A doctor’s guide to beating the work Christmas party hangover
Love the Christmas festivities, but dread the hangovers? You’re not alone. But one GP has revealed the easy trick he swears by.
With Christmas parties and festivities in full swing, hangovers can end up being as much of a staple at this time of year as mince pies or tinsel.
But there’s nothing worse than waking up the day after the office party to that awful throbbing head and nauseous feeling.
Top doctor Daniel Fenton, clinical director and GP at the London Doctors Clinic, has put together a guide to surviving the silly season, revealing his go-to “lifechanger” hangover trick and the mistakes those trying to avoid a dreaded hangover make.
1. TAKE AN ANTACID TABLET BEFORE BED
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Many people find they have an upset stomach the night after they’ve been out drinking.
Dr Fenton recommends taking antacids to reduce the nausea, heartburn and indigestion that drinking causes as they neutralise the stomach acid.
He says: “These are an absolute life saver for reducing stomach acid and will help you to feel less nauseous the following morning.”
And the best part is, a tube of original Quick Eze tablets cost just $1.49 at Chemist Warehouse. What a time to be alive.
2. BEWARE OF ‘HAIR OF THE DOG’
Many people claim that “hair of the dog” — or drinking more alcohol — is the best way to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of a hangover.
However, there has never been any scientific evidence to suggest this theory has any basis and Dr Fenton says it will just make things worse in the long time.
He told us: “We’ve all heard of drinking through your hangover, and while this always sounds like a great idea and undoubtedly does kill the pain for a short time but in practice, it only makes things worse in a few hours.
“It makes you more dehydrated, aggravates your stomach and worsens the headache. It also means you’ve very likely got a serious drinking problem.
“It’s better to rehydrate and top up with electrolyte rich sports drinks and tons of water to help you rehydrate and replace the salts and sugars lost by the diuretic effect of alcohol.”
3. BE CAREFUL IF YOU’RE GOING TO GO FOR A RUN
Fitness fanatics are often keen to tout going for a run as a cure for hangovers, believing you can sweat out the ill effects of alcohol.
And while this might give you a boost in the short term, it may make you feel worse by causing you to feel more dehydrated.
Dr Fenton says: “This may well make you feel better as it will certainly get the endorphins going and lift your mood but be a bit careful of this.
“If you’ve had a real bender your liver is already feeling pretty beaten up and over exercising can wreck it even more.
“Make sure you drink a lot of water. The fluid you lose in ‘sweating it out’ needs to be replaced and a lot more.”
4. WATCH WHAT YOU EAT
There are certain foods, some not so tasty, that you can include in your diet to help with the hangover, according to Dr Fenton.
“Raw eggs do contain some of the essential amino acids the liver uses to digest alcohol so it has a theoretical basis,” he says.
“Mixed with tomato juice, Worcester sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper and chilli sauce, raw eggs have been glugged by our transatlantic cousins for many years after a big night out.
“Who knows if it works. The thought of it puts me off drinking, so that may be something.”
5. STICK WITH CLEAR ALCOHOL
Out of all the tipples you can have at your work Christmas party, Dr Fenton recommends steering clear of the red wine.
He says: “We’ve all experienced the red wine hangover.
“There are ingredients in many drinks called congeners which do contribute significantly to hangovers and red wine and fortified wines have a lot of them.
“You probably already know this from experience.
“Vodka, gin and white rum have less so you may get less of a hangover per unit of alcohol consumed.
“Think about it though. This is not necessarily a good thing.”
6. ESPRESSO MARTINIS ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND
Espresso Martinis are one of the worst culprits when it comes to hangovers.
This is because the combination of caffeine and alcohol will cause some serious dehydration.
Dr Fenton says: “The addition of caffeine acts as a stimulant and can make you feel really lively while at the Christmas party.
“However, one too many martinis will leave you feeling dry as a bone, as caffeine acts as a diuretic and causes you to make more frequent trips to the loo.
“Dehydration is one of the factors contributing to that morning hangover headache.
“So it may be better to keep it simple and have a drink without the caffeine infusion.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission