The Best Ways to Reduce Your Halloween Hangover

Halloween falls on a Thursday – so there are several days to celebrate… here's a guide to surviving with a minimal hangover.

Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, so you have two weekends plus Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to celebrate with parties, haunted houses or just a drink with friends. But all those festive and spooky drinks could mean a hangover. Here are the best ways to reduce your Halloween hangover.

For most people, a hangover is caused by drinking alcohol. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, meaning the body urinates more and loses fluids. This can cause dehydration, which can lead to thirst, fatigue, headaches and dizziness. Alcohol can also trigger an inflammatory response from the immune system, which can cause physical symptoms such as headaches, chills, fatigue, nausea, and stomach upset.

One reason people choose to go sober in California is to avoid these effects, particularly inflammation.

Eat a hearty meal
Eating a high-fat meal before drinking can slow alcohol absorption. Foods like avocados delay the absorption of alcohol into the body and may reduce the intensity of the hangover.

Hydrate properly
Drink plenty of water throughout the day before you start consuming alcohol. This helps prepare your body for the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

Choose drinks wisely
Opt for drinks with a lower proportion of congeners. Congeners are toxic chemicals that contribute to the severity of a hangover. Clear spirits such as vodka, gin and rum have lower levels of congeners compared to darker spirits such as whiskey and cognac.

Go at your own pace
Drink slowly and alternate between alcoholic drinks and water. This helps your body process the alcohol more efficiently and keeps you hydrated.

Stay hydrated
Drink a glass of water after every alcoholic drink. This practice helps counteract the diuretic effects of alcohol and reduce dehydration.

Avoid mixing drinks
Stick to one type of alcohol throughout the night. Mixing different types of drinks can increase the likelihood and severity of a hangover

If all the preparatory work doesn't help – here are tips to help you recover.

Rehydrate
Drink a large glass of water before bed. Keep water next to your bed so you can sip if you wake up at night.

Make sure you get enough sleep

Give yourself enough time to sleep. Alcohol can disrupt sleep patterns. Therefore, it is important to give your body extra time to rest and recover.

Eat a nutritious breakfast
In the morning, fortify yourself with a hearty breakfast. This helps restore blood sugar levels and provides necessary nutrients. Think about foods that are easy on the stomach, like toast or crackers.

Take painkillers (if necessary)
If you have a headache, consider taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or aspirin. Avoid acetaminophen as it can be harmful to your liver when combined with alcohol.