Lifestyle

This Is Why Drinking Champagne On New Year's Eve Always Goes Straight To Your Head

by Julia Guerra

Planning on getting a little tipsy in the hours leading up to Time Square’s disco ball drop on Dec. 31? Popping bottles on New Year's Eve can definitely have you and your squad feeling fly like a G6 in no time — at least, that’s certainly how it feels, anyway. A lot of people throwing back glass on sparkling glass of the bubbly stuff will tell you the bev gets you buzzed more quickly, but does champagne get you drunk faster than any other celebratory cocktail?

At the end of the day, alcohol is alcohol, and the second it shocks your system, your body is bound to experience all kinds of good (or bad) feels. However, experts do say that certain adult beverages can spark the happy vibes faster than others, and this could actually be caused by the bubbles in your bubbly.

Fizzy drinks and New Year's Eve go together like peanut butter and jelly. The fancier and bubblier the bottle, the more celebratory you're bound to feel, and this isn't just because clinking glasses of the pretty stuff is going to rack up a ton of likes on Instagram. According to Stephanie Ferrari, Boston-based registered dietician and host of the Boston 25 News segment "What's FRESH Around Town," the carbonation is exactly what's making you feel real drunk real fast.

The quicker your body absorbs alcohol, the more drunk you're going to feel in a short amount of time.

If you're a bit confused — because, let's face it, you've drank bottles on bottles of Coke all your life and never once felt a buzz — it's not the carbonation itself causing you to feel shwasty. It's the fact that these tiny pockets of carbon dioxide are mixing with the alcohol and tumbling through your digestive system.

"When digested, bubbles actually help the alcohol to be absorbed faster by increasing pressure in your gut and therefore pushing the alcohol through your stomach lining more quickly," Ferrari tells Elite Daily. "The carbon dioxide actually competes with the oxygen in your body, which also contributes to a drunk, dizzy feeling because less oxygen is getting to your brain."

In other words, the more bubbles in your drink, the less time it takes for your body to get tipsy, so you may want to sip a little slower this year. It's also probably a good idea not to go overboard on the refills. According to Ferrari, if you're buying champagne that tastes like soda, the delicious flavoring "may entice you to drink a bit more than you might otherwise." Translation: more drinky, more drunky.

Rest assured, there are ways to balance the instant effects champagne could have on your body.

Listen, I totally understand you and your loved ones want to raise your glasses come midnight on New Year's Eve and drink to the epic dumpster fire of a year 2017 turned out to be, but it's really in your best interest to do so responsibly and in the healthiest way possible.

No matter what you're cheers-ing to, it's super easy to get hella drunk on bubbly. If you want to prolong the buzz, or you just want to make sure one night of partying doesn't lead you to a morning of mourning the state of your liver, there are ways to achieve either.

First things first, for every glass of champagne you drink, pour yourself some water. Alcohol can (and often will, if you're drinking a lot of it) leave you severely dehydrated, so it's important to have that 1:1 ratio. This will provide your body with replenishing fluids, reinforce electrolytes, and will probably cut your alcohol consumption in half, since water is inherently filling when you drink a lot of it.

Stepping away from liquids for a moment, let's also talk about snacking options. Comforting, weighty foods like potato skins and mozzarella sticks can taste that much better when you're tipsy, but their dismal nutritional value is doing nothing for your body's recovery.

Obviously, unless you're the hostess with the mostest, the party spread is probably not something you have much say in, but you can always contribute a healthy appetizer or side dish loaded with healthy fats and proteins to chew on between sips. You can also prepare for the night by taking probiotic supplements and eating a well-balanced dinner before drinking.

Now that you're aware of just how powerful the sweet, bubbly stuff really is, the best thing you can do for your body is practice mindful drinking on New Year's Eve and beyond. So sip some bubbly, drink some water, and above all, have fun in the process.

Cheers!