The hangover afterwards: What helps - and what you can save yourself

Anna Sandner

17.12.2025

Translation: machine translated

Christmas and New Year's Eve are just around the corner and with them often comes the opportunity to drink (too) much. You can read here whether and how a hangover can be avoided and what really helps against that miserable feeling the next morning.

There are countless tips on how to prevent or alleviate a hangover. Drink lots of water, eat greasy food or a counter beer with rollmops? The only sobering thing is that the research on this remains scant and there is still a lack of scientific evidence for most of this advice. In 2022, scientists scrutinised the alleged miracle cures in a systematic review. They analysed all available randomised studies on anti-hangover remedies. Their conclusion: most of the studies were too small, methodologically weak or financed by manufacturers.

The thing with water

Some myths touch on the truth, but are often misunderstood. The advice to drink plenty of water when drinking alcohol to prevent a hangover is particularly widespread. But current research shows: Although water quenches thirst and alleviates the burn the next day, it hardly helps with typical symptoms such as headaches or nausea. Dehydration plays a smaller role in hangover symptoms than has long been assumed.

But enough disillusionment: although there is no miracle cure for the consequences of a party, there are a few things you can do to make the day afterwards more bearable.

Before the toast: create the right foundation

The most important rule first: Drinking less is the only real prevention. Full stop. Everything else is damage limitation.

Don't start on an empty stomach: Especially on New Year's Eve, when the party starts early, a proper dinner is worth its weight in gold. Pasta with cheese, pizza or cheese fondue - the main thing is that your stomach is full before the first glass arrives.

Fat-rich food BEFORE drinking actually works: The big feast at the holidays also has its good points from a hangover prevention perspective. It creates a foundation, as fatty, hearty food in particular delays gastric emptying. This allows the alcohol to enter the bloodstream more slowly. This flattens out the rise in blood alcohol concentration. This gives your liver more time to break down the alcohol. However, how strong this effect is varies from person to person.

During the party: the choice of drink is crucial

The champagne trap: The New Year's Eve classic has a catch. Carbon dioxide has been proven to accelerate alcohol absorption. The CO₂ increases the pressure in the stomach, the gate opens faster and the alcohol quickly reaches the small intestine, where it passes into the bloodstream particularly quickly. A glass of sparkling wine to toast is fine - after that, it's better to switch to still drinks.

Prefer clear spirits: Dark drinks such as bourbon, red wine or dark beer contain many «congeners» - by-products of alcohol production such as methanol or fusel oils. Studies show that they exacerbate hangovers. Vodka, gin or white rum are much easier to digest.

Beware of sweet cocktails: Sugar masks the flavour of alcohol, and before you know it, you've had three cocktails too many. What's more, alcohol blocks sugar production in the liver. The sugar in the cocktail spikes your blood sugar. But as soon as it is broken down and the liver continues to go on strike, your blood sugar plummets. It plummets in the middle of the night. In the morning, you wake up shivering, sweaty and with agonising cravings.

When you have a hangover: symptom management

Countering the headache: There are many causes of a buzzing headache after a drink. Alcohol messes up your immune system, which then releases inflammatory messengers. These cause headaches, tiredness and the »I don't want to exist« feeling. Painkillers can help, but be careful: paracetamol and alcohol do not mix well - especially if you drink heavily on a regular basis. The liver then has fewer protective substances and is less able to neutralise the toxic paracetamol breakdown product. Safer after intoxication: ibuprofen - but only once the alcohol has been completely broken down.

Countering hypoglycaemia: Trembling, weakness, feeling irritable the next morning? This is often so-called alcohol-induced hypoglycaemia, your body is hypoglycaemic. A breakfast of fruit juice, honey bread or oatmeal will quickly stabilise your blood sugar.

Top up electrolytes: Alcohol paralyses an important hormone - vasopressin. It normally ensures that the kidneys retain water. Without vasopressin, you produce more urine and lose important minerals such as sodium and potassium. That's why your body craves salt the next day. The trick: drink a glass of water with a pinch of salt or an electrolyte solution before going to bed. In the morning, salty foods help to combat dizziness and weakness.

Ginger for nausea: Studies show that ginger can be effective for various forms of nausea, such as after surgery or when travelling. However, whether this also applies to hangover nausea has not been scientifically investigated. However, as ginger has few side effects, you can give it a try.

The science is clear: you can only avoid a hangover if you don't drink too much. And the condition the day after can't be cured either. But you can limit the damage - by choosing your drinks wisely, eating at the right time and alleviating the symptoms the next day.

With this in mind: Happy holidays, a happy new year - and a bearable New Year's morning!

Anna Sandner

Senior Editor

Anna.Sandner@galaxus.de

Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always the outdoors - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.

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