Oh no, it can’t be morning already; why, oh why did I have that last drink (or 5)… and why does my mouth taste like this???

The dreaded Hangover. Many of us have experienced the post (or pre) Christmas Hangover before. Christmas is the season when we let our hair down, kick our heels up and eat and drink much more than we normally do, only to wake up the morning after feeling horrible and cursing our brain and its poor capacity for decision making!

While drinking too much alcohol is usually the direct cause of a hangover, the symptoms we experience more often relate to dehydration and insufficient sleep. Alcohol dehydrates us and when our brains lose just 2% hydration we experience headaches, fuzziness, tiredness and find it difficult to think. With everything else going on around Christmas it’s often hard enough to think as it is, so the extra load on your processing capacity that comes with a hangover is definitely not welcome.

So before you and your wolf pack hit the town this silly season, here are a few tips to help you wake up the morning after with a little more bounce in your step:

• Eat some food prior to starting drinking.
• Drink one glass of water after each alcoholic drink and drink lots of water before going to sleep and the day after.
• If you’re drinking wine, try adding sparking water to it.
• If you do wake up the morning after feeling a little delicate, remember that most of the symptoms you’re experiencing are the result of dehydration. The greasy food and energy drinks may seem like a good idea, but drinking water will have a greater impact on your hangover (and a much smaller one on your waistline…)
• Remember to get a good night’s sleep and try to plan for a sleep in the morning after if you over-indulge.

So on the off chance you do indulge in an alcoholic beverage (or 2) this Christmas, what will you do to make this a hangover free festive season?