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Feel like you've got a two-day hangover? This is what's going on in your body
Much like staying up past 2am and easily accommodating the state of festival Portaloos in search of a good time, escaping a hangover gets trickier with age.
If you have woken up this AM with the distinct feeling that your nausea, headache and general off-kilter vibe has stuck around long after your last tequila shot, know that you're not alone. The two day hangover, as any one over the age of 30 will tell you, is real.
For clarity, NHS guidance states that you should drink no more than 14 units a week (that's 10 small glasses of low-strength wine, or 14 single measures of 37.5% ABV spirit) and you should spread those over multiple days: do not store up your allowance for a single session. You should also know that a global study from 2018 indicated that there is no completely 'safe' level of alcohol consumption.
Is it possible to have a 2-day hangover?
Let's start with the basics. The short answer to this question is 'yes'. 'Hangovers are a self-induced vicious cycle, and poor management of alcohol intake can lead to the feeling that a hangover is lasting for 48 hours,' says Dr Chun Tang, GP at Pall Mall Medical.
'Examples of poor alcohol management include drinking for two consecutive nights, over-consuming or knocking back drinks too quickly, not drinking enough water between alcoholic beverages, mixing drinks and not getting enough quality sleep after a few nights out on the town.'
What goes on in your body, during a 2-day hangover?
'This feeling is akin to jet-lag, but is from socialising rather than long distance travel. If you’re awake until 3am on a Saturday night your body clock struggles to readjust to a normal pattern over the following days,' explains Dr Tang.
'Plus, your body will be working overtime to handle the effects of drinking and the symptoms of a hangover. For example, the liver will be overworking to process alcohol, you’ll be tired from little and/or poor quality sleep, you’re likely to be urinating more as alcohol is a diuretic, leaving you dehydrated and headache-y – and any post-night out vomiting can irritate the stomach for several days.'
'The precise mechanisms behind a hangover are not very well understood,' adds GP Dr Hena Haq. 'But we do know that alcohol can cause dehydration, disrupted sleep and gastrointestinal irritation – so, a funny tummy.'
There are also the effects of your body metabolising those tinny ginnies. 'Alcohol is broken down in the liver in a two-step process. The first step results in the production of acetaldehyde which is a toxic, short-lived by product.
'A build-up of this product causes effects such as a rapid pulse, sweating, skin flushing, nausea and vomiting,' says Dr Haq.
And what's going on with the nausea that won't go away?
'Vomiting and feelings of nausea can persist as both inflame the stomach and both – plus a hangover – can lead to serious dehydration, which can be on-going if you don't properly rehydrate yourself,' details Dr Tang.
'This dehydration may be worse for higher risk groups; these include the elderly, those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, people taking medication that increases urine, endurance athletes and those living in hot climates. Also, sadly, some of us are genetically more likely to suffer from feeling sick – this could be down to a lack of the enzyme Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, which helps to break down the toxic metabolite found in alcohol.'
What is hangover anxiety?
Hangover anxiety, or 'hangxiety,' is alcohol-induced anxiety, typically felt the morning after the night before. It can manifest as feelings of dread, shame, or overwhelm, a racing heart, restlessness or difficulty relaxing.
But what actually causes 'hangxiety?'
‘When your blood alcohol concentration starts to drop (aka a hangover), your brain experiences boomerang-like shifts in the levels of certain chemicals,’ Dr Aparna Iyer, a US-based psychiatrist, told WH. ‘Alcohol mimics the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps people feel less inhibited – which is why you might feel extra chilled and gregarious while you’re drinking – but during the hangover the next day, the effects are reversed, causing anxiety to spike,’ she adds.
There's, unfortunately, not much you can do to treat hangover anxiety in the moment, besides taking measures to keep stress as low as possible (breathing exercises or engaging in a hobby could help calm you). The best way to prevent it? Cut down on the sauce.
If anxiety persists and begins to interfere with the day-to-day living of your life, consult your GP.
Is it true that hangovers get worse with age?
'Age affects our physiology. Our metabolism slows down and our immunological responses are altered – so yes you will certainly experience differences the older you get,' says Dr Haq. Essentially, as the years tick on, your body's ability to break food and drink down at speed lessens. This means that expelling alcohol from your system takes longer.
Dr Tang adds: 'As well, older people are also more likely to have a greater proportion of body fat as opposed to younger people; as fat absorbs alcohol and keeps it in your system, the liver enzymes are then less effective at flushing it away.'
How long is too long for a hangover?
Everybody's different, and therefore the length of a hangover will vary from person to person. Typically, hangover symptoms will not last longer than 72 hours, though many people will stop experiencing them after 24 hours.
How do you get rid of a 2-day hangover?
According to the NHS, hangover cures are, in fact, a complete myth. There are, it would seem, no quick fixes to nix the post-booze nausea and splitting headaches (don’t shoot the messenger!).
That said, there are a few methods that might help you to manage feelings of discomfort caused by overdoing it on the alcoholic bevvies. And, no, we’re not talking about hair of the dog. Sorry.
It’s thought that dehydration is the source of many hangover symptoms, so the key to recovering as quickly as possible is rehydrating.
If you can remember to swig a glass of water post-sesh and pre-sleep, you’ll be setting yourself up for potentially significantly less hangover discomfort than if you go to bed on a belly full of booze. And, try to continue drinking fluids that are gentle on the digestive system throughout the day (so, water, soda water, and soft sports drinks).
Unsurprisingly to anyone who has ever had the displeasure of a 2-day hangover, carbs, and sugary foods might actually help you start to feel more human. This is because drinking alcohol may lower blood sugar levels (so, it’s no wonder you feel like an absolute dog’s dinner if you’re boozing and subsequently forgetting to fuel up on nourishing food whilst drinking). Try a slice of jam on toast and a glass of juice.
It’s also thought that hangovers could be a kind of sleep deprivation since alcohol interferes with the recovery process that happens in our bodies when we sleep (and can also cause broken or disrupted sleep). For this reason, an afternoon nap might help you to feel refreshed, and a mug of tea or coffee could help you to shake the fog (though, coffee can enhance dehydration, so be sure to serve it alongside a glass of water).
And as for the pain? ’Take painkillers for headaches, antacids to settle your stomach, and consider soup or dioralyte to rehydrate,’ says Dr Tang.
Really, though, the best way to get rid of a 2-day hangover is to avoid one in the first place.
Okay. So how do I avoid a 2-day hangover?
'Obviously try and not drink too much (14 units per week is the recommended limit) and, as the old wives' tale goes, don’t drink on an empty stomach. Food slows absorption and protects the stomach from gastritis and make sure you’re drinking water between drinks and before bed.
'Avoid darker drinks like rum and whiskey as they can especially irritate blood vessels and make a hangover worse. Fizzy drinks also worsen hangovers by increasing the absorption of alcohol into the body,' Dr Tang advises. So, swerve those vodka and cokes.
Dr Haq echoes the above and adds that you should try and avoid dehydration, by having water between alcoholic drinks and before you hit the hay.
What are the risks of drinking too much?
'Alcohol causes many medical conditions including cancers of the gastrointestinal tract - especially colon cancer and liver disease. This can damage DNA, which is most likely how alcohol causes [the increased] risk of cancer. Plus, alcohol can also lead to the development of polyps (benign growths) in the colon that have the potential to turn into colorectal cancer,' says Dr Tang.
Quitting booze comes with myriad benefits, from boosted mental health (remember, it's a depressant) to finding it easier to hit your fitness goals. Follow this advice if you want to cut back.
Want to cut down? Try these alcohol-free drinks
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