How to deal with a hangover

The end of the world may not have come, but that doesn't stop anyone from partying like there's no tomorrow. Seemingly bottomless feasts are often accompanied by a little too much drink. If you're not careful, you may just end up with a hangover.

 

The more you drink, the worse your hangover will be, as partygoer Ken Soleta experienced. After drinking from 3 p.m. to 5 a.m., Soleta had a bad headache. "Medyo lutang 'yung pakiramdam," he said on Unang Balita on December 26. 

 

Hangovers aren't new for Soleta and his drinking buddy, Nikos Mortel. "Panay pulutan lang kami kagabi. Siyempre, tapos alak... hindi masyadong nakakagaan din ng pakiramdam. Eto, babawi kami ngayon," Mortel told GMA News.

 

Too much alcohol in the body results in cellular dehydration, which affects brain function as well as other parts of the body, the report said. "Nauubos din kasi 'yung ating mga sugar stores sa katawan because of the increased metabolism because of alcohol. And the main source of energy in the brain is glucose, at kapag ito ay na-deplete because of excessive alcohol, doon nagkakaroon ng symptoms," Dr. Johnny Perez, emergency medical consultant at St. Luke's Medical Center, explained in the report.

 

Sleep it off?

 

Those who have experienced hangovers have different ways to deal with them, from simply sleeping it off to taking a painkiller. Some people have their go-to "cures" for the morning after, such as banana shakes, Mexican food, or tapsilog.

 

One suggestion is to do "prep work" before drinking. "Eat something greasy before drinking. The greasy lining slows down your body from absorbing more alcohol," said May Buenas, an IT consultant. She also suggested having food and water during drinking sessions.

 

However, once the hangover is there, Perez said there are no magic cures. The best way to deal with a hangover is to get plenty of rest and water. 

 

"There are two ways water affects you. You rehydrate because your cells become dehydrated [due to] the effects of alcohol. The second is, of course you want to increase your fluids in your body so that you will also release the existing alcohol in your bloodstream," Perez said.

 

For Buenas' drinking buddy Leslie Bayan, sometimes a trip to the bathroom is enough to remove a hangover. "That's all you need," she said.

 

Energy drinks and softdrinks will only worsen your dehydration, so opt for oral rehydration salts that will replace electrolytes in the body. Eating will also help replenish glucose in your system, the report said.

 

"Load up on protein and carbs the day after. Eat fried food like eggs and bread," suggested Events and PR manager Violet Soriano. For her, the best way to get rid of a hangover is through an intense workout. "It sounds painful but sweating all the alcohol out of your system will totally sober you up. You'll feel like you want to fall over at first, but make sure your trainer knows you're hungover," she told GMA News Online.

 

Whatever you do, don't drink more alcohol in an attempt to get rid of a hangover. As Soleta experienced, this will only make you drunk again. —KG, GMA News