Prevention tips for holiday hangovers

Upset stomach, headache, thirst, and shakiness are just a few of the infamous morning- after symptoms of a hangover.

Unfortunately, between all the holiday parties and New Year’s Eve right around the corner, it’s going to happen.  

According to researchers, the cause of a hangover is pretty simple…you drank too much and you’re left dehydrated. 

However, congeners could exacerbate things. Congeners are chemicals other than alcohol produced during fermentation, including tannins, found in red wine, bourbon and other types of dark liquor. They tend to cause more intense hangovers than clearer booze like vodka and gin.

Ocean City physician Dr. Victor Gong says water, aspirin, exercise, and food can help a hangover, but are by no means a cure.

He says the best thing to do is to try and prevent it all together.  He continues, “You want to not overindulge. You want to limit the amount of alcohol you drink, preferably less than one drink an hour. You want to have some food. That will help and just kind of be careful.”

It also helps to alternate between alcohol and water every drink.

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence about one-hundred thousand Americans die a year from alcohol-related causes.