Did you drink too much on New Year’s Eve? Here are myths and facts about treating an alcohol hangover

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – Did you say goodbye to the first day of 2023 influenced by booze?

If so, then surely you are looking for a way to ease your suffering.

There are many what people call hangover cures, some of which date back centuries.

But really, the only hangover cure is time, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

There may be things you can do to make it easier, experts say, but many common “treatments” can make your condition worse.

Here are myths and facts about treating an alcohol hangover:

Myth: Drinking more alcohol is good for you

Doing so is wrong according to experts.

The reason some believe this method works is that the brain suffering from the effects of alcohol is stimulated once the sedative effects of alcohol have passed.

“If you look at the brain of someone suffering from the effects of alcohol, even though the person may feel tired, their brain is actually overexcited,” said Dr. Robert Swift, Brown’s Warren Albert professor of psychiatry and human behavior. University. School of Medicine.

Swift said consuming more alcohol normalizes the brain again “because you’re adding a tranquilizer to your overexcited brain,” then added, “You’ll feel better until the alcohol wears off and the cycle somehow repeats itself.”

Fact: Drinking coffee speeds up the healing process

Dr. John Brick, former head of research at the Center for the Study of Alcohol, Department of Education and Training at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and author of “The Doctor’s Hangover Handbook,” says the answer is yes, depending of gift symptoms.

And if you already drink coffee, skipping your morning cup of coffee could lead to caffeine withdrawal symptoms in addition to suffering from the effects of alcohol.

But Brick noted that coffee can irritate a stomach lining that’s already inflamed from alcohol, so if you’re feeling nauseous, coffee could make things worse.

Myth: Eating fatty foods is good for you

Swift recommended avoiding a greasy breakfast after a night of drinking, saying, “Fatty foods are hard to digest, so it might be a good idea to avoid them.”

Instead, experts suggest using food to prevent the effects of alcohol by consuming it before consuming your first drink. “Eating foods high in protein and carbohydrates can significantly slow the absorption of alcohol,” Brick explained. .

He also added, “The slower the alcohol gets to your brain, the slower the shock rate is to your brain.”

Fact: Drinking electrolytes is beneficial

Alcohol causes dehydration, so headaches and other symptoms of drinking may be due in part to narrowed blood vessels and a loss of electrolytes and essential minerals like sodium, calcium and potassium that your body needs.

Swift confirmed that replacing lost fluids with water, or a type of sports drink rich in additional electrolytes, can aid in recovery from the effects of alcohol.

Myth: Taking acetaminophen before bed can block the effects of alcohol

Experts say taking over-the-counter pain relievers can be dangerous, especially if you take a lot of them while intoxicated.

Taking acetaminophen, like Tylenol, can cause more damage to an already overworked liver, while aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate the stomach lining.

Fact: Drink as much water as possible

While the liver handles most of the alcohol in your body, only a small amount leaves the body intact through sweat, urine and breath.

Brick advised getting up to stretch, or go for a walk, and drink plenty of water to encourage urination.

And if you prefer a hot drink, Brick suggested a homemade soup.

Myth: Alcohol pills can help you recover

Store shelves are full of so-called hangover cures, and unfortunately, there’s no evidence that they work.

And in 2020, researchers published the results of a trial of supplements containing vitamins, minerals, plant extracts and antioxidants and found no real improvement in symptoms of alcohol’s effects.

And even if one solution works, it probably won’t improve all symptoms, according to experts.