Awakening with a severe headache is the most unpleasant thing a person may experience in the morning. You must be wondering why does your head hurt after drinking? Particularly after a night out drinking with your friends. If you’ve overdone it and have a painful headache after a night out, don’t freak out. It’s possible to get relief. This guide will explain what causes hangover headaches and their duration. It provides the most effective method to ease intense headache discomfort. So, let’s fight that hangover.
What causes a hangover headache?
Hangovers can complicate things. They may cause many unpleasant symptoms. But headaches are among the most frequent and irritating types. A few things happen in your body when you drink booze that team up to cause headaches after drinking alcohol. First, alcohol makes you pee more. You get dehydrated. Less fluid equals headache. Drinking also stops you from sleeping well. A tired brain equals pain. To top it off, your body’s inflammation spikes after drinking which can make blood vessels in the brain swell. Swollen vessels press on nerves – not fun.
So in summary:
- Dehydration from peeing so much
- Lack of quality sleep
- Increased inflammation
These 3 factors work together to cause major hangover headache pain for most drinkers.
Why does alcohol cause headaches?
We just covered the main reasons your head pounds after a night out, but let’s zoom in on a couple in more detail. Remember the point about bad sleep? Alcohol actually interrupts your normal sleep cycles. Instead of getting nice deep non-REM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, you get restless, low-quality snoozing. Your brain needs that deep sleep to repair itself overnight.
Another issue is those swollen blood vessels caused by inflammation. They essentially squeeze the nerves in your brain, which registers as pounding pain. Your brain feels as though someone is pressing on it. Sleep disturbances and inflamed vessels pressing on nerves cause this discomfort. Your head throbs with pain.
How long does a hangover headache last?
This is the million-dollar question: how long will this pain afflict you? There’s no easy solution. Hangovers can last for up to 24 hours for some unfortunate people. Many suffer from headaches and other aches for between 8 and 12 hours. It depends on factors like:
- How much you drank
- If you stayed hydrated
- Your body’s natural chemistry
You’ll likely feel the worst when your blood alcohol level returns to zero. Pain throbs in your head, signaling the start of a dreadful hangover. You cannot make your hangover disappear, but you can ease it a little. The next points will discuss that.
How to cure hangover headache and vomiting?
When your head is absolutely pounding, then how to get rid of a hangover headache? And also the vomiting associated with it. Try these remedies:
- Stay hydrated: Drink water and electrolyte sports drinks. Dehydration worsens headaches.
- Eat bland carbs and protein: Things like toast, crackers and eggs. Low blood sugar can make headaches worse.
- Take OTC meds like ibuprofen or aspirin: They reduce inflammation that causes headaches. Avoid acetaminophen – it’s hard on your liver.
- Drink a little coffee: It can help restrict swollen blood vessels. But go slowly if you don’t drink it daily.
- Rest in a dark, quiet room: Light and noise can worsen headache pain.
While these won’t eliminate your headache, they should provide some relief as you wait out the hangover.
How to prevent a hangover headache?
Hangovers are no fun, especially the headache part. Want to avoid them altogether? Here are some tips:
- Eat a big meal before drinking: Food in your belly slows alcohol absorption.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water: Staying hydrated prevents headaches.
- Drink slowly: A maximum of one drink every hour will give your body enough time to process alcohol.
- Be aware of your limits and adhere to your limits: If you consume more alcohol, it will be more of a hangover.
- Take your last drink about 2 hours prior to bedtime: Taking your last drink before 2 hours to sleep will prevent sleep disturbances which can trigger headaches.
- Avoid smoking while drinking: It worsens hangover severity for some reason.
Stick to clear alcohols like vodka and gin. Dark spirits like whiskey have chemicals that increase headache risk.
Conclusion
The best remedy to avoid a pounding headache from a hangover is not to drink alcohol at all. But that would not be music to your ears. So, follow these tips to prevent a painful hangover. Stay hydrated, pace yourself, and know your personal limits. Your head will thank you tomorrow.
