What's the best cure for a hangover? Six ways to recover the morning after a heavy night – from the best food to eat to taking the right medicine

IF you hit the sauce a bit too hard while watching England play Italy last night then it's likely that you're feeling as sick as a parrot this morning.

But most of us will still need to be fully functioning adults today, so we've asked the experts to reveal their top tips to make you feel human again.

How can I cure a hangover?

1. Rehydrate

Booze can make you expel up to four times as much water, which is why you always feel like a slug in a salt mine the morning after.

Make sure you drink lots of water before you go to sleep, but well, we all know how hard that is once you’ve knocked back a thousand tequilas and passed out on the front step.

GP Sarah Garsed at online health and wellness platform RWL says water is your best friend and will flush toxins out of your system.

Isotonic drinks can also give you an extra boost and replace lost fluids.

2. Snooze

Alcohol loves to rob us of good quality sleep.

This is because it inhibits the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, meaning it can be hard to get to sleep, difficult to have good quality sleep
and you may also find you wake up early unable to get back to sleep.

"Sleep is one of the most restorative things for a hangover so if you
need it, take a nap the following day" Dr Sarah added.

3. Medicate

Reach for the painkillers to help with head or muscle aches.

Stick to paracetamol-based remedies as aspirin can increase nausea.

Take an antacid if you have a dodgy stomach and need it settling.

4. Drink herbal tea

As well as plenty of water, hot drinks can help revive your body and mind.

Ginger tea can help with nausea and milk thistle tea cleanses the liver, while hot water with honey and lemon boosts blood sugar.

5. Exercise if you can

Depending on how bad your hangover is, exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do, BUT it could be the best thing for you, Dr Sarah says.

After drinking a lot of your natural feel-good brain chemicals can be left significantly reduced, leaving you feeling low in energy and mood.

Dr Sarah said: "Exercise releases huge amounts of endorphins and dopamine into the body, helping to give you a big happiness boost while also raising your energy levels.

"Exercise can also help to regular blood sugar levels and can loosen constricted blood vessels that can contribute to those horrible headaches.

"Try a workout or even just go for a walk or cycle to reap the benefits."

6. Eat something

If your hangover is particularly bad and you are struggling to stomach much food, try a cold orange juice to get yourself back to being match ready.

"Orange juice can have a acid-neutralising effect when it is metabolised by the body and delivers a big does of potassium which helps to rehydrate you and restore any lost minerals.

"Orange juice is also high in natural sugar, which can help bring that low blood sugar up and reduce feelings of nausea", Dr Sarah said.

Nutritionist Pauline Cox, on behalf of Wiley's Finest said that eating oily fish could be the key to helping out your hangover.

She said: "That anxious, jittery feeling you get the morning after? Turns out low DHA levels in the brain could be the culprit.

"Research has shown the protective effects of a particular omega 3 found in high levels in the brain called DHA. DHA has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against the damage of alcohol on the brain.

"Fish oils have the potential to protect the brain cells from the damaging effects of inflammation brought about from drinking alcohol, although more research is needed to confirm these effects."

How can I prevent a hangover?

Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink moderately on the night and not give in to offers of shots from merry friends waving their wallets.

Lining your stomach with a carb or fat-heavy meal before boozing slows down the rate of alcohol absorption, something you'll be thankful for in the morning.

Drinking a pint of milk or a shot of olive oil is said to help too. Nice.

Also, it can be handy to avoid dark-coloured drinks that contain natural chemicals called congeners (impurities), which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover much worse.

What causes a hangover?

The main reason people get hangovers is drinking too much alcohol, and there are a number of ways this is caused.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes increased passing of urine, which can lead to a dry mouth, headache, fatigue, and nausea.

Ethanol in alcohol can cause damage and irritation to cells and the toxin acetaldehyde can form when alcohol is broken down in the liver.

Alcohol also increases acid production in the stomach, which can irritate the stomach lining and cause a delay in the stomach emptying, which can cause stomach pain and vomiting.

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