Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesRecovery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Recovery
Ahangoveris a common condition that occurs hours after alcohol consumption. You may have aheadache, feel nauseated, or get dizzy when you have a hangover. The effects usually begin hours after drinking alcohol and can last for a whole morning or even for several days.
Hangovers tend to occur afterheavyalcohol consumption. But you can have symptoms after consuming just one or two drinks the night before, while other times, you might not experience a hangover even after consuming large amounts of alcohol.
This article will discuss the causes of hangovers, symptoms, and different strategies for hangover recovery.
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Hangover Symptoms
The medical term for a hangover is “veisalgia,“which is a combination of the Greek word for pain and a Norwegian word for “uneasiness following debauchery.”
There are several recognizable effects of a hangover. Because drinking is often an evening activity, hangovers are commonly described as “morning-after” effects. However, you can have a hangover any time of the day—they usually begin between three and ten hours after drinking.
Common symptoms of a hangover include:
Less common effects of a hangover that may need medical care include:
These effects can begin while you are still drinking, and can last for longer than the typical effects of a hangover. Without medical treatment, you could fall, lose consciousness, or develop health complications due to the delayed effects of alcohol.
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What Causes Hangovers?
While there are differences in how people experience hangovers, these differences are not understood and are not related to resilience or alcohol tolerance.
There are slight differences in how quickly or slowly different people metabolize alcohol, but the physiology of a hangover is very similar between one person and another.
Causes of a hangover include:
With alcohol ingestion, the effects on the liver are generally long term effects that are not noticeable until years of liver damage have causedliver failure. In some instances, however, delayed short term effects can be symptomatic.
The combination of these physiologic effects of alcohol can cause several of the symptoms of a hangover.
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Severe Effects
It is not completely clear why a hangover can be associated with problems like hypotension and tachycardia. Dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities can lead to these effects, but other factors, such as alcohol toxicity, may contribute as well.
Drunk vs. Hangover
You don’t necessarily have to have been drunk to have a hangover, and there are differences between being drunk and having a hangover. Most people experience a lack of inhibition (decreased social filter or appropriate boundaries), diminished coordination, and slow reaction time when drunk. The alcohol-associated increase in the action of GABA contributes to these effects.
When you have a hangover, pain and discomfort are prominent, while the behavioral changes associated with drunkenness are not usually still present.
In some instances, symptoms of a hangover can begin before the effects of alcohol have worn off. This is usually the result of very heavy alcohol intake or metabolic issues (such as liver or kidney failure).
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Recovery from Hangovers
There is no cure for a hangover, but there are some treatment strategies.Waiting is typically the most common way of dealing with hangovers because they tend to resolve on their own. However, you may not want to sleep all day and have other obligations like work or school.
There are treatment approaches that can relieve some of the severe effects of a hangover. In addition to getting some rest, you can drink fluids, eat in moderation, and take over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
If you still feel light-headed, have diminished coordination, or if you have a rapid heart rate or a weak pulse, you should seek medical attention. Often, intravenous (IV) fluids can help alleviate the symptoms. But sometimes severe issues, such as vomiting or coughing blood need to be addressed with more intensive medical attention.
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Summary
In general, a hangover is highly unpleasant but not dangerous. While they generally resolve on their own after several hours, there are some strategies for managing a hangover. But they can cause major health issues, especially if you are not in good health to begin with. When it comes to hangovers, some folks have their own favorite hangover “cures.” In most cases, they’re just personal preferences and the best advice is to stay hydrated, get something to eat, and take it easy.
If you or a loved one has a chronic drinking problem, it is important to seek professional help. Alcohol abuse can cause health problems, as well as social, interpersonal, and work issues.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.Mackus M, van de Loo AJ, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD, Scholey A, Verster JC.The role of alcohol metabolism in the pathology of alcohol hangover.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3421. doi:10.3390/jcm9113421Jayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.Additional ReadingJayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.Mackus M, van Schrojenstein Lantman M, Van de Loo AJAE, Kraneveld AD, Garssen J, Brookhuis KA, Verster JC.Alcohol metabolism in hangover sensitive versus hangover resistant social drinkers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Apr 1;185:351-355. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.11.040. Epub 2018 Feb 21.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.Mackus M, van de Loo AJ, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD, Scholey A, Verster JC.The role of alcohol metabolism in the pathology of alcohol hangover.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3421. doi:10.3390/jcm9113421Jayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.Additional ReadingJayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.Mackus M, van Schrojenstein Lantman M, Van de Loo AJAE, Kraneveld AD, Garssen J, Brookhuis KA, Verster JC.Alcohol metabolism in hangover sensitive versus hangover resistant social drinkers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Apr 1;185:351-355. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.11.040. Epub 2018 Feb 21.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.Mackus M, van de Loo AJ, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD, Scholey A, Verster JC.The role of alcohol metabolism in the pathology of alcohol hangover.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3421. doi:10.3390/jcm9113421Jayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.
Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.
van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.
Mackus M, van de Loo AJ, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD, Scholey A, Verster JC.The role of alcohol metabolism in the pathology of alcohol hangover.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3421. doi:10.3390/jcm9113421
Jayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.
Jayawardena R, Thejani T, Ranasinghe P, Fernando D, Verster JC.Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover: Systematic review. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2600. Epub 2017 May 31.Mackus M, van de Loo AJAE, Raasveld SJ, Hogewoning A, Sastre Toraño J, Flesch FM et al.Biomarkers of the alcohol hangover state: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS). Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 Sep;32(5). doi: 10.1002/hup.2624. Epub 2017 Jul 6.Mackus M, van Schrojenstein Lantman M, Van de Loo AJAE, Kraneveld AD, Garssen J, Brookhuis KA, Verster JC.Alcohol metabolism in hangover sensitive versus hangover resistant social drinkers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Apr 1;185:351-355. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.11.040. Epub 2018 Feb 21.van Schrojenstein Lantman M, van de Loo AJAE, Mackus M, Kraneveld AD, Brookhuis KA, Garssen J, Verster JC.Susceptibility to Alcohol Hangovers: Not Just a Matter of Being Resilient. Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 May 1;53(3):241-244. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx107.
Mackus M, van Schrojenstein Lantman M, Van de Loo AJAE, Kraneveld AD, Garssen J, Brookhuis KA, Verster JC.Alcohol metabolism in hangover sensitive versus hangover resistant social drinkers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Apr 1;185:351-355. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.11.040. Epub 2018 Feb 21.
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