It wasn’t until the ripe old age of 21 that I got my first hangover. Before then, I would bounce out of bed bright and early with a whole exciting day ahead of me.
Some called me lucky. I call it a curse.
My hangovers are made so much worse because they’re plagued with nostalgia. After the brutal shock of my first hangover, the only place I wanted to be was curled up in the foetal position after a night drinking.
Since then, I’ve tried to suck it up and embrace it. How do you embrace a hangover? Don’t ask me, because I have no idea!
But… I have listened to and tested every possible hangover cure learned fellow travellers. From hair of the dog to a heavy dose of paracetamol, I’ve tried them all. And I hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as a hangover cure! Not one that I’ve found (and if you have a cure we would all love to hear it in the comments below).
Don’t lose hope though, as there may not be a cure but there are a few things that have worked to minimise a hangover’s impact on my day.
What are they? They’re more of a ritual, a combination of things I do religiously.
Water is key. After all, it’s not a secret that alcohol dehydrates us so I make sure I drink plenty of water before I go out and at least one litre before going to bed.
Another pre-sleep ritual is taking one Nurofen and one Panadol. Why does this combination work over two of just one of them? No idea, I tried it and it just does.
In addition to my pre-sleep rituals the next day is crucial. In SE Asia, I always seek out fresh fruit such as pineapple and mangoes for breakfast. Elsewhere in the world, I pick up a fresh juice or a bottled juice if no fresh options. Not to mention I down water like a fiend.
You’re probably thinking you already know all of this, but do you actually do it?
When I committed to these common “cures” I was able to uncurl from my ball and able to leave my bunk and explore the world.
Do you have a hangover cure I’ve missed?