Surprising Things That Could Be Making Your Hangover Worse

#1

Certain factors of your night out have the ability to make or break how you feel the next day.

From dark drinks to socially smoking, here are the seven surprising things that could be turning feeling slightly “iffy” into full-blown hangover hell.

#2 Dark drinks

Sorry red wine lovers – you’re doomed for the worst hangovers, apparently.

Professor Paul Wallace, Chief Medical Advisor to Drinkaware, told Cosmopolitan.com: “Congeners are the products of fermentation in alcoholic drinks which give alcoholic drinks their colour and flavour

“The darker congeners (such as those in red wine, rum and brandy) tend to cause more severe hangovers.”

So, whilst drinking too much of any type of drink will leave you feeling dodgy, darker drinks will likely hit you even harder.

#3 You don't drink enough water

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you, says Dr. Dixon. (It's also why you find yourself having to pee so often when you're drinking a lot.) Drinking water while you booze it up will help you stay hydrated, which will minimize your hangover symptoms the next morning. "A good rule of thumb is to have a glass of water in between every drink," Dr. Dixon says. And if you can manage it, have a glass before you go to bed as well.

#4 Eating salty food

Forget ‘eating is cheating’ - it’s never a good idea to drink on an empty stomach, but even when you do eat, it’s important to consider the kind of snacks that you’re choosing carefully.

Whilst Paul says that food itself is unlikely to make a hangover worse, choosing salty foods (hello, sharesize bag of crisps) will increase your thirst - and instead of reaching for water, chances are that you’re likely to reach for yet more booze, adding to the dehydration.

#5 Eating low-fat food

Yes, you may think eating super-clean and low-fat before a night out is a good idea—you are trying to balance the booze’s extra carbs and cals, after all. But it turns out that you might be better off adding some fat to your meal. “Fatty foods in particular stick to the stomach lining longer, slowing down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., co-author of The Secret To Skinny. Now this doesn't mean you need to chow down on a cheesesteak and fries; healthy fats do the trick too. So try having salmon and sautéed vegetables or a turkey sandwich with avocado as your pre-party dinner.

#6 Not sleeping

Feeling tired can often be one of the biggest symptoms of a hangover – there’s a reason for the phrase “sleep it off”.

Annoyingly, boozing can mean going to bed late and once there drunkenness can seriously impact on your quality of sleep – so even if you pass out after a few too many wines you’ll likely wake up feeling drained.

#7 Smoking Cigarettes

You only smoke when you’re drinking, right? Well, here’s extra incentive to drop the habit. In a study of college students published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, participants who smoked and consumed alcohol in the same day were more likely to report suffering from worse hangovers. So think twice before you light up next time…or pay the painful morning-after price.

#8 You reach for the hair of the dog

This is the hangover myth that just doesn't seem to die, but it is absolutely a mistake, Dr. Dixon says. "The only reason it works is because it might numb the pain." Instead of reaching for another boozy beverage, which will only prolong your symptoms in the long run, try replenishing with your favorite sports drink, some soup, or even a cup of coffee. (Dr. Dixon says the data's a bit mixed, but caffeine might help with your headache, so it couldn't hurt to try.) Because people's blood sugar tends to crash after a night of heavy drinking, Dr. Dixon also recommends reaching for something with simple sugars (think a bagel or cereal) in the morning to quickly boost your blood glucose levels, though he cautions that once you're feeling a little better, you should eat something healthier. Or try one of these natural hangover cures.

#9 Popping a Pain Reliever

You might think taking an OTC pain reliever on the night of a party is a smooth move—like it’s an insurance policy against that next-day headache. But “acetaminophen can cause severe damage to your liver when consumed with alcohol,” says Dr. Schaefer. “Your liver has to process both the pain reliever and the alcohol, so the process takes longer.” In other words, you're not only putting your body in danger—but you’ll also be feeling the effects of all that alcohol well into the next morning.

#10 You drink on an empty stomach

Drinking before you eat is a surefire way to guarantee a horrible hangover the next morning. Why? Alcohol is one of the few compounds that can be absorbed directly through your stomach wall, which means that if you down a glass of wine on an empty stomach, the alcohol gets into your bloodstream quickly, says Brian Dixon, PhD, and executive director of health and science education at USANA. That's why it's a good idea to eat before you start drinking, just having food in your stomach will slow down the absorption of booze into your bloodstream, as well as keep your blood sugar levels steady. If you know you'll be out boozing, make your dinner beforehand a balanced one with protein (lean beef, fish, or chicken), healthy fats (avocados, olives), and starches (brown rice), and continue to snack throughout the night.

#11 Skipping the Gym

Hopefully you haven't been picking happy hour over your workout lately. Why? Exercising can actually benefit you when it comes to alcohol consumption. “More muscular individuals can take in more alcohol than those who aren’t as fit because they have more water in their body, says Dr. Schaefer. “It’s like pouring liquor into a bigger body of water—those who don’t work out will feel the effects faster.” Please note: we’re not saying that because you work out, you should drink more. Just keep in mind that if your body can handle alcohol better—your day-after experience might not be as unpleasant.