Waking up with a pounding headache after a night of drinking is not a pleasant experience. Hangover headaches occur due to excessive alcohol consumption, especially if you did not pay much attention to staying hydrated while drinking. Experts explain the physiological mechanisms that lead to hangover headache and suggest effective strategies to manage them.
What causes a hangover headache?
When consumed in large quantities, alcohol has many side effects on the body. Dehydration, caused by excessive intake of alcohol, can lead to a hangover headache.
“As alcohol is a diuretic, it stimulates the kidney and increases urination,” says Bengaluru-based nutritionist Anitha Devaraj Aradhya (PhD). “Many of the minerals and salts go out of the body with the urine, which triggers headaches and other hangover symptoms.”
Alcohol also dehydrates cells in the body, which alters the body’s overall fluid balance.
“Especially the brain cells… the brain is the organ that maintains fluid balance in our body,” says Dr Anuradha HK, consultant-neurology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru. “The brain gives instructions to organs like the kidney and various other structures to maintain fluid balance. Once you are severely dehydrated, it affects the fluid balance, resulting in terrible headaches.”
Hydration key to avoid hangover headache
As staying well hydrated is crucial for avoiding and managing hangover headaches, you can ensure that you drink enough water during, after and the day after alcohol consumption.
“It is ideal to have a glass of water in between the drinks to stay hydrated and stay away from the headache,” says Dr Anuradha.
If you feel you may have had too much alcohol, make sure you hydrate well before sleep, so you wake up feeling fine rather than with a headache.
“Though it cannot equalise the alcohol consumed, the amount of water you have consumed balances out any dehydration that may occur. Then the negative consequences of dehydration will be minimal the following day,” says Aradhya. “Drinking a minimum of 1.5 litres of water before sleep is recommended,” she adds.
Refuel the body with essential nutrients
According to Aradhya, after a night of drinking, one must replenish the body with essential nutrients including vitamins, minerals and electrolytes to reduce hangover headaches and other related discomfort.
“Drinking fluids such as orange juice, lemon juice and tender coconut water helps to replenish the electrolytes, vitamins and minerals lost during alcohol consumption,” says Aradhya. “Since you underwent the loss of many nutrients from the body, the low sugar level in the body will be low. You can restore it by having carbohydrate and fibre-rich foods. It stabilizes the blood sugar levels and aids in the detoxification process.”
Alcohol also takes a toll on the probiotic balance in the gut, resulting in stomach aches and cramps. Post consuming alcohol, experts advise having foods like curd, buttermilk, pickles, etc. to get rid of gut-related hangover symptoms.
Practices that may aggravate hangover headache
Painkillers are commonly used by people to deal with any sort of headache. However, painkillers are not advisable for treating hangover headaches.
“Because whenever somebody consumes a lot of alcohol, the liver is in trouble already. These medications act on the liver, so we do not recommend taking them while having a hangover,” says Dr Anuradha.
Similarly, consuming coffee while having a hangover headache may aggravate the symptoms.
“Both alcohol and coffee are diuretics. Drinking coffee while experiencing a hangover headache can worsen dehydration, which is already heightened due to alcohol consumption,” explains Dr Anuradha.
Takeaways
- A hangover headache can be the result of the body being dehydrated due to excessive alcohol consumption.
- You should make sure that you are adequately hydrated before, during, and after drinking, as this is the key to preventing and managing a hangover headache.
- Eating foods high in fibre and carbohydrates helps rebuild the nutrients and sugar loss after drinking.
