When drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages, it is important to consume wisely. Sometimes a social event means heavy drinking is probable, and it could result in a hangover the next day. But not to worry! Luckily, we have 4 easy tips to remember for preventing a hangover. These tips include classic milk drinking, eating food, drink limitations, and wate. Most people experience this at least once in their lives, but what exactly is a hangover?

The Hangover

A person may experience several miserable symptoms after drinking alcohol in large quantities. A hangover may show itself the next day and last as long as 24 hours. A person may experience anxiety with low mood and might be depressed along with physical symptoms, especially after little sleep. Someone with a hangover will likely have a headache, sunlight or any bright light may hurt the eyes, and the hangover victim may have bloodshot eyes, bad breath, gas, muscle aches, nausea, or more. Hangovers are an unpleasant experience and people often claim they will “never drink again” after waking up to this.

What Causes a Hangover?

When the body exceeds its tolerance for alcohol, a hangover may ensue. Symptoms of too much alcohol include having to urinate… a lot. Dehydration happens and a person may feel thirsty and might even feel faint. There may be a drop in blood pressure, a lower immune response, blood vessels dilate, and the body tries to recover the next day by working in a slower mode.

Drinking with a plan can help manage the next day hangover. See here we go…

How to Avoid a Hangover

There are many tricks that people have tried through the years to avoid the dreaded hangover. Some people swear by “rules” such as never drinking beer and then later adding mixed drinks or hard alcohol to the menu. The following 4 tips are proven to help with the process of alcohol consumption and can help to avoid a hangover:

1) Step One: Drink Milk

When heavy drinking is bound to occur, be sure to start the evening with a large glass of milk. This will coat the stomach and help to absorb alcohol and reduce irritation.

2) Step Two: Eat Food

The very worst thing a person can do is drink on an empty stomach. So, eat a meal, appetizers, or a granola bar before drinking. Eat something! Note: Foods containing starch will better help absorb alcohol.

3) Step Three: Limit Drinks

To remain in control of how quickly alcohol is consumed, it is advised to not drink more than one alcoholic beverage per hour. This will help the body from becoming overwhelmed with the levels of alcohol coursing through it.

4) Step Four: Drink Water

It is easy to binge drink, especially with beer. The numbers of glasses and cans can add up quickly. Be smart and drink a glass of water between beers. The point of this is that drinking water helps to dilute the volume of alcohol in the stomach and blood, and can reduce its effects.

The Classics

As mentioned, some people use “rules” to guide them through their drinking to make sure a hangover does not happen. This one is popular but has been dis-proven:

Beer before Liquor never been sicker – FALSE

Liquor before beer you’re in the clear – FALSE

Medical journals promise that the only cure for overindulging is time, not smart sequencing. Having both beer and liquor in the body, no matter the order of its consumption, will have the same results because the volume of alcohol is the same. Individuals and groups often have some pretty funny rules in place to help avoid the hangover but the 4 tips mentioned above should help with a sound plan.

Drink with a Plan

To learn how to prevent a hangover, it is wise to drink with a plan. Intoxication can be enjoyed while being smart with these 4 easy methods to prevent the dreaded hangover. Beginning the night with a glass of milk, eating food beforehand, being conscious of and limiting number of drinks helps, and making a point to consume water between drinks can all help reduce the effects of a hangover.