About Hangovers

Nearly everybody who has ever consumed too much alcohol has awoken the next morning with a pounding headache and an unwanted visit to the bathroom. The hangover is so common that it actually has a Latinate medical name, veisalgia.

History

Hangovers may have become famous or even fashionable in the 20th century, but as long as there has been alcohol and spirits there have been sick people come the morning after. One of the earliest recorded instances of the effects of a hangover occurs in the Bible in Isaiah 5:11: "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine." A famous painting by 19th century French Neo-Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is actually titled "The Hangover."

Identification

A hangover is simply the body reacting negatively to the consumption of too much alcohol. Although certain symptoms are most closely associated with a hangover, like headache, nausea and anxiety, hangovers can vary greatly from person to person, as well as within a single individual based on how much alcohol has been consumed or the kind of alcohol ingested. The only physiological element common to all hangovers is that the person suffering will be considerably less functional during this period.

Features

A hangover can result in a dizzying array of symptoms, including dizziness. Some people with a hangover experience insomnia the night of the hangover and potentially for another night or two afterward. Other signs of a hangover include rapid heartbeat, an increased sensitivity to sounds or lights, shaky hands, a decreased ability to concentrate and excessive thirst.

Time Frame

The length of a hangover depends upon a variety of factors including the weight of the person, how much alcohol was actually consumed, and the person's tolerance for drinking. What many don't know is that a single drink can be enough to cause a hangover for some people. The average length of the effects of a hangover is less than half a day, but some people have reported hangovers that lasted for two days or more. This should be considered an extreme example of a bad hangover, however.

Considerations

While it is true that just one drink may be enough to cause a hangover, this should also be considered an extreme example. Research into the science of hangovers has concluded that generally speaking it takes between three and five average-sized servings of alcohol for the typical woman to experience a hangover, and over six drinks for the typical man. Of course, figures must be tempered by the realization that the potential for a hangover is highly dependent upon factors such as weight, tolerance and the kind of alcohol being consumed.

Prevention/Solution

Various "morning after" medications have attempted to cure a hangover after the fact, but the best method of dealing with the potential for a hangover is prevention. Alcohol absorbs less quickly when there is food in the stomach, so be sure to eat before drinking. Drinking at a moderate pace also helps to forestall effects of alcohol on the body that lead to a hangover. Stick with the drink you started with; switching from one kind of liquor to another throughout the night is a sure route to waking up with a hangover.

Misconceptions

One of the most persistent myths related to curing a hangover has given rise to a famous saying: "Hair of the dog that bit you." The saying is related to the idea that drinking more alcohol can help cure a hangover. Drinking more alcohol seems to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover because the depressant effects of alcohol tend to relax people so much that the symptoms appear to have receded in intensity. In fact, drinking more alcohol only serves to extend the period of time it will take for the body to dispose of the toxins that are contributing to your misery.