Top 10

I think a good place to start for finding the top ten most effective hangover cures is what causes a hangover in the first place and what effects alcohol has on our bodies. Here is what I have found so far.

So what is a hangover?

One of the major side effects of alcohol is a hangover. It is an extremely unpleasant feeling and can leave you with symptoms such as headaches, extreme thirst, nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. This phase can last up to hours at a time as the body is still trying to get rid of the alcohol you drank. The only way in which to lower the effect of a hangover is to drink plenty of water before you sleep in order to replace your bodily fluids. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it will cause you to urinate more as you drink, and if you don’t rehydrate your body, you are much more likely to suffer the effects of a hangover.

You can prevent the effects of a hangover by eating a meal before you start drinking. Many people believe that food absorbs the alcohol before it gets into your system. Of course this is not really the case.  The truth is that the valve in your stomach closes to start the digestion process and this lengthens the time it takes for the alcohol to get into your bloodstream. Drinking without eating beforehand allows the alcohol to work its way into your system without any hold ups from the digesting process, think of it like a queue jump pass. The best foods to eat to slow the absorption of alcohol into the body are fatty foods as they remain on the stomach lining for a longer time. If you are in the process of digesting a steak your body has more time to process the alcohol and its by-products which will decrease the chances of a hangover.

THINGS THAT DONT WORK!

Hair of the dog- Drinking more alcohol will not cure your hangover, all it does it put it off until later whilst boosting the existing toxicity of the alcohol already in your body.

Beer before liquor -never sicker- It’s the amount you drink not the order of your drinks that cause a hangover.

Taking aspirin or Ibuprofen- If taken before drinking aspirin has been shown to increase the levels of alcohol in your blood by 26%. Taking Ibuprofen while drinking may increase the chance of side effects such as bleeding in your stomach or intestine. 

This website that I have been looking at takes a very serious tone to alcohol consumption and tackles it more as a serious problem as opposed to something that can be enjoyed. Although there is some really useful information on how our bodies react to alcohol and what causes a hangover, it delivers the message far too seriously. I'm thinking that I want my title sequence to be more light hearted and to remind the audience that alcohol, in moderation is something to be enjoyed.

http://www.aquarius.org.uk/alcoholandthehangover

I also found some really good, in depth information on alcohol and hangovers on the FRANK website. Again although it is useful and accurate information, the tone is too serious.

What is alcohol?

Although it is legal for those aged 18 and over to buy and drink alcohol, that doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful than other drugs.

Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down your body's responses in all kinds of ways. Just enough can make you feel sociable; too much and you’ll have a hangover the next day, and may not even remember what you got up to; and way too much alcohol in a single session could put you in a coma or even kill you.

Effects of alcohol can include:

• Reduced feelings of anxiety and inhibitions, making you feel more sociable.

• Some exaggeration of whatever mood you're in when you start drinking.

• Causing a wide range of physical health problems, either as a result of binge drinking or from drinking most days of the week over recommended levels. The problems caused by alcohol include cancers, heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, and falls and other accidents.

Official guidelines:

For young people – it is recommended that you don’t drink at all if under 15, as this can be especially harmful. The best advice is not to drink alcohol until you’re 18. If you do choose to drink before then, remember to make sure you’re with a responsible adult who will stop you doing anything that could be dangerous;

• Never drink more than once a week – and on that one day young men are advised not to drink more than 3-4 units, and young women not to drink more than 2-3 units.

• For adults – it is recommended men shouldn’t regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day and women shouldn’t regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day (regularly is drinking at this sort of level every day or most days of the week). After a night of heavy drinking, you shouldn’t drink for 48 hours to allow the body to recover.