Licklist guide to... Hangovers!
We’ve all been there. It’s the morning after the night before. Last night’s antics are hazy as you wake up trying to piece together what happened, with a pounding headache and a throat like razor blades. Hell, everything just…hurts, and you utter those famous last words: “I’M NEVER DRINKING AGAIN!”
So what can you do? Here at Lickist we have compiled a handy list (we really like lists, okay?) of the 10 Top Hangover Cures to help you feel more human again- or at the very least give you just enough energy to sit up in your bed and reflect on your life choices that led you to this moment…
1) Waaaaaater…
Your mouth is as dry as the Sahara in August. One of the main reasons why you feel so bad is dehydration, and the only why to counter act that is to drink lots of water. The NHS advises: “Drink a pint or so of water before you go to sleep. Keep a glass of water by the bed to sip if you wake up during the night.” Top advice.
2) Dry toast
Toast and water are basically the bare bones essentials for getting your blood sugar and hydration levels back up, involving the least amount of effort too!
3) Cucumber
Might sound odd but eating cucumber will immediately hydrate you- after all it’s over 90% water, and you’ll feel a little better having eaten something too- it’s a win win (unless you don’t like cucumber of course!).
4) Greasy food
If greens aren’t your thing, then maybe a burger. Oh sweet juicy, grease-filled, carb-tastic burgers. Those golden arches are calling your name. It’s a magnet-like force that draws in zombie-fied students. Those naughty carbs can boost your blood sugars that dip when you’ve been drinking. Wherever you get your fix, you’ll never want a burger more than you do when you’re hungover- and oh boy, does it feel good!
5) Pop the Kettle on
You can’t beat a good cuppa. Plus tea will help wake you up more gently than coffee. Even better still, try either mint or ginger flavoured- they are natural remedies for nausea.
6) Tactical Chunder
Better out than in we always say. It’s not nice, but once you throw up you’ll feel 99% better. That hangover is still luring on your shoulders, but you’re well on the road to recovery after you’ve removed all those toxins from your body- just remember to replace them with the good stuff afterwards!
7) Broth
A hearty vegetable-based broth is a great source of vitamins and minerals, which will help you feel full of beans in no time!
8) Sugar
A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. And so will a spoonful of honey! The natural sugar in honey helps the alcohol in your system break down faster. Sugary sweets and drinks are also a quick fix to energize you. Energy dinks or a full fat coke will help replenish those lost sugars- just make sure there isn’t any vodka in that coke! Having said that, we have scientific proof (kinda) that drinking more alcohol does work…
9) Hair of the Dog
Now we at Licklist are in no way encouraging excessive drinking but… drinking more alcohol the morning after will temporarily relieve you of that blaring headache. However, come late afternoon it’ll be back to nausea and dizziness. The science bit? Alcoholic drinks contain ethanol that displaces the small amount of methanol (the toxic bit) off the enzyme, which will make you feel better…for a little bit. Or it could make you feel worse. Just saying.
10) Go back to sleep
If none of that works just go back to sleep. Let’s face it, you’re not going to have a productive day anyway and if none of these tips have helped in the slightest then there is no hope. Nothing is going to convince you to come out of that duvet cocoon now: so sleep. The rest will make you feel better and perhaps you’ll dream about a time when you went out for “one drink” and it really was just one drink! We can all dream, ay.
Happy Hangover day!
By Kayleigh Stevens