Preventing Hangovers: A Quick and Simple Guide

So maybe you have a celebratory occasion on a work night, or you have to get up early on a weekend. Maybe you're afraid of getting sick from drinking. Maybe you're just sick of getting hangovers. The point is, drinking is fun, but hangovers suck. Luckily, with a few precautions, you can drastically reduce your chances of getting sick or being hungover the next day.

1.) What you drink is important. Red wine is worse for hangovers than white wine (it has something to do with the tannins in the wine). Dark/brown liquors (whiskey, brandy, etc.) are worse for hangovers than light or clear liquors (vodka, gin, etc.) And this one may be obvious, but just in case, cheap alcohol of any kind--beer, wine (especially box wine), low shelf liquor--is definitely going to be worse for hangovers.

2.) The less mixing, the better. One of the worst combinations is wine and liquor. Especially tequila. Picking one kind of alcohol or mixed drink and sticking with it throughout the night is the way to go. Now, taking a shot or two before drinking beer is generally okay, but taking various kinds of shots before drinking beer and wine is not a good idea. When it comes to mixed drinks, simple is best. I recommend one type of liquor and one mixer. Or, if you don't mind it, liquor straight up--not in shots, but just to sip on. Maybe with some ice, if you prefer. Straight liquor is strong enough to get you drunk off of not too much, and you won't have extraneous ingredients to add to the hangover equation. Drink it slowly though. No playing drinking games with straight liquor.

3.) Sugar=very bad. Especially refined sugar. So the sweeter and more sugary your mixed drink, the worse your hangover chances are. Watch out for sugary sodas, juices, and grenadine. If you make a mixed drink with juice, pick one kind of juice and add some club soda to cut the sweetness. Don't add a lot of sugary mixers like Shnapps or Rose's Lime Juice--instead, substite actual lime or lemon juice. If you're at a bar and they give you a lemon or lime wedge, squeeze it in for the vitamin C and delicious taste. If you're making drinks at home, fresh and healthy mixers are a great idea. A friend of mine used to make a mixed drink with fresh honedew melon and cucumbers, and not only was it delicious, but we felt great even the next day because of the fresh ingredients and nutrients and lack of refined sugar. So if you can use fresh juice, do. Otherwise, orange juice is always good (it has a lot of natural sugar, but also lots of vitamin C), tomato juice is good if you like it, and other healthy juices that have no sugar added are good (check the label for high fructose corn syrup--if it's there, don't use it). Some good mixed drink options here are bloody marys and screwdrivers. My personal favorite is flavored Stoli (which is good without being too sweet) cut with club soda, and if you like, a bit of fresh lime or lemon juice. The same rules apply to wine--look for a dry wine as opposed to a sweet one (don't get drunk on port).

4.) Make sure you've had plenty of food before (or while) drinking. Yeah, I know it can be fun to start drinking on a somewhat empty stomach and get drunk really fast, but that's also one of the best ways to end up paying for it. It's much better to have a full tummy before you start drinking, or to eat throughout the night while you're drinking. So if you're drinking and you realize you haven't eaten much that day or you get hungry, have something to eat while you drink. Order a pizza or make some eggs or have a snack. Eating greasy food can help prevent a hangover--the grease lines the intestines and slows the alcohol absorption. If it's too late, eating greasy food when you have a small hangover can help as well.

5.) This one is obvious, but so very important that it bears mentioning anyway: drink plenty of water. Drink water between alcoholic drinks. When you feel sufficiently drunk, take a break and drink more water. When you stop drinking, drink lots of water. I like to keep a cup of water beside the bed after a night of drinking in case I wake up thirsty in the middle of the night (which happens quite frequently).

6.) Again, this one is obvious, but I'll mention it as well: know your limits. If you get to a certain point of drunkeness, it can be hard to avoid hangovers. Tell a friend to cut you off if you get really drunk, because often when you're that drunk, you won't be thinking clearly enough to stop drinking.

7.) Pace yourself and drink slowly. Overloading your system with a bunch of drinks too quickly is always bad. Instead, take your time getting drunk so you can enjoy it.

8.) Sleep is very important to the equation as well. Most people don't get good sleep when they're really drunk, and a lack of sleep will only worsen a hangover. If you wake up really early feeling awful, drink some water then try to go back to sleep. If you don't have to get up early that day, try to sleep in. Or get some food first, then take a nap. If you have to get up for whatever reason, plan on taking a nap later. Just know that the sleep will help.