How to Prevent and Ease a Hangover: Practical Tips

There are several simple tricks when consuming alcohol that help prevent a hangover or ease its effects the next morning. It's important to eat before and during drinking and maintain proper hydration. It's also worth knowing how many calories different alcoholic drinks actually contain.

Consuming alcohol doesn't necessarily mean suffering the next morning-with the right habits and preparation, it's possible to significantly reduce or even completely avoid a hangover.

Before drinking: prepare your stomach

One of the most important rules is not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Even a small snack before a party, whether yogurt or some nuts, slows alcohol absorption and reduces its impact. Continue eating while drinking: fruit and nuts are suitable options.

You should also avoid combining sweet drinks and snacks with alcohol. When your body has to digest both sugar and alcohol at the same time, B-vitamin reserves deplete faster and next morning's hangover will be worse than expected.

While drinking: balance is key

Between alcoholic drinks, you should consume non-alcoholic beverages to prevent excessive fluid loss. For a long evening out, it's sensible to limit yourself to one alcoholic drink per hour. One drink is considered 60 millilitres of vodka, whisky, rum or wine, and roughly half a litre of beer.

Before going to bed, it's recommended to drink at least 250-500 millilitres of water.

The next morning: how to feel better

Upon waking, you should drink plenty of water immediately. Also beneficial are high-carbohydrate drinks such as sugar-water with lime or sports drinks, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Bananas help restore potassium levels and provide energy. Drinks containing caffeine, coffee and strong tea, should be avoided as they promote fluid loss.

Don't skip breakfast. If you ate a lot of heavy food the day before, a combination of fresh fruit and yogurt works well for lunch. For dinner, lightly prepared foods are suitable, such as grilled chicken with vegetables and rice or noodles.

How many calories does alcohol contain?

Alcohol contains considerable calories, which many may not account for. Gin, rum, vodka or whisky in a quantity of 60 millilitres provide around 133 kilocalories. Popular cocktails in a 200-millilitre serving often contain even more calories, especially if sweet mixers have been added.