There’s nothing glamorous about waking up with a hangover. The throbbing headache, waves of nausea, and general fog can make you swear off alcohol until the next social plan appears. While it feels like your whole body is betraying you, what’s really happening is a full-scale recovery operation as your system tries to undo the effects of last night’s drinks, as HuffPost reports.
Kate Denniston, a licensed naturopathic doctor, explains that the problem is not simply the alcohol itself but what your body creates while breaking it down. As alcohol is metabolized, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct your body wants gone as quickly as possible. That clean-up process is what fuels many classic hangover symptoms, from fatigue to feeling generally unwell.
Ralph E. Holsworth, a doctor of osteopathy, describes hangovers as a combination of dehydration and the fallout from the body pushing out toxins. Alcohol makes your kidneys work harder and sends you to the bathroom more often, which drains fluids fast. Dehydration can then feed into intense thirst, dizziness, and headaches that linger well into the day.
Your stomach often takes a hit too. Lantie Jorandby, chief medical officer at addiction treatment center Lakeview Health, says alcohol irritates the stomach lining and can slow down how quickly the stomach empties. That can lead to nausea, vomiting, cramps, and unpleasant bathroom urgency. Some people also experience a mental hangover, and research has linked drinking to increased anxiety in certain individuals, including a 2012 study where 7.4 percent of those who had hangovers reported anxiety as a symptom.
Headaches can be worsened by inflammation as well, Jorandby notes, which is why anti-inflammatory options may help for some people. Still, she warns against taking acetaminophen, known as Tylenol or Paracetamol, because it can strain the liver, especially if alcohol is still in your system. When you already feel rough, the last thing you want is to add extra stress to the organs doing the hard work.
If hangovers feel worse as the years go by, you’re not imagining it. Christopher Roselle from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that repeated drinking can gradually deplete the body’s resources used to process alcohol. He describes that “ammunition” as antioxidants, enzymes, and amino acids that help your liver do its job. Registered dietitian Leigh Renwick adds that aging may mean lower concentrations of certain liver enzymes, which can slow alcohol processing and make recovery take longer.
To make a hangover less brutal, focus on prevention and smart recovery. Jorandby recommends paying attention to what and how much you drink, and choosing lighter spirits like gin or vodka over darker options like whiskey or red wine, which tend to contain more congeners that can intensify symptoms. Renwick also suggests skipping overly sweet cocktails that can irritate the stomach and contribute to blood sugar swings. Dietitian Marissa Meshulam advises alternating alcoholic drinks with water, and eating a balanced meal with protein, fats, and fiber-rich carbs before drinking.
If you reach for coffee, Jorandby says caffeine can help you feel more alert, but it won’t fix the hangover and it should never replace water. And as tempting as “hair of the dog” sounds, more alcohol can trap you in a cycle that makes things worse rather than better.
Have you noticed hangovers changing over time, and what actually helps you feel human again? Share your tried-and-true tips in the comments.
