Can you feel it yet? The pounding of your temples, the sickly sweet aroma of five champagne cocktails wafting out of your pores, the nausea, the sensitivity to daylight, the dense feeling of dread? Yes, it's the New Year's Day hangover, and it's back in full swing, baby. While this might not seem like the most promising way to welcome a brand new year of life, it's a frequent one nevertheless — which means, my friends, that even before you RSVP to that Rihanna-themed New Year's Eve bash, you need to have a stockpile of new year's hangover remedies that actually work, so life can feel a little more bearable when you wake up on Jan. 1.
Now, not to be a walking PSA, but please remember to be careful out there with your bev consumption on the last night of this dumpster fire of a year. While it might seem like a good idea to throw caution to the wind, remember that your liver is your friend, and it wants to continue being able to clean bad things out of your body. According to the latest edition of dietary guidelines from the Home of the Office of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, "moderate alcohol consumption" is one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for a man — just to give you a starting point.
It's likely that not too many people who are interested in partying on New Year's Eve are going to stick to that particular guideline, so consider a few other pointers before we cover hangover remedies: Keep track of how much you drink, eat snacks whenever possible, hydrate hydrate hydrate, hold onto your own cup always, and pace yourself. Also, you can always opt for seltzer if you don't feel like getting shwasty (and hungover).
But if you plan on doing it big on New Year's Eve, and you want to know how to avoid a hangover on Jan. 1, try some of these remedies to ease the pain.
01Lemon, Bubbles, And Honey
"No more bubbly!" you're probably screaming at me right now. But let me tell you, this isn't that kind of bubbly.
This remedy was my go-to when I used to drink and wake up with hangovers so bad they made me question the meaning of life.
Introduced to me by my ex-boyfriend's dad's girlfriend, try this delicious remedy: lemons soaked in honey, and very, very cold seltzer. It helped with both my nausea and fatigue. You're welcome.
02A Chinese Folk Remedy
Apparently, this traditional Chinese remedy for hangovers has been proven to significantly reduce the nausea and discomfort that comes along after a night of heavy drinking.
Throw together a combination of tangerine pith, ginger, and brown sugar, pop it in some water, hot tea, or seltzer and you might have yourself a cure! Sounds pretty darn delicious to me.
03Go Greasy Before You Drink
While you might be in the habit of hittin' the greasy spoon after a long night, try doing it beforehand to ward off a nasty hangover.
Foods high in fat and protein actually delay alcohol absorption, and they give you more time to get it out of your system. Like you need another reason for an avocado burger with sweet potato fries, amirite?
04The Right Essential Oils
3-Pack Variety of NOW Essential Oils, $16.70, Amazon
Ah, there is an oil for everything — even your hangover. Try diffusing some peppermint and lavender, or putting a few drops on a cold, moist washcloth and placing that over your eyes.
05Pedialyte Is Not Just For Babies
That's right, it's also for hardcore partiers. A hard-drinking Midwestern rookie cop once told me at a party to drink Pedialyte both before a night of heavy drinking, and afterward, too. Some people swear that the vitamins and electrolytes in this beverage intended for babies help boost you back to life.
Others say that the whole Pedialyte thing is a myth, and the only thing that really works is water and patience.
06Drink Some Water, And Go Back To Bed
While you might want to rise to meet the beginning of a new year, chances are, some more sleep will do you a lot more good if you're suffering from serious hangover symptoms. Just make sure you stay hydrated, because honestly, the dehydration that happens with heavy drinking is one of the main causes of the worst symptoms, and lack of sleep only worsens them.
In fact, some say lack of sleep is worse than a hangover itself, so enduring both at the same time? Not good.
07Toast, Crackers, Or Rice
For those who hugged the toilet last night, you should eat something when you come to, but go real, real easy on that stomach of yours. Try something bland, bread-based, and maybe add a little salt.
08Summon The Strength To Move Your Body A Little
I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me, but seriously, I'm not talking about a marathon or two hours of hot yoga.
After you wake up from your saucy slumber, try a little light stretching and get yourself outside for some fresh air. Take a walk around the block; maybe take a bike ride if you can stomach it. While hangover pain is very, very real, sometimes the sheer act of letting it take over your whole day is the worst thing you can possibly do.
The truth is, friends, there's no real "cure" for a hangover, but if you can find something to take your mind off of the sh*tty symptoms, that'll always be your best bet.
