How to have a hangover-free New Year
Here’s how to ring in the New Year with your health in mind
As the New Year approaches, many individuals aspire to welcome it in without compromising their health. So, to ensure a joyous and beneficial start to 2024, consider the following suggestions:
• Adequate rest
Before indulging in festivities, refrain from strenuous activities or sports, as alcohol can affect fatigued individuals more rapidly. Additionally, alcohol hinders muscle recovery and places added stress on the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
• Nourishing pre-event meal
Guard against the swift effects of alcohol by filling up your tummy. Opt for protein-rich foods, complex carbohydrates and bananas to slow alcohol absorption. Even when full, exercise moderation as alcohol potency rises once food exits the system.
• Thoughtful snacking
While consuming food alongside alcohol slows absorption, striking a balance is essential. Avoid overindulgence to prevent burdening the stomach, kidneys and liver. Avoid snacks like salty chips, sweets, tomatoes and fatty foods can exacerbate the impact of alcohol.
• Stay hydrated
Counteract alcohol-induced dehydration by consuming water between shots or cocktails. Consider diluting alcoholic beverages to relish the evening without losing control.
• Avoid mixing drinks
Combining drinks of varying strengths can lead to a loss of control and potentially fatal consequences.
• Avoid carbonated alcoholic beverages
Soda, champagne, beer and other carbonated alcoholic beverages expedite ethanol absorption, potentially intensifying its effects.
• Don’t mix booze with energy drinks
The contrasting effects of caffeine, which stimulates the nervous system, and alcohol, which depresses it, can obscure the true level of intoxication, paving the way to excessive drinking.
• Pace yourself
Regardless of when you start celebrating, exercise restraint. Consuming more than five servings of alcohol within two hours can lead to alcohol poisoning.
• Skip toasts
Reduce the number of times you raise the glass to your mouth.
• Don’t smoke
Nicotine’s vasoconstrictive effectives narrow blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of a hangover.
By adhering to these guidelines, revellers can welcome the New Year with a focus on health, and avoid hangovers too.
