A night out with friends and having a few drinks is how some relax and have fun, but waking up the next morning with a hangover is the downfall of the pleasures from the night before. However, with a little research about alcohol and physiology, one can find ways to prevent or recover from a hangover.

In the article “Hangover Remedies and Prevention,” medical professional and Ph.D holder Anne Marie Helmenstine defines a hangover as “the unpleasant aftereffects of drinking too much alcohol.”

The biological causes of a hangover are explained in the article “How Hangovers Work” by Lacy Perry.

Alcohol enters the bloodstream causing the pituitary gland in the brain to block the creation of vasopressin. Without this chemical, water is sent directly to the bladder instead of absorbing the water back into the body, which will cause a person to urinate four times more water than usual. The morning after a heavy consumption of drinking, the body will try to replenish the water supply and in most cases cause one to have a dry mouth.

Dehydration is the cause of that classic hangover symptom, the headache. The body will try to make up for the water lost by taking in water from the brain, decreasing the brain size as well as pulling on the membranes that are connected to the skull.

Also, with the frequent urination from the night before, salt and potassium are lost, both of which are essential for proper nerve and muscle form, causing headaches, fatigue and nausea. Another contributor to hangovers is other key sources of energy lost during urination.

According to Helmenstine, only “20-30 percent of drinkers are naturally resistant to experiencing hangovers.”

For those who commonly experience hangovers, Helmenstine explains drinking water or another hydrating beverage while drinking alcohol can help to lessen or prevent a hangover the next morning. 

One main reason hangovers are persistent for college students is that they do not know what is considered binge drinking. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration levels to 0.08 g/dL.” 

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “in the United States, a standard drink is one that contains about 14 grams of ‘pure’ alcohol, which is found in 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.”

For those who binge drink, a few natural home remedies can be used the next morning to help get rid of a hangover.

Your body will feel miserable until you rehydrate by drinking water or orange juice if your stomach can handle it. Eating a simple meal such as eggs and drinking milk to replenish the calcium lost due to alcohol can help relieve hangover. Adding a spoonful of baking soda in a cup of water will alleviate queasiness.

Exercising is another way in which the body will naturally metabolize alcohol, and if possible, supplemental oxygen will speed up detoxification.

Taking a Vitamin B1 or Thiamine pill will help to prevent the buildup of glutarate in the brain, relieving the tension headache caused by a hangover but do not take Tylenol because it can lead to liver damage mired with alcohol.

If you or anyone you know has a problem with binge drinking, seek guidance from the University Counseling Center as well as educating yourself on how much is too much to drink to avoid getting a hangover or any other health issues that may arise from a binge drinking session.