Drink Water
Down a full glass of water before you leave the house and make sure you're constantly sipping H2O throughout the night. Then, end the evening with one more glass of water before bed.
Obviously, the only sure way to avoid a hangover is to not drink alcohol. But if you are going to indulge, Tabakoff says the tried-and-true advice — eat something before you drink, and while you drink, makes good sense. "Food is very good for the purpose of slowing the absorption of alcohol," he says.
A number of factors can contribute to hangovers: Mild dehydration: Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone produced by the brain that sends signals to the kidneys causing them to retain fluid. As a result, alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids.
"A glass of water when you first wake up will help you rehydrate from the night before," says Beaver. "If you got to the point of vomiting, drinking Gatorade and Pedialyte are good choices to help replenish the lost electrolytes."
“Vodka is known to be the best alcoholic beverage for the most minimal hangover. Gin, light rum and white wine are runner-ups—with brandy and whiskey being at the bottom of the list.
"Drinking water may help against thirst and a dry mouth, but it will not take away the misery, the headache and the nausea."
Wagner recommends chugging water throughout a night of drinking, stating a one drink to one glass of water ratio is best to avoiding hangover. He explains that alcohol is a diuretic, contributing to dehydration, which can cause symptoms of hangover.
1) Drink Water Before PArtying
Dehydration is a major contributor to the hangover symptoms you've come to know and loathe. Drinking water before bed and hydrating thoroughly the day after a night of heavy drinking can help to restore your body's hydration.
No food can erase the effects of a night of drinking alcohol, but the best hangover foods are hydrating and anti-inflammatory. Rest helps, too. Try to avoid greasy foods, sugar, and caffeine which can make your symptoms worse. Instead, stick to water and foods like bananas and crackers.
Vomiting to reduce your hangover is useless. When you vomit, you are not throwing out the alcohol, because it gets absorbed quickly. Whether you throw it up before bed or while you sleep, your body has already filtered the alcohol into your blood. Therefore, you would suffer from a hangover regardless.
Want to gain an edge over plain old water to treat your hangover? Consider reaching for Gatorade, Pedialyte, Powerade, or a similar nonfizzy sports drink. This recommendation comes courtesy of Kelly Kennedy, RDN, the staff nutritionist at Everyday Health.
More than 90% of alcohol is eliminated by the liver; 2-5% is excreted unchanged in urine, sweat, or breath. The first step in metabolism is oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenases, of which at least four isoenzymes exist, to acetaldehyde in the presence of cofactors.
Choosing types of alcohol with fewer congeners—like beer, vodka and wine—might reduce your hangover symptoms compared to alcohols with higher congeners—like brandy, whiskey and rum.
"While they won't prevent a hangover, electrolytes could reduce the symptoms of one," says Catherine Gervacio, RD, dietitian and nutrition writer for Living.
"Darker alcohol — like red wine, scotch, whiskey and bourbon — will have higher levels of conjoners. "[They're] more likely to cause hangovers the following day," he continues. "Clear liquors — like gin and vodka, for instance — are less likely to have these compounds and less likely, therefore, to cause hangovers."
Dark drinks, like red wine and bourbon, have more congeners than light ones and there are several studies to show that for a given level of blood alcohol, dark drinks produce worse hangovers.
“It might help to stay awake for a few hours after drinking to help metabolize the alcohol more quickly,” Dr. Seitz says. “When you've had enough time to sober up, you can go to bed and get a full night's rest.”
Take a nap
“While lack of sleep doesn't actually cause a hangover, it can make your symptoms worse.” To help cure your hangover, take a nap. Budgeting time for extra sleep will nix next-day sluggishness.