Sometimes, the line between a “fun night” and a little too much fun is blurry—especially when the music’s great, the company’s better, and the cocktails are flowing like good conversation.
But fast-forward to the morning after, and your body is singing a very different tune. Head pounding, stomach unsettled, the room a little too bright and a little too loud. That’s your body’s way of reminding you that alcohol isn’t exactly wellness-friendly in large doses. Still, it happens. The question is: what now?
1. Start With Electrolytes, Not Just Water
Yes, hydration is crucial—but water alone might not cut it.
After a night of heavy drinking, your body isn’t just low on fluid—it’s depleted in electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. That’s because alcohol is a diuretic, which means you’re losing more than just liquid when you keep running to the bathroom.
Start with a glass of water, sure. But what your body really wants is balance. Add an electrolyte packet, sip coconut water, or try a homemade version (a pinch of sea salt and a splash of juice in water will do the trick). This simple step may help ease symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, and dry mouth more effectively than plain water alone.
According to the NIH, alcohol inhibits the hormone vasopressin, which regulates fluid retention. This leads to excessive urination, dehydration, and disrupted electrolyte balance.
2. Get Protein and Complex Carbs on Your Plate (Even If You’re Not Hungry)
The morning-after breakfast isn’t just a comfort ritual—it’s a metabolic reset.
Eating a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates could help stabilize your blood sugar, which alcohol tends to wreck overnight. Ever felt shaky, moody, or more anxious after drinking? That’s not just the hangover talking. It could be a sugar crash in disguise.
Think: eggs on whole-grain toast, Greek yogurt with berries, or a warm bowl of oatmeal topped with nuts. Bonus points if you add something anti-inflammatory like turmeric, cinnamon, or leafy greens on the side.
3. Avoid Caffeine—At Least First Thing
Caffeine is a diuretic, like alcohol. So that “pick-me-up” could delay your hydration efforts, irritate your already-sensitive stomach, and worsen jitteriness or heart palpitations.
Instead, start with herbal tea (ginger, peppermint, or chamomile are great for nausea and bloating). Once you’ve hydrated and eaten, then ease into caffeine—if your body still wants it.
According to Harvard Health, caffeine may trick you into feeling less drunk than you are—it masks alcohol’s depressant effects, creating a false sense of alertness.
4. Add Magnesium to Your Recovery Ritual
Alcohol depletes magnesium, a mineral that plays a role in everything from nerve function to muscle recovery to mood regulation. Low magnesium could be one reason why your body feels extra tense, your sleep was trash, or your anxiety is ramped up.
You can replenish it naturally by eating magnesium-rich foods (avocados, bananas, dark chocolate, almonds, spinach), or with a low-dose supplement (if you tolerate it well).
If you’re feeling bloated or foggy, a warm Epsom salt bath could also help. The magnesium absorbs through your skin, and the heat supports circulation—so you’ll feel less like a crumpled-up version of yourself.
5. Take It Outside (Even If It’s Just for 10 Minutes)
No, this isn’t punishment. It’s nervous system rehab.
Natural light, fresh air, and gentle movement—like a slow walk—can help reset your circadian rhythm, clear lingering brain fog, and support liver function through improved circulation and oxygen flow.
Even a few deep breaths outside can help regulate cortisol (your stress hormone), which tends to spike after drinking. If you can manage a short walk or light stretching outdoors, it may also help ease muscle tension and improve your mood more than sitting in bed scrolling TikTok for two hours.
6. Sip Ginger Tea for Nausea and Bloating
If your stomach feels like it’s been through a spin cycle, ginger is your friend.
Used for centuries in traditional medicine, ginger has scientifically supported anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory properties. A 2020 review published in Nutrients found ginger to be especially effective for reducing nausea in a variety of contexts—including digestive upset.
Steep fresh ginger slices in hot water with a dash of honey and lemon. Sip slowly and pair with small bites of food if you can. This combo may help calm your gut without triggering more irritation.
7. Prioritize Sleep—But the Right Kind
You’ve probably noticed that alcohol messes with your sleep. You technically sleep longer, but not better.
That’s because alcohol disrupts REM sleep, increases nighttime waking, and can throw off melatonin production. So even if you passed out for eight hours, you likely woke up feeling unrefreshed.
The fix? Instead of fighting it, re-nap it. If your schedule allows, let yourself rest again mid-morning or early afternoon—but keep naps short (20–30 minutes max) to avoid feeling groggier. Aim for a wind-down nap, not a blackout replay.
Alcohol may seem like a sleep aid, but it does more harm than good. The Sleep Foundation reports that it leads to fragmented, shallow sleep and reduces REM—the critical phase for learning and emotional regulation. This disruption can leave you feeling more tired and less focused the next day, even if you were in bed for hours.
8. Try a B-Complex or Activated B1 (Thiamine)
This one isn’t as trendy, but it may help more than you’d expect.
Alcohol interferes with the absorption of several B vitamins—especially B1 (thiamine), which plays a key role in energy metabolism and nervous system regulation. That sluggish, head-in-a-cloud feeling? Thiamine depletion could be part of it.
While more research is needed on supplements as a definitive hangover fix, some integrative health experts recommend taking a B-complex vitamin or activated thiamine the morning after drinking to support cellular recovery and energy production.
Talk to your provider before adding new supplements, especially if you take medications or have chronic health conditions.
9. Do a Digital Detox (Yes, Really)
You may not think of your phone as part of your hangover, but screen time can actually intensify symptoms—especially headaches, mood swings, and mental fatigue.
The blue light from screens can disrupt melatonin (making rest harder), while constant scrolling floods your overstimulated brain with dopamine spikes it’s in no shape to manage. And don’t even get us started on the anxiety spiral that is reading your texts from last night.
Instead, go analog. Journal. Nap. Do nothing. Let your brain reset—without asking it to perform.
The Keep-It Habits
Hydrate Smarter, Not Just More: Add electrolytes to your water (or sip coconut water) to actually rebalance, not just refill.
Don’t Skip the Eggs: A protein-and-carb breakfast may help stabilize your blood sugar and quiet that shaky, weak hangover spiral.
Remember the Magnesium: Alcohol burns through this calming mineral—restore it with food, baths, or a gentle supplement.
Move a Little, Outside: Even five minutes of fresh air and daylight could help reset your brain and settle your system.
Be Kind to Your Brain: Hangover + phone = no. Minimize screen time to reduce tension and emotional crash-landing.
The Gentle Art of the Bounce Back
Hangovers happen. Not because you’re reckless or irresponsible—but because alcohol is, by design, disruptive to your body’s systems. You don’t have to suffer in silence, nor do you need to punish yourself the next day with restriction or shame.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s repair.
With a little intention—and a lot of water (with electrolytes, please)—you can support your body back into balance. Sleep a little more. Move a little slower. Nourish what feels frayed. These aren’t hangover “cures” so much as acts of quiet support.
And the next time you pour a drink, maybe you’ll pour a glass of water too. Not because you have to—but because you now know why it matters.
Sleep & Recovery Insider
Elaine is a health researcher who studied circadian biology and sleep science before turning her focus to writing. She dives deep into topics like sleep cycles, recovery tools, and stress management—and translates them into strategies that work outside the lab.
