We all know how terrible we feel when you wake up with a hangover. Headaches, nausea, shaky, loss of appetite, dehydrated, tired & guilty.
There can often be that temptation to either go to the gym & sweat it out OR stay at home & eat crap food all day feeling sorry for yourself.
Lets understand what’s going on…
- Alcohol is a depressant which slows brain activity & this in itself makes us feel depressed
- It slows release of endorphins leaving us feeling tired, lethargic & down in the dumps
- Alcohol is a diuretic which means it can cause the body to lose more water than it takes on (that’s why you always wee loads when drinking)
Exercising could in fact be a good hangover cure as it will help release endorphins putting you in a better mood & state of mind BUT done with caution, it’s imperative that you keep the intensity quite low & stick with simple movements that don’t require much coordination & focus.
Remember that you’ll be very dehydrated so it’s important that you drink more water than you normally would when exercising.
Stick to more gentle exercise like swimming, gentle cardio or simple light circuits.
Other hangover hacks…
- Stay hydrated when drinking, make sure you drink water in between drinks
- Eat beforehand & during if possible, this will slow down the rate of alcohol absorption
- Replenish electrolytes – try drinking coconut water before you go to bed
- Don’t mix your drinks – ideally stick to clear alcohol as this contains less congeners than darker alcohol
Take activated charcoal in the morning after drinking – this binds with toxins in the stomach & helps eliminate them out the body (https://www.betternutrition.com/activated-charcoal/)
