We’ve all been there. You know, those mornings when you wake up to the room spinning, a pounding headache and that feeling you could vomit at any moment...hangovers are the worst! But it’s going to be alright, because we’re here to help you through it.

So, how do you cure a hangover fast? Don’t worry, we’re not masochists, so we won’t be telling you to drink brandy infused with sparrow poop and, as appealing as downing a jar of pickle juice sounds, we’re not going to recommend you do that either. Instead, we’ve done our homework and rounded up the most reliable, scientifically-backed, tried and tested hangover cures!

Ok, we’ll get on with it.

Here’s how to stop feeling hungover:

1. Hair of the dog (well...kinda)

Did you know that some of your hangover symptoms, such as hangover anxiety (hangxiety), are associated with the withdrawal of alcohol? It comes as no surprise then that drinking the day after the night before can make us feel a bit better...temporarily. However, whilst drinking ethanol (alcohol) when you’re hungover can prevent the formation of formaldehyde and reduce your symptoms, it can also lead to the development of unhealthy alcohol habits. 

Luckily, there’s an alternative to hair of the dog...a 0% alcohol Dandy Bloody Mary!

Simply substitute the vodka in this recipe for 2 parts Dandy Smoke.

Get your hands on some Dandy Smoke

2. Eat carbs and ginger

Drinking alcohol can lower blood sugar levels. Whilst there’s no scientific evidence to say that low blood sugar causes hangovers directly, it can certainly contribute to some of your symptoms, including weakness, fatigue and nausea. Theoretically, that means that eating pizza can help boost your body’s main fuel supply and cure at least some of the problems caused by hangovers.

An excuse to eat carbs - yippee! Nevertheless, since drinking alcohol in excess can deplete your body’s vitamin and mineral levels, we also recommend adding a few healthy but delicious plant-based pizza toppings. 

Oh, and ginger is a natural alternative to anti-nausea medication, which scientists have demonstrated is just as effective and with fewer side effects. So why not wash that pizza down with a Ginger Dandy?

3. Take painkillers (but avoid paracetamol/Tylenol)

First things first, we’ve got to get rid of that banging headache! But which painkillers are suitable for curing hangover symptoms?

According to Gantt Galloway, a senior pharmacology scientist at the California Pacific Medical Centre, acetaminophen (paracetamol/Tylenol) can slow down alcohol metabolism and increase the risk of liver damage. Instead, Galloway recommends taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which can reduce alcohol-induced inflammation as well as cure that nasty hangover headache. For example, ibuprofen and high-dose aspirin.

4. Sip on some water

Dehydration is a major cause of hangover symptoms including headaches, dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth and lightheadedness. It’s caused by the diuretic effect of alcohol (i.e. booze makes you wee more) and reduces your body’s levels of fluids and electrolytes.

It’s possible to prevent these symptoms, or at least mitigate them, by drinking plenty of fluids throughout your night out. Of course, if you’ve come across this article because you’ve searched for ‘hangover cures’, then it’s probably already too late for that nugget of advice...but it’s never too late to hydrate! Therefore, to reduce your hangover symptoms, we recommend sipping on some water. Just take it slowly otherwise you risk bringing it all back up again!

5. Rest and recuperate

We know it may be tempting to exercise and “sweat out” your hangover. However, maxing yourself during an intense workout is not a good hangover cure! Here’s Shona Vertue, a world-renowned personal trainer and psychologist in training, to explain why:

Instead, allowing your body to heal and recover is the better hangover cure! Alcohol metabolism can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, disrupting sleep homeostasis, which means you probably didn’t sleep well enough last night. Even more reason to grab your food and snuggle up under your duvet to watch a film.

But if you do want to get out of the house rather than staying on the sofa, there is some evidence to show that doing a steady workout, not letting your heart rate get too high, can help release endorphins to gently guide you through that hangover! Check out the link here for more info!

6. Stimulate oxytocin release

Who doesn’t love a bit of oxytocin?

This “love hormone” lowers stress and anxiety, improves our mood, and acts as a natural painkiller. To stimulate it and utilise it as a hangover cure, you could try giving or receiving a massage, listening to music, getting snuggly and intimate with a loved one, spending time with mates, meditating, eating tasty food, or cuddling your furry friend.

7. Try alcohol-free and moderate your drinking

The best hangover cure of them all?

Reducing the amount of alcohol we consume by moderating our drinking using NoLo alcohol. Luckily, there are plenty of deliciously bold alcohol-free spirits that provide the same sensory experience, without the insufferable morning after!

The severity of your hangover will increase with the amount of alcohol you drink, so interspersing your cocktails with these non-alcoholic cocktails will do you a world of good the next day. You could even try creating some low alcohol cocktails by substituting half of the alcoholic spirit with CROSSIP.

Go on, we dare you to give alcohol-free a try!