Do you get a headache and body ache the next day after drinking too much? Let's talk about this hangover!

You're all too familiar with that strange feeling you get when you wake up the next morning after a party, having a great time with your friends? Your head hurts like crazy, you feel like you're going to throw up, your mouth is dry, your whole body feels numb... That's the unpleasant combination of physical and mental symptoms we simply call a 'hangover'. Although many people have experienced it, few know what's really going on inside your body. So today, let's find out exactly what's going on.

What are the common symptoms of a hangover?

A hangover is not a single symptom, but a collection of symptoms. The severity of these symptoms can vary depending on how much you drank, what you drank, and your overall health. Some people can get a hangover from just one drink. Others may not feel anything no matter how much they drink.

See what these characteristics are in the table below.

Why do we really get hangovers?

Although it's simple to say "too much to drink," the truth is a little more complicated. Alcohol affects our bodies in more than one way, but in several ways.

1. Dehydration

Alcohol is a powerful diuretic. Simply put, drinking alcohol makes us need to urinate more often. Imagine, if you have four drinks, you can lose about a liter of urine in those few hours. This excessive fluid loss causes the body to retain water. This is the main reason for many hangover symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, and excessive thirst .

2. Electrolyte Imbalance

Electrolytes are salts like sodium and potassium that are essential for our body to function. They are like a battery. When we urinate frequently, these valuable electrolytes are also lost from the body. This also makes us feel tired and weak.

3. Gastrointestinal Issues

Alcohol is very harmful to the lining of the stomach and intestines. It can damage and irritate these linings. It also slows down digestion. This can cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain .

4. Inflammation in the body

Alcohol stimulates our immune system and causes a type of inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation is a big part of the "feeling sick" feeling you get during a hangover.

5. Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)

When our body breaks down alcohol, it interferes with the liver's ability to produce glucose (sugar) for the blood. This can cause blood sugar levels to drop. This is what we call ``Hypoglycemia''. This can also cause symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and shakiness .

6. Sleep disturbance

Many people think that drinking alcohol makes them sleep better. That's partly true. Although alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, it actually ruins the quality of your sleep. You wake up in the middle of the night and can't get into a deep sleep. As a result, when you wake up the next morning, you don't feel like you slept at all, but rather, you feel more tired.

Is alcohol the only thing to blame for this?

No. In addition to alcohol, several other factors can contribute to the severity of a hangover.

Acetaldehyde is a toxin.

When our liver breaks down alcohol, it produces an intermediate chemical called `(Acetaldehyde)`. This is even more toxic than alcohol. This chemical is responsible for symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, and nausea. Normally, our bodies quickly break it down into something harmless, but when we drink a lot, this toxic substance starts to accumulate in our bodies.

The effect of congeners

Congeners are additional chemical compounds formed during the alcoholic fermentation process. They give alcohol its characteristic flavor, aroma, and color. These congeners are more abundant in dark liquors (e.g., red wine, brandy, whiskey, tequila). This is the main reason why dark liquors are more likely to cause a hangover than lighter liquors (e.g., vodka, gin, white wine).

What can you do to get over a hangover?

While there are all sorts of "hangover cures" on the internet, the truth is that there is no magic cure for a hangover. The best thing to do is give your body the time and support it needs to recover.

However, you can do these things to reduce discomfort:

• Drink plenty of water and fluids: You need to replace the water that your body has lost. Things like water, broth, soups, and fruit juices are great. Drink fluids until your urine is a clear yellow color.
• Eat light meals: Eat light meals containing complex carbohydrates like bread, crackers, and rice. This will help restore low blood sugar levels and reduce stomach discomfort.
• Rest: Sleep is the body's way of restoring itself. Get as much sleep and rest as possible.
• Painkillers: You can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for headaches and body aches (e.g., Ibuprofen, Naproxen). However, these can also cause stomach upset, so use them with caution.
• Very important: Never take paracetamol (Acetaminophen/Panadol) with alcohol or when you have a hangover. The combination of alcohol and paracetamol can cause severe liver damage.

How do you prevent a hangover?

The best thing to do is to prevent a hangover before it happens. Keep these things in mind the next time you go to a party.

Should I see a doctor?

A hangover usually resolves on its own within 24 hours and does not require medical treatment.

However, if you have frequent hangovers, can't control your drinking, and your drinking is affecting your work, family life, or social relationships, it could be a sign of an alcohol use disorder. In that case, definitely talk to your doctor. There are treatments for it.

When to go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU)!

A hangover is one thing. Alcohol poisoning is a much more serious, life-threatening condition. If someone you are with has been drinking heavily and is showing any of the following symptoms, do not assume it is a hangover. Take them to a hospital emergency room (ETU) immediately.

• Breathing changes: Breathing becomes very slow (less than 8 times per minute) or irregular (more than 10 seconds between breaths).
• Cold and blue/pale skin: Hypothermia.
• Severe vomiting: Incessant vomiting.
• Seizures.
• Confusion or loss of consciousness: Inability to understand what is being said, falling asleep to the point of being unable to wake up, or loss of consciousness.

These symptoms indicate that there is too much alcohol in the blood for the body to handle. This is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention.

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