How to avoid a hangover this party season!

For a Monday morning I felt quite sprightly today. Surprising in itself but even more so because me and the girls drank a lot of wine and cocktails this weekend! Although a little tired Sunday morning (that will be the 4 hours sleep I got Saturday night) and my skin looking a tad duller, I felt fine – no headaches, nausea or that feeling that I wanted to curl up and die!

I will let you into a secret, please don't hate me – I have only ever had one hangover in the whole of my life. Yes, just the one. I always wake up feeling semi normal and totally functional.

My friend joked yesterday that this was my human “super power”

A bit of it may be luck but I also like to think I know the rules to avoiding a hangover as well as finding a few tricks that work for me. 

With the festive season nearly upon us, let me get you in on the secret...

• Try to dilute your drink – add soda water to your wine for a spritzer or make sure that there is ice in your drink.

• Know that not all alcohol will affect you in the same way. Generally speaking, the darker the spirit the worse the hangover thanks to the congeners in the alcohol. So stick to things like vodka rather than dark rum.

warming up with a cider! 

• Who doesn’t enjoy a good takeaway at 3am on your way home from a night out? I do but all that grease and fatiness makes me feel worse off in the morning. A couple slices of toast usually helps me absorb the alcohol without making me feel like I have downed a vat of grease the morning after.

• It doesn’t get any easier than this – drink water! It will hydrate you before you nod off/pass out which is key to avoiding a hangover! If you don’t think you will remember when you come home, do what I do and leave a bottle of water on your pillow, in that way you cant miss it!

• Fizzy mixers have been found to speed up the absorption of alcohol. Try a vodka and cranberry over a vodka and coke next time. If you are worried about the calories or sugar, add a dash of soda water to dilute.

• This tip is courtesy of the Boy. He swears he doesn’t get hangovers these days as he sticks to vodka, lime and water. Fewer calories that other drink choices thanks to the soda water and ice dilutes the vodka.

• The research is still going on about this one but I always take a milk thistle capsule when I am drinking as it is said to help your liver function. 

• I think one of the reasons I avoid hangovers is because generally in the week I am really healthy. When you drink your body is depleted of vitamins so if your poor body is already low on vitamins, hangovers are more likely. Some experts recommend taking a vitamin B supplement. 

mint...that's one of  your five a day right?

• This is an old one but line the stomach! Forget eating is cheating and all that! If you are concerned about eating a massive meal before a night out, I find a massive bowl of porridge works. It is filling, nutritious and has slow releasing carbs. 

• I have been told that lining the stomach with a glass of milk before drinking helps. I hate milk and slightly lactose intolerant so haven't actually tried this one, but it is worth a go if you can! 

Hope this works for you so you can enjoy the party season without the pain! 

x x x 

Please note that these tips are my own rules and by no means am I a doctor nor can I scientifically prove anything!

For official advice on drinking, see drinkaware