If The Stockings Get Hung...over
If you are feeling festive and your social calendar is lit up like a Christmas tree, there is a very good chance that you will find yourself over-served this holiday season. Here are Boy Wonder's tips on surviving the season:
Before Bedtime…
Alcohol is a diuretic. Your head hurts in the morning because you are dehydrated. The next time you enjoy 5 glass of Glenlivet, know that you are massively dehydrating yourself. Water before bed is an essential to avoiding a mind-splitting headache the next morning. Also, a snack with some protein (go for the cheese; skip the crackers) can help breakdown the alcohol in your system and fend off a hangover. Also, keep in mind when placing your drink order… the darker the alcohol the worse the hangover.
What to do When You Wake Up Hung Over…
- Go back to sleep - Take a loss on the 9am conference call and give your body the time it needs to process the alcohol. Alcohol prevents deep, REM stage sleep so you might need the 3pm nap on the couch to make it through the workday.
- Replenish your body. That 4th vodka martini was a mistake and now you need to replenish. Water, orange juice and Gatorade in mass quantitieses are the best. Caffeine always sounds good after an all-nighter but make no mistake; a cup of coffee or can of Coke won’t help you at all! Caffeine is another diuretic and we don’t want that.
- Eat. Your stomach is probably questionable and crackers or toast may seem like the answer but trust me, they are not. You are looking for mineral rich food (or something with grease) to help right your system. My go-to: a hamburger and fries. In Poland, they drink pickle juice as a hangover remedy. To each, his own.
- Hair of the dog. This is a controversial hangover remedy but if you must, a Bloody Mary is the only way to go. Your body will start dealing with the new alcohol and be forced to ignore the old and in the mean time tomato juice is full of vitamins.
- Shower. You probably smell like bar and cigarette smoke anyway so what can it hurt? A word to the wise: switch back and forth between cold and hot water. No science here, just a good old fashioned wake up call.
- Last resort: Alka Seltzer Morning Relief. This stuff does wonders, but please be careful when self-prescribing aspirin, Tylenol and ibuprofen. The side effects can be magnified when alcohol is in your system.
Hang over tips from the master, Boy Wonder. Food Glorious Food
Thanks to Boy Wonder for revealing his tried & true remedies!These tips which will come in handy for guests who might have had a little too much holiday cheer.
Posted by: SBC Bar & Lounge | December 04, 2008 at 14:37