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No matter how much a person drinks, or how many tasks they have to complete the following day, hangovers are not fun for anyone. Not only do they make us feel awful, they also have a strong with declines in academic performance, personal relationships and professional obligations.

If you have ever had a hangover, you've likely become quite familiar with the symptoms. For those who have not experienced a hangover, this article will point out the characteristic signs of a hangover, why they occur and how to most effectively alleviate symptoms. First, let's examine what someone might experience on that dreadful morning, waking up to the thought — why do I feel so awful?

Why Do Hangovers Happen?
A hangover is an accumulation of the side effects of alcohol overconsumption. Drinking beyond your personal limit might contribute to a variety of : 

• Dehydration: Since alcohol prevents your body from releasing vasopressin – the hormone that signals your kidneys to retain their fluid – alcohol causes excess urination. This may cause headaches, thirst, and fatigue.
• Gastrointestinal irritation: By irritating your stomach lining, alcohol artificially stimulates acid release. This is a main factor leading to nausea and stomach pain.
• : When ingested in small increments, alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde and acetate by the liver, which can both cause inflammation. However, in larger quantities, alcohol causes the body to shift to the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS). This causes the production of free radicals as by-products of breaking down the alcohol. These are inflammants and can damage cells and tissue.
• Additives: are compounds produced during fermentation. These substances contribute to the attractive taste and smell of alcoholic beverages, but they compete with ethanol to be broken down by your body, elongating hangover symptoms. As a result, darker spirits (e.g., bourbon) which tend to have higher congener concentrations, could worsen hangovers for some people.

Hangover Symptoms
Per Mayo Clinic, the most common symptoms of a hangover are:

• Fatigue, weakness and nausea.
• Headaches and muscle pains.
• Poor sleep quality and light/sound sensitivity.
• Dizziness, "the spins" and sweating.
• Changes in mood, such as depression, anxiety and irritability.

It is important to note that the severity of a hangover generally depends on the amount of alcohol a person consumed the night before. An individual’s perceived “resistance” to the effects of alcohol may also play a role. has shown that, among people who drank excessively on a given night, approximately 75% experienced a hangover the following morning. This suggests that the remaining 25% appear more “resistant” to hangovers. However, this apparent resistance more likely reflects a higher tolerance for pain-related symptoms (e.g., headache, nausea) rather than resistance to alcohol itself. Therefore, it is reasonable for us to assume that most individuals are predisposed to experience the typical unpleasant effects of hangovers. So, the question remains: how do we fix them?

Hangover Remedies
While nothing can completely "cure" a hangover per se, there are still steps you can take to hasten your recovery from a night of drinking. Some of these steps include:

• Drinking clear liquids to compensate for the fluid lost from suppression of vasopressin.
• Eating carbohydrates to restore blood sugar levels. Bland foods like toast are preferable, so as to not irritate your stomach further.
• Taking a pain reliever other than Tylenol. Aspirin, ibuprofen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs () can help with your headache but may irritate your stomach. You should NOT take acetaminophen (Tylenol). If alcohol is still in your system, it can exacerbate the toxic effects of acetaminophen on your liver.
• Avoiding the "hair of the dog" folktale. While some might consider hangovers a form of alcohol withdrawal, another alcoholic drink in the morning will not make you feel better. This does not allow you to recover and perpetuates the cycle.
• Replenishing electrolytes (e.g., Pedialyte, coconut water).
• Resting in a low-light, low-sound environment. Allow your body to heal itself.

Summary
There are plenty of ways to expedite your recovery from a night of drinking. Ultimately, the choice is yours to determine which method works best for you. This article aimed to provide you with a comprehensive overview of what hangovers are, why they occur and how to best treat them. If you are struggling with frequent hangovers and/or have concerns about your drinking habits in general, we warmly request that you consult the call to action at the end of this blog. We are here to help.