hangover symptoms. How do I treat a hangover?First: Drink water! Many hangover symptoms result from dehydration. Here are a few other tips for snapping back quickly from a hangover:
Check out these additional science-backed solutions for a hangover. How much alcohol will cause a hangover?How much you need to drink to cause a hangover depends on many factors. Some people may only need one or two drinks to get drunk and feel hungover the next day. Others can drink far more and feel minimal symptoms afterwards. You may build a tolerance to alcohol if you drink enough consistently. This occurs when your body learns to adjust to the presence of alcohol andproduce more enzymesto break down alcohol in your system. Other factors that affect how much alcohol you can tolerate include:
When should I see a doctor?Drinking too much can cause alcohol poisoning. This affects many of your body’s normal functions, such as breathing, temperature regulation, and heart rate. Alcohol poisoningcan be deadlyor have serious long-term consequences. Seek emergency medical attention if you or someone you’re drinking with exhibits any of the following symptoms:
The takeawayDrink water and eat food to dispel your hangover blues. It’s possible to reduce hangover symptoms by eating food and drinking plenty of water while you’re consuming alcohol, but there’s only so much you can do to avoid one. Limiting how much alcohol you drink at one time is the most effective way to minimize the possibility of a hangover. And try to drink with people around you. It’s a good idea to have someone on hand to let you know if you’re perhaps consuming too much. How do you get rid of dizziness after drinking?Alcohol lowers your blood sugar. That may explain the dizziness and shaking some people get with a hangover. Your brain needs carbs for fuel. Have a couple of slices of wheat toast or a few whole-grain crackers to bring those blood sugar levels back up to normal.
Why is my head spinning after drinking alcohol?Blood laced with alcohol has a different density than its teetotaling counterpart and thus distorts the shape of the inner ear. The swollen ear parts push on the tiny sensory hairs, deceiving the brain into producing the sense of motion, or spinning.
How do you get rid of head spins fast?Steps people can take to relieve dizziness include:. lying down and closing the eyes.. acupuncture.. drinking plenty of water and keeping hydrated.. reducing stress plus alcohol and tobacco intake.. getting plenty of sleep.. |