Our Top Secrets to Avoid a Hangover
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, and as a holiday synonymous with big drinking celebrations, it can also be notorious for one of the worst hangovers of the year to follow.
So, what causes a hangover anyway, and how do we stop it from happening?
When drinking wine, most people would guess that hangovers are brought on by wine’s sulfite content and although that is a factor, getting dehydrated is actually the biggest culprit.
While mixing in a few glasses of water is one solution, we have a few more tips and tricks up our sleeves to help you after a long night (or day) of drinking...
1. Know Your Tolerance
It sounds simple, but it’s a tip that’s too often overlooked. Our best kept secret? Don’t just think about tolerance in terms of quantity (although it is important!), but also in awareness of what you’re drinking.
Avoid bulk wine and spirits whenever possible, as mass produced products tend to have more filler or chemicals in them. That's part of why we love working with smaller wineries and spirits makers, who have more control over the process.
Additionally, be sure to pay attention to your personal intolerances to certain aspects of your alcohol of choice.
For wine lovers: If you want to find differences in how you react to wine, try organic or low-sulfite wine next time, and see how they make you feel!
For spirit lovers: we recommend trying high-quality spirits, and sipping on them rather than shooting them back.
2. Incorporate Water Breaks
Your best weapon against dehydration? Water of course! Our rule of thumb is the 1:1 rule. That is, for every glass of wine or spirits you drink, have a glass of water as well.
3. Eat Food While You Drink
Don’t forget to bring out your favourite meal or snack while you drink! Not only is pairing food and wine absolutely delicious, it actually helps your blood absorb alcohol. Another benefit is that food allows your liver to slow down and process your drinks, so that this vital organ can do its job properly.
Fun fact: did you know that it takes the liver about 4 hours to process half a bottle of wine?!
4. Sleep
If you can help it, try to stop drinking at least two hours before you head to bed. This will help you get a better night’s rest and feel much better in the morning.
In Conclusion
To sum it up, we personally find that sticking to one type of alcohol (be that wine or tequila), and eating a proper meal before drinking, and a full breakfast the next day helps us the most.
And of course, some added electrolytes never hurt anyone either! Do you have any other hangover cures to share with us? Tag us on Instagram and let us know!