TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — On Saturday, thousands of pirates hit the streets of downtown Tampa for a day of festivities and a little drunken debauchery.
If you are one of the many revelers who utilized the Gasparilla Wet Zone, you may be looking for ways to alleviate that morning hangover.
Here’s what you should know.
What are hangovers?
According to the National Institutes of Health, hangovers are a group of symptoms one experiences after drinking an excessive amount of alcohol.
Common symptoms of hangovers include dehydration, headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to light and sound, fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, and depression and anxiety, according to Medline Plus.
Hangovers can last up to 24 hours and are over when your blood alcohol concentration returns to zero.
Ways you can cure your hangover
The number one way to get rid of headaches is to drinking plenty of water. Alcohol makes you dehydrated, which causes headaches, and sometimes diarrhea, sweating, nausea, and vomiting, according to Howard E. LeWine, MD, the chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing. Mixing in electrolytes, such as drinking a Pedialyte, liquid IV, or Gatorade will help you balance out your electrolytes.
Eating carbs and drinking coffee or tea can also help alleviate your hangover symptoms. Since alcohol can lower your blood sugar, eating simple carbs like bread can quickly nudge your levels back to normal. Caffeine can help with grogginess and work as a stimulant to mask the depressant effects of alcohol.
Taking pain relievers, except Tylenol, can ease your morning headache and achy feelings. LeWine advises to not take Tylenol due to its interactions with alcohol.
Sleep it off! If you’re still not feeling your best, a power nap can help.
Time heals. The only way to truly beat a hangover is to give it time. While we would love to have a magic potion take away the uncomfortable feelings of a hangover, your body needs the time to process and get rid of the alcohol in your system.
How to avoid hangovers in the future
Learned the hard way? Here are a few things to do in the future to lessen, or completely avoid, a hangover next Gasparilla.
Pace your drinking. Studies show that your liver can only process one drink per hour.
Drink on a full stomach. Not having food in your system allows alcohol to move rapidly through your system. Eating before drinking allows your body to absorb some of the alcohol.
Drink a glass of water in between your alcoholic beverages. This allows you to pace your drinking, as well as staying hydrated.
When is a hangover dangerous?
According to the Mayo Clinic, a hangover is considered an emergency when a person is showing severe signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning.
These symptoms include confusion, vomiting, seizures, slowed breathing (less than eight breaths per minute), irregular breathing, blueish or pale skin, low body temperature, trouble remaining conscious, and unconsciousness (cannot be woken up).
Those who see others with these severe symptoms should call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.
The Mayo Clinic advises those to see a doctor and get treatment if they are a frequent, heavy drinker, are going through withdrawals, or if hangovers interfere with their daily life and relationships.