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You’re not alone if your idea of relaxation involves responsibly imbibing in craft cocktails, bubbly or hops. Maybe you’ve found yourself suffering after a night out, or you’ve indulged at home with the convenience of on-demand alcohol delivery or your vino subscription. Whatever the case, chances are you might have gone overboard and had a drink or two or five too much last night — and you’ve paid the price in the form of a hangover.
Some people swear by anecdotal solutions such as chugging coffee as a morning-after hack, taking some Liquid I.V. electrolyte power, or even a little hair of the dog post-bender. Ultimately, there really isn’t a guaranteed way to “cure” a hangover besides avoiding that cocktail or swapping it with a non-alcoholic beverage, according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
While we don’t purport to be medical professionals (and you should always see a doctor for serious side effects or ailments) there are a few at-home options to consider when nursing that morning-after feeling.
What Are the Best Ways to Treat a Hangover?
Though there’s no magic concoction that’ll make your hangover completely disappear, there are ways to alleviate some of the above-mentioned symptoms with some tried-and-true tips.
Eat a hearty meal: We know that drinking alcohol causes blood sugar levels to drop — and mix in our forgetfulness to take a bite or two with every sip, and that can lead to next-day headaches and fatigue. Foods rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals can help bring those levels back up; think toast, pancakes, and fruit juices, to name a few.
Drink more water and electrolytes: Alcohol is known to be a diuretic, so balance your bottoms-ups with an equal amount of water. Gulping down drinks that are rich in electrolytes (minerals such as calcium, potassium and sodium) can also help, as those ingredients are key to boosting hydration, which is why they’re popular in sports drinks.
Get some sleep:When all else fails, try the old-fashioned “sleep it off” trick. If you’ve ever had a jet lag-like hangover, it’s because alcohol disrupts our brain activity during sleep, says Harvard. Getting more shut-eye can help your body recover.
Looking for other ways to treat that hangover? There are plenty of hangover recovery drinks and products to try, but it’s worth noting that these nutritional supplements haven’t been evaluated by the Federal Drug Administration.
Sure Shot
$35.99
Buy Now On Amazon
For something relatively newer — and perhaps more effective? — you can try Sure Shot, a beverage that promises to help lower Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) while reducing the “unwanted effects of alcohol.”
The brand says a single bottle of Sure Shot can start to work after just 30 minutes. In addition to helping to lower BAC, reviewers say they felt less fatigue and less headaches, while feeling re-energized. Dozens of TikTok videos have been created to show just how Sure Shot works, with creators citing how quickly they bounce back and how good the drink tastes (the ingredient list contains “vitamins, minerals, and botanicals” as well as caffeine; the drink itself tastes like a tangy energy drink).
Note: while Sure Shot can help lower BAC, it is, of course, not to be used as a way to drink and drive. But you should already know that. See full details here.
More Labs Morning Recovery (6-Pack)
$30.60
$36
15% off
Buy Now
Few things have worked as well to avoid a rough morning (in our experience) as More Lab’s “Morning Recovery” drink. It’s works faster for us than Pedialyte, and it’s easier to take too, with tiny, individual 3.4 oz. bottles that you can quickly chug (rather than having to pour or mix a drink).
More Labs’ formula uses natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven to reduce symptoms of a rough morning. What that means: less headaches and brain fog thanks to the drink’s “proprietary herbal blend” of prickly pear, green tea extract, milk thistle, red ginseng and other specially-sourced ingredients.
Worth noting: the sugar-free version we’re recommending doesn’t have that artificial or overly sweet taste of some of the other options on our list, which for many will be a relief after pounding cocktails all night.
Molly J Revive Hangover CBD Gumdrops
$49 (12-Pack)
Buy Now AT MOLLY J
If you don’t want to down a disgusting concoction or rely on greasy takeout to “soak up” the booze, why not turn to CBD? It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but Molly J’s Revive Hangover Gumdrops were developed by a team of certified nutritional scientists and licensed medical professionals, with 50mg of high-quality CBD to combat the inflammation and nausea that comes on post-night out. The Revive Gumdrop is also infused with vitamins like potassium, magnesium, and DHM, a rare Japanese tree root historically used to aid in hangover recovery.
We’ve personally tried these gumdrops and they’re not only delicious (with no weird aftertaste), they’ve also helped to calm and revive us after a night of drinking. One gummy is enough to feel a difference though it takes about 30 minutes to an hour in our experience for the effects to hit.
Blowfish for Hangovers
$12.49
$14.99
17% off
Buy Now On Amazon
Blowfish’s fizzy effervescent tablets contain pharmaceutical-grade caffeine (which is easier on stomachs) and maximum-strength aspirin to relieve hangover symptoms such as headaches and other pain.
The over-the-counter aid promises to help with hangover relief in as little as 15 minutes. In our experience, it’s taken a little longer than that, but the tablets are super easy to use and easy to stash away in a wallet or bag for a night out. The lemon flavor is mostly flavor-less in our opinion, but you’re buying this to perk up, not to enjoy (another) drink.
Health-Ade Kombucha
Health-Ade Kombucha Glow-Up
$49.95
Buy Now AT HEALTH-ADE
If you want the probiotic benefits of kombucha and the plus-side of ingredients that target your gut health (which can help your hungover stomach the next morning), then down a bottle of booch brand Health-Ade’s drinks from its organic wellness-focused Glow-Up line. The Ginger Pineapple Belly Reset flavor’s got six times more living probiotics than other Health-Ade kombucha, zesty ginger and sweet pineapple to give you a tasty boost of morning-after digestive help.
What we like: the flavors offered in this 12-pack from health-ade.com aren’t typically sold in stores.
Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier
$30.99
Buy Now On Amazon
For on-the-go hydration, stash a few of Liquid I.V.’s electrolyte powder mixes in your pocket.
Hangover or not, the company’s popular Hydration Multiplier is great for anyone who’s dehydrated, and works faster than water alone.
The mix uses cellular transport technology (“a specific ratio of potassium, sodium, and glucose,” says the brand) to deliver nutrients and water to your bloodstream faster and more efficiently. The concoction also contains more than your daily value of vitamins B and C.
We like the individual packets, which are easy to stash in your bag for a night out or to travel with on your next tip
The Plug
The Plug Cleanse Detox Drink
$35.99 (6-Pack)
Buy Now On Amazon
We personally swear by The Plug, a potent drink that’s made using a “high-tech distillation process” with the help of researchers in South Korea.
The Plug’s plant-based drink contains ingredients that increase the production of the enzymes ADH and ALDH (which the brand notes helps to break down toxins quicker and relieve the liver from doing all of the work). According to the company, that process helps to alleviate nausea and headaches, and it recommends taking its caffeine-free, low-calorie shot before, during or within two hours of drinking alcohol.
Real talk though: chug one of these before you go to bed at night and you’ll wake up without that sickly, groggy feeling. As the company says right on its packaging, make this your “last shot of the night” and avoid that dreaded morning-after fog.
Amazon
Elements by Lokai Vitality
Buy Now AT INSTACART
Wellness-minded drinkers swear by Elements’ adaptogens-powered Vitality drink, which is concocted with “clinically-effective levels” of ginseng and rhodiola for a mid-hangover boost of energy and stress relief. The non-carbonated beverage is also non-GMO, vegan, caffeine-free and keto-friendly with no added sugars.
What Causes Hangovers?
If you haven’t figured it out by now, you can blame your excessive alcohol consumption for causing your hangover, which usually starts when your blood alcohol levels begin to decrease, says Harvard. As the NIAA notes, drinking alcohol can result in dehydration, poor sleep, irritation of the stomach lining and increased acid release, and inflammation, to name a few factors. Those are to blame for your morning-after symptoms such as headaches and muscle aches, vertigo, fatigue, nausea, and sensitivity to light and noise.
