How to prevent a hangover: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Many of us know this very rude awakening. 

Your mouth feels like sandpaper and your head is pounding. You feel like you might barf – due to both stomach distress and the fact that you said (or sang) some embarrassing things the fun night before. 

You are, unfortunately, hungover. 

While the only sure way to avoid a hangover would be to not drink an excessive amount of alcohol, there are some things you can do to reduce the odds of experiencing one. It comes down to a few simple strategies, like hydrating, taking the right pain relievers and replenishing lost electrolytes. 

How to prevent a hangover?

Many of the common symptoms of a hangover stem from dehydration. When you drink alcohol, it interferes with the hormone (vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone) that helps regulate fluid retention, so you end up urinating more frequently, to the point where you may become dehydrated. This is why you might wake up with a dry mouth or experience fatigue or dizziness. 

One of the most effective ways to prevent a hangover or treat a hangover that has already happened is to hydrate. 

Headache? Dry mouth?What to know about hangovers and whether those 'cures' actually work

How do you hydrate to prevent a hangover?

One common strategy is when you are drinking, alternate between one alcoholic beverage and a glass of water. This will help keep you hydrated and, since you would be drinking so much liquid, it may inadvertently keep you from drinking too much alcohol. 

You may also want to try drinking another thing: coffee. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels, which can lead to a pounding headache. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which may help reverse the dilation done by alcohol. The downside is that coffee can irritate the stomach lining and exacerbate any gastrointestinal symptoms you may be having. 

It may be tempting to use the pain reliever Excedrin, which is a combination of acetaminophen, (Tylenol) aspirin and caffeine, and is very effective at treating headaches. You would get the benefit of caffeine without the stomach irritation from coffee. But if you still have alcohol in your system and then take an acetaminophen product, you could damage your liver. If you’re not sure if there’s alcohol in your system, you may want to opt for other anti-inflammatory painkillers like Advil, Aleve, or Aspirin. Before taking any medication, you will want to talk to your doctor to make sure it doesn’t interact with any of your current medications or medical conditions. 

Anxious after a night of drinking?It may be 'hangxiety,' the hangover's neurotic cousin.

Do electrolytes prevent a hangover?

There hasn’t been enough research to determine if electrolytes help reduce the symptoms of a hangover or prevent it altogether. However, dehydration may cause some electrolyte abnormalities, therefore electrolyte drinks may help resolve systems relating to an electrolyte imbalance. There isn’t much of a risk associated with drinking them either before or after drinking, so it could be worth a shot. At the very least, it could help you rehydrate. These drinks can contain a lot of sugar though, which is something to be mindful of. 

The best prevention strategy is to drink in moderation, but if you have an exciting celebration, hydrating beforehand, during and afterward is your best mitigation tool. 

Coconut water:Is coconut water an electrolyte boost or just empty calories?