Hey there, welcome back to hell. You swore you'd never drink that much again — or at least that you'd never drink that much of that again. But here we are. You're hungover. And you want it to stop. Now.
First, the bad news: Science is pretty clear that there's really no such thing as an actual hangover cure. In fact, we're still not even sure why hangovers happen to begin with — despite the fact that our species has been getting drunk and, presumably, hungover for thousands of years.
So any wacky-sounding product out there that claims to beat your Sunday morning bleariness probably isn't operating off of anything exactly, uh, real.
But there's still good news! Even if there aren't any conclusive studies to back us up, many of us have found our own weird hangover "cures." And maybe one of them will work for you. Plus, most of these suggestions are operating on some very simple rules — water, over-the-counter painkillers, and a substantial meal (if your stomach is up for it) can be truly lifesaving on those roughest of mornings.
If those don't help, however, consider that exercise (I know, I know) may undo some of the damage that alcohol incurs. And, of course, if you're not starting to feel better within a few hours or you're concerned about the frequency or severity of your hangovers, a check-in with your doctor may be in order.
In need of immediate help (or just, you know, some inspiration for next time)? Click through for 31 R29 staffers' go-to hangover "cures" — and, seriously, drink some water.
"Gatorade + Coconut Water + Coffee (all 3)."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Drinking an ice-cold Yoo-Hoo."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"PEDIALYTE — after I turned 30 nothing else works but this."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"One grilled cheese sandwich and one Coca-Cola."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Drink lots of water. Smoke a little weed."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Pho noodle soup and Coke."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"MILKSHAKES. It's cold and coats your throat and stomach and it's delicious!"
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Drinking a ton of coconut water after a night of drinking and before I go to bed to ward off the a.m. dehydration."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"CHICKEN FINGERS."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Switchel — it's like Southern Gatorade."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Lots and lots of water before drinking. Also, it probably does nothing, but I love Starbucks' Peach Green Tea Lemonades the next morning."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"On a weekend, my go-to hangover cure is a Diet Coke, a bagel, and weed. It's the same on weekdays, just without the weed."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Miso soup! The best way to soothe your tummy, replenish electrolytes, and restore hydration."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Burger King onion rings, watermelon, and bananas."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"HOT bath and shaving."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Three Advil, two huge glasses of water, literally any food."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"I'm the kind of person who unfortunately cannot stomach any food when hungover. Granted it doesn't happen often, so I might just be starting to discover my hangover cure, but I swear that tomato soup and the Vita Coco Mango and Peach Coconut Water make me feel better every single time."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Bacon, egg, and cheese. And more water than I thought my body could hold."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"My boyfriend swears by caesar salad oddly enough..."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Coconut water! And when all else fails: mozzarella sticks."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Ginger ale and pretzels."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"7-Eleven Slurpee mixing the cherry and Coke flavors. It's a literal lifesaver."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"I know this sounds disgusting to a lot of people, but drinking a glass of milk after a night of drinking (BEFORE you sleep!) works wonders. I wasn't a believer until I tried it. I actually HATE milk, but I just chug it and wake up feeling great."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Powerade, beet juice, bagel."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Two Advil and a glass of pickle juice."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"It's tough but it works: 30 minutes on the treadmill. I think a run-walk combo is great — I don't kill myself, but definitely find that breaking a GOOD sweat makes me feel a million times better."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Greasy breakfast sandwich plus big poop. Greasy bacon, egg, and cheese both settles my stomach and gets things moving. The big poop feels like a fresh slate for your insides. My friend calls it 'party butt.'"
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Celery water — boil water, add stems of celery or celery leaves until the water turns green. Drink slowly. It will either soothe your stomach or make you throw up. Works either for a hangover or an upset stomach — my grandma’s old recipe!"
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"Chug as much water as humanly possible before going to sleep. When you inevitably have to pee in the wee hours, drink a TON more water, and take a long shower in the morning."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"A few weeks ago, I had matzo ball soup during one of my worst hangovers to date. It basically brought me back to life and will now be my go-to."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
"There’s a drink called Ribena. It works like a charm."
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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