A hangover is a collection of signs and symptoms linked to a recent bout of heavy drinking. The sufferer typically has a headache and feels sick, dizzy, sleepy, confused and thirsty.
Hangovers can occur at any time of day, but are usually more common the morning after a night of heavy drinking. As well as physical symptoms, the person may also experience elevated levels of anxiety, regret, shame, embarrassment, as well as depression.
The severity of a hangover is closely linked to how much alcohol was consumed, and whether the sufferer had enough sleep. The less sleep the worse the hangover.
It is impossible really to say how much alcohol can be safely consumed to avoid a hangover. It depends on the individual and factors such as their circumstances that day, how tired they were before they began drinking, whether they were already dehydrated before the drinking began, whether they drank plenty of water during their drinking session and how much sleep they got afterwards.
In the vast majority of cases, hangovers go away after about 24 hours. Responsible drinking can help avoid hangovers.
Causes of a hangover
A hangover is the consequence of having consumed too much alcohol. It is an accumulation of several factors:
- Urination – alcohol makes people urinate more, which raises the chances of dehydration occurring. Dehydration can give the individual that sensation of thirst and lightheadedness.
- Immune system response – there may be an inflammatory response by the immune system to alcohol, which may affect appetite, concentration and memory.
- Stomach irritation – alcohol consumption raises the production of stomach acids; it also slows down the rate at which the stomach empties itself – this combination can lead to nausea, vomiting or stomachache.
- Drop in blood sugar – some people’s blood sugar levels can fall steeply when they consume alcohol, resulting in shakiness, moodiness, tiredness, general weakness, and even seizures in some cases.
- Dilation of blood vessels – alcohol consumption can cause the blood vessels to dilate (widen), which can cause headaches.
- Sleep quality – although sleeping when drunk is common, the quality of that sleep may be poor. The individual may wake up tired and still sleepy.
- Congeners – these are substances that are produced during fermentation and are responsible for most of the taste and aroma in distilled drinks (whisky, gin, etc). They are known to contribute to symptoms of a hangover. Examples of congeners include esters and aldehydes.
