Hangover Myths

Somebody said somewhere, “Don’t trust a man, if he cannot survive being under the weather.” And believe me, it’s pretty difficult to overcome hangover and that too when there are lots of myths surrounding it. Heavy drinking impedes brain’s activity leading to headache, dizziness and nausea and leaves you dehydrated which is termed as Hangover. Let’s bust some of the alleged Hangover myths to manage our drinking habits.

MYTH: Red wine is good for health and the gentlest choice.

FACT: Wine is always touted as a healthy drink which lowers heart disease Alzheimer’s, and osteoporosis. But what is less known is the fact that it contains compounds like tannins which trigger headaches in susceptible people and accentuates the hangover. Clear spirits like vodka, gin and beer are way gentler than wines.

MYTH: Binge drinkers get hangovers

FACT:  They are a result of dehydration caused by alcoholic drinks. Binge drinking does bring it quicker but even a peg or two can cause a hangover with headache, as it depends on your body’s reaction to the beverage. Keeping yourself hydrated with having a glass of water between each drink can reduce the extent of drunkenness.

MYTH: It is safe to have Diet cocktails

FACT: Diet drinks might be lower on calories but they do nothing good if you are trying to avoid being under the weather. People believe that diet cocktails can help overcome hangover however there is no truth to it.

MYTH: Alcohol alleviates insomnia

FACT: Alcohol might help you in dozing off quickly but it interrupts sleep, by challenging sleep quality, and you tend to wake up too soon. A drunkenness might thump up in the later part of the night and might deprive you of slumber completely.

MYTH: Popping acetaminophen before hitting the sack makes morning easier

FACT: When you are heavily drunk, your liver is busy metabolising alcohol, popping an acetaminophen can aggravate your issues due to bad timing of this drug. When drunk, liver processes the painkiller in a separate alleyway where it is converted into toxic compounds resulting in liver inflammation and permanent damage. However, doctor’s advice that ibuprofen works against hangover and takes about an hour to show its relieving affect.

MYTH: Eating before bedtime prevents drunkenness

FACT: It is not helpful because to avoid hangover, food has to be in your stomach before you hit the bar. It is best to drink in moderation and preferably with a snack to avoid hangover.

So next time when you gang up in the bar, ensure to keep the above mentioned myths in mind to combat that nasty hangover.