When I was 21 I could drink till 2:00am then go to work at the golf course at 7:00am like a boss.
But now, at 27, 5 beers and I’m man-down the next day. What the hell is going on? And how do you guys cope? I just pound water with a cup of coffee and hope for the best. Sometimes I take activated charcoal while drinking, its supposed to be like chasers, the charcoal absorbs the toxins… I’m not sure that it helps though.
I feel ya system… 19 years old in the oilpatch I’d frequently drink a case before hitting the bar, sleep at 4am, work at 7:30. 22 years old in university could start at 4, go all night, and not miss my 9 oclock classes. Now, 25 y/o and 6 beer means I’m having a long, long day at work tomorrow. It’s depressing, especially when the other guys shrug it off like its nothing. In the last two years the hangovers have gotten almost unbearable.
If you’re going to hydrate it has to be over the course of the day before. Drinking water with drinks typically just means your body will purge that as well so the water will not stay in your system. It helps to stay in shape. I notice when I am exercising a lot and sweating / hydrating a lot (which I haven’t been in awhile), my hangovers are much less severe, I don’t know why.
Back in the day when I drank like a pirate who had just buried his parrot, just took an aspirin and was good to go. Eventually hangovers got worse and now I barely drink because of them, and also because I had this idea of having a liver function test run. Boy, doctors know how to scare the shait out of you.
If you consume the exact same of alcohol but are drinking straight scotch vs beer you will get hit harder by the scotch because it is much stronger. With beer you are getting a lot of water and 3-8% of alcohol whereas with scotch you are getting 40% alcohol. The scotch will dehydrate you more. Solution, stay hydrated during the day and drink a quart or more water before you go to bed.
NEVER take Tylenol/acetominophen if you have been drinking or are hung over. It is liver toxic and can cause failure. Take ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. Aspirin and naproxen is a great cocktail because the aspirin works quickly whereas the naproxen works all day.
Coconut water is great for rehydration in the morning as well as Gatorade.
I used to never really understand what people meant when they said they had a hangover. I always used to think it just meant you were really tired after drinking. And then I got older and now I know.
The best cure for a hangover I ever experienced was going diving after a big night out. Though I didn’t realize it was really dangerous at the time, I would drink until 3-4 in the morning and then show up at the dive shop at 9am and go diving. You go underwater with an almighty hangover and 20 minutes later surface feeling completely clear, though quite tired.
Now I’m not advocating going diving after a big night out, not only is it really dangerous (something to do with some biochemical what nots that I can’t explain), and impractical as a solution, but it did make me wonder what was behind this cure. Is it the purity of the oxygen you’re getting, or the water pressure, or a combination of both? Anyway it worked. So if you really need a cure and have the accessories to make it happen (i.e. an oxygen tank and maybe a pool if it’s to do with pressure), you might want to take a look into this.
disclaimer - if anybody reading this dies trying this, I am in no way responsible.
I tried an oxygen bar once on vacation to cure a hangover… overall was disappointed (surprising?). But I went indoor bungee jumping another time, which was above a swimming pool so extremely hot and humid. Walked in hung over as tits, by the time I jumped I’d forgotten I’d ever been drunk. So my vote goes to getting a wet sauna.