Many folks simply reconcile themselves to a post-party hangover as a necessary evil. Tough Sunday, hydrate, and repeat. But much of the suffering isn’t from the booze per se, but from its accompaniments and the pace at which we imbibe it.
A more conscious approach to weekend imbibing doesn’t equate to drinking less for drinking less’s sake. It equates to drinking better – for a better sense of what’s actually going on in your body.
Quality over quantity starts before the first pour
There is a significant difference between enjoying a well-crafted spirit and hastily drinking something low-quality just because it is there. Artisanal and small-scale producers usually distill with greater care, resulting in fewer congeners – the toxic chemical byproducts generated during fermentation that most scientists believe exacerbate the severity of a hangover. Wines and some types of spirits also contain sulfites and histamines, which can act as headache triggers for individuals who are especially sensitive to them, sometimes after consuming as little as two drinks.
Deciding what you are going to drink beforehand is not an unreasonable approach. It’s like wading into a restaurant menu with purpose rather than automatically choosing the first thing you come across. If you are aware that certain things make you feel worse, this is information you can work with.
How the body actually processes alcohol
The body breaks down nearly one standard drink per hour, or 14 grams of pure alcohol (NIAAA). Any more, and it stays in your system, pumping up BAC and further exposing you to the effects of acetaldehyde, the toxic compound your liver pumps out as it metabolizes ethanol. This is largely responsible for the nausea and headaches the following day.
Not that this is a reason to become teetotal. It’s just another reason to get tactical about your imbibing. The 20-minute rule (waiting at least 20 minutes before your next top-up) gives your liver a fighting chance. Food also slows the rate at which your stomach empties its contents, meaning alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly. It’s far more effective to eat a meal before you drink than to rely on the likely finger food scenario to save your future self a headache.
Electrolyte-infused pre-hydration is not a punny trend, but a straight-up sensible idea. Dehydration amplifies the effect of alcohol on the body, and starting a night with low fluids only turbocharges this.
Reducing what’s in the drink itself
Besides pacing and food, you should also take into account the chemical load in your drink.
Most people don’t know this, but standard commercial spirits, as well as wines, can contain residual fermentation byproducts, additives, and other chemical compounds that are not supposed to be part of the alcoholic drink you bought. By using alcohol filtration products, you can minimize the presence of those harmful impurities in your drink. It’s a preventive measure, and not a tough one – but it will help you be in control of the “mystery factor” in the alcohol you consume. This “mystery factor” is one of the reasons why you might sometimes feel worse after drinking a certain kind of alcohol in the same amount as another on a different occasion.
The purity of your drink counts as much as the quantity.
Managing the social pressure in real time
A good chunk of weekend overconsumption isn’t even something you’ve consciously opted to do. Someone fills your glass before it’s empty – have you noticed how often that happens? – or a round appears and it’s easier or less awkward to go along with it than step out. Half the battle here is spotting the pattern in the first place.
A nifty trick called “urge surfing” can help nip this in the bud. Borrowed from behavioral psychology, the concept is simple. When the drinking impulse hits – not the desire, just the impulse – give it 15 minutes before you act on it. In the majority of cases, it’ll pass, or at least become something you’re choosing rather than something you’re clinging to out of reflex. That’s the difference between losing yourself in a party and letting it carry you away.
Another tool to stick up your sleeve is the HALT check. Before you pour that next drink, just run quickly through whether you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. None of these are great drinking states – the acronym actually comes from addiction recovery circles – and catching them as they crop up at least separates your drink from your considerable talents as a self-medicator. It’s not a big ordeal, just a two-second reality check to help keep things ticking along nicely.
The real point isn’t restriction
Being more mindful with your drinking won’t work if you feel it’s taken away a slice of the weekend. But fewer and smarter still tastes rather good.
