Follow these simple steps and begin 2022 hangover-free

A headache so aggressive it feels someone’s chucking throwing stars at your face and head. A stomach that refuses anything and everything you try to put in it but still continuously rumbles. And endless, painful dry heaving that feels like the worlds most intense ab workout. Yeah, we've been there. Everyone have. And it’s bloody horrible. But we deal with it because it’s a small price to pay for a top night out with our mates. Or at least it seems like a small price until the morning rolls around.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Hangovers can be tamed. Although you do have to work for it a little bit. But how? “Prevention is better than cure” as they say. And it’s no different with hangovers. So to successfully prevent your hangover, you need to put the effort in before, during, and after your New Year’s Eve session. 

We’ll let you know when the day comes that a single pill can fully cure our hangovers. But until then, here’s how to have a hangover-free 2022… 

Eat a good meal before going out

Meals high in protein and fibre are great choices. Think eggs, oats, meat, and Greek yoghurt. Protein and fibre take longer to digest so they leave you feeling fuller for longer, slow the absorption of alcohol, and decrease some negative hangover symptoms. 

You’ll also want to avoid foods such as chocolate, fizzy drinks, and spicy foods as they can worsen indigestion. And salty foods such as crisps can cause bloating. Not what you want when you’re out trying to celebrate and have a laugh.

And since we're celebrating, why not make a day of it? Check out what delicious food events are on near you.

Avoid dark drinks 

Some people are blessed and can happily chuck bourbon and cognac until they’re blue in the face and still wake up feeling fresh. Others aren’t so lucky. Dark drinks tend to contain congeners, an impurity that can worsen a hangover. No, thank you! If you’ve yet to test this on yourself, why not give it a try this New Year's Eve? Skip the darker drinks and try vodka or gin instead. It might just save you.

Skip the cigs

Sorry to break any social smokers hearts, but smoking could make your hangover a lot worse. This could be because smoke contains acetaldehyde. The same chemical is found in alcohol and it’s believed to be the cause of our banging headaches and inability to keep something in our stomach for more than 5 minutes. As hard as it may be, try not to pester your friends for a tab this New Year’s Eve. Oh, and the same chemical is found in e-cigarettes so sadly your Geek bar will have to stay on the shop shelf too. 

One drink to one water rule

One common piece of advice is this: for every alcoholic bev you drink, have a pint of water or non-fizzy drink. And this is a solid rule. Brilliant, even. It works for so many people and is generally just sound advice to stay hydrated and as healthy as possible through the onslaught of alcohol. But not all of us have bladders of steel that can handle the extra liquid. Some of us have bladders the size of a pea. If you’re one of those people, pay close attention to this next tip...

Stock up on electrolytes

Head to a pharmacy and ask for Dioralyte or something similar. It’s a medicine from the gods. Yes, it’s for people with diarrhoea or uncontrollable vomiting, but the purpose is to replace lost water and salts from your body. And guess what? When you drink, you lose water and salts. This is one of the main causes of hangovers. And since Dioralyte helps you hold onto that good stuff, it’s one of the best tools to help prevent or treat a hangover. 

But a word of warning: it has an... interesting taste. If you can’t stomach it, coconut water is also packed with helpful electrolytes as are bananas.

Stay awake for an hour before you sleep

This one is stupidly simple but has saved us an ungodly number of times. When you’re ready to head to bed… don’t. Stay up for another hour. In this hour, if you need to chunder, you will, which will make you feel a lot better. You should also use this time to drink one or two pints of water and eat a kebab, a toastie, or whatever else you have the effort to make. As simple as it is, this trick is an absolute lifesaver. 

Sleep, sleep, then sleep some more

Your body is knackered. You’ve been dancing, singing, trying to chat people up, and whatever other crazy antics you got up to. And on top of that, your body’s trying to deal with the absolute carnage you put it through with the endless shots. Sleep is our time for recovery. Even when we’re not throwing back shots, our bodies heal and recover while we sleep. So catching up on lost sleep is important. Have a big lie-in, you deserve it. 

Eat… if you can

Eating is probably the last thing you want to do if you're well and truly hanging out your arse. But some foods are good for hangovers, and your body needs fuel. Research shows that alcohol prevents us from absorbing amino acids, so foods rich in amino acids, such as meat, can help. Alcohol also causes inflammation so anti-inflammatories such as blueberries, salmon, sweet potatoes, and coffee may help. Chicken noodle soup is another cracking choice as the broth rehydrates you as does the sodium. 

One unbeatable hangover meal almost everyone can attest to is beans on toast. The sugar, the protein, the fat, the carbs, it’s an unstoppable combination. Another fan favourite is Lucozade. The combination of fizziness and sugar does something magical that cannot be put into words. It’s truly the nectar of the gods.

Try some caffeine 

While caffeine hasn’t been proven to help hangovers, if you can keep food and drink down, it’s unlikely to make you feel any worse. And if you have quite the tea or coffee habit, any withdrawal symptoms from not having your daily cuppa will worsen your hangover symptoms. Besides, a little coffee might pep you up enough to be able to stand up long enough to have a shower. 

Hangovers are easily the worst part of any night out. But if you follow these simple steps, you’ll wake up hangover-free. Or at least very close to hangover-free. It’s worth a try. What do you have to lose? A banging headache, a stomach that can’t hold anything down, shaky hands, and a will to live that’s hanging on by a thread? 

Still haven’t found the perfect New Year’s Eve event for you and your friends? Check out what events are going down here. 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.