Drink Like You’re 21, Without the Hangover

When I was 21 I could drink and dance all night, sleep for 2 hours and wake up ready for work in the morning with little repercussions. Now that I’m … a little over 21…. A big night out requires planning if I don’t want to spend the next day (or two!) in bed cuddling a bottle of Gatorade in despair.

 

 

Water

The most important is to pregame with water. Make sure you’re hydrated before you start drinking and continue drinking water throughout the night. Even better is if you substitute the water for Gatorade. You’ll end up in the bathroom more, but hey, I’ve met some of my best girlfriends in bar bathrooms. (don’t overdo the water though, too much water can add stress to your organs)

 

 

Drink clear, colourless alcohols

Liquors like vodka, gin and rum. These spirits are less likely to cause a hangover. This means a Long Island Ice Tea, which contains all the colourless spirits is a good option.

 

 

 

Hair of the dog

Having a beer or Bloody Mary with your brunch can often mitigate the hangover symptoms. Just one drink though, if you keep drinking all day you’ll have the same problem the following morning… and it might be a sign you have a problem.

 

 

Eat a good dinner. A common phrase in college was “eating’s cheating”. Well, if you’re not 20 anymore you know you need to cheat. Eating dinner, especially one full of protein and carbs, can help maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent hangover symptoms like a headache.

 

 

Spend a little more

Drinking high end liquors will actually make a difference. When you’re 20 you can drink anything, and it was usually the cheapest alcohol you could get your hands on. Now that you’re a bit older you can (hopefully) afford higher quality liquor (even if you’ll never own a house). And trust me, you’ll appreciate it the next morning. Higher end liquors are filtered more to remove impurities so they won’t cause as much of a hangover as the cheap stuff.

 

 

Juice

If you usually mix your drinks with soda, opt for juice instead. The vitamins will help keep your body and immune system strong. Keep the soda for the morning after though, researchers have found that sodas can make you metabolise alcohol faster.

 

 

 

Sleep

Studies show that drinking impairs the quality of sleep you get. So while you may want to stay out all night, you will benefit from getting as much sleep as possible before and after your night out. And if possible, take a nap in the afternoon after drinking.

You may not be 21 anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun! With just a little extra planning you can have a great night and still feel good in the morning, no matter what age you are.