Hangover: why do you feel so bad? (and how to get out of it)

You open one eye. Then the other. Daylight hits you with the delicacy of an uppercut. Your mouth tastes like old carpet, your head bangs like Berlin techno, and you swear inwardly to "never drink again". Congratulations, you're having a hangover.

 

But why does your body suffer so much the day after a party? And above all... how can you survive? Together, we'll take a little tour through science, humor and solutions.

 

🧪 First:

Public enemy No. 1: acetaldehyde

 

 

It all starts with your liver, that brave soldier. When you drink, it breaks down alcohol (ethanol) into an intermediate molecule called acetaldehyde. Problem:
Acetaldehyde is up to 30 times more toxic than ethanol.

 

 

This molecule acts on your body and causes the following symptoms:

• It causes nausea, cold sweats and headaches.

• It disrupts your metabolism and causes massive massive oxidative stress.

 

"Acetaldehyde plays a central role in hangover symptoms, including nausea, fatigue and cognitive impairment." Verster JC et al., Current Drug Abuse Reviews, 2010

 

 

Your body tries to get rid of it by converting it into (harmless) acetate, but this process takes time. The result is that you wake up with a dose of poison in your bloodstream, known as intoxication. 

 

 

🔥 Second :

The inner fire: oxidative stress

 

 

Drinking alcohol creates a veritable molecular storm: free radicals flood in, oxidizing your cells and disrupting their proper functioning, from your liver to your brain.

 

 

"Ethanol-induced oxidative stress is a key factor in post-consumption cellular damage." Niemelä O., Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2007

 

 

This imbalance disrupts your nervous system, reduces your alertness and creates a state of sluggish brain that we like to call "sluggish brain".

 

 

💧 Third:

Forgotten essentials: hydration

 

 

Alcohol is a diuretic: it makes you eliminate more water than you consume. This causes :

• 💀 Cerebral dehydration → headaches

• 😵 Decreased blood volume → fatigue

• 🧂 Loss of electrolytes → cramps, confusion

 

 

And then you realize: water isn't enough. You also need sodium, potassium and other electrolytes. This is what you'll find in HANG-OVER, but not only in HANG-OVER, you know what I mean?

 

 

🥚 Fourth :

What to do? 5 gestures that save the day

 

 

1. Drink before going to sleep. 1 large glass of water between 330ml and 500ml + 1 HANG-OVER tablet if you have some to hand.

2. Electrolyte replenishment. Lemon water + a pinch of salt, broth, or supplement.

3. Avoid coffee. It worsens dehydration. Instead, drink a herbal tea or sodium-rich mineral water.

4. Eat smart. Banana, eggs, broth: good for your liver and stomach.

5. Plan ahead. If you know you're going to be drinking, take a capsule of NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) or vitamin C before the party. (Fun fact: NAC is the antidote to paracetamol poisoning, so that's how effective it is).

 

 

😇 Fifth:

What science doesn't say (but you need to know)

 

 

• The "alcohol mix" is no myth The more you mix (beer + wine + vodka), the more additives, congeners and tannins you add. And the more you suffer.
  
  

• Mental fatigue is real Hangovers affect attention, memory and even decision-making.
  
  

• You're not alone: about 75% of regular drinkers have already suffered from severe hangover.

• Time: you spend an average of 1,066 days in a hangover in a lifetime, that time wasted or you could have been doing other things.

 

 

🧠 To sum up:

 

 

 

 

So yes, you're not feeling your best. But thanks to science, Hedonistlabs has packed 1 tablet with everything you need to have as good a day as the night before 👉 HERE

 

 

👉 Spoiler: the next article will explain why coffee isn't your best friend in the morning.