SLEEP: THE PERFECT RECIPE
FOR A HANGOVER CURE

Here’s the truth: Sleep cannot sober you up or free you from the damage of alcohol, but it can reduce the side effects you’ll feel. 

Fatigue, headaches and irritability are all hangover symptoms exacerbated by a lack of sleep, so getting some rest is a great remedy for recovery, as well as prevention. Deep, quality sleep is restorative, so you have our permission to stay in bed as long as you can!

How to alleviate the after-effects of alcohol?

The best way to cure a hangover is through prevention. Swearing off of nights out and alcohol forever would do the trick, but we don’t need to go to such extremes. There are several measures to take before falling asleep that can help you skip an awful hangover the next day.

• Try taking some Vitamin C before you head out for an event where you’ll be drinking. 
• Take vitamin B1 also, to avoid dehydration as well as prevent electrolyte imbalances and low blood sugar. 
• Stay mindful of the sugar that alcohol naturally contains (it will spike your blood sugar levels and contribute to sleep deprivation). Try not to consume even more by ordering sweet mixed drinks. Opt for something lighter with less sugar if your tastebuds will allow it. 
• Stop alcohol consumption a few hours before sleep. 
• Take something that cleanses the liver and helps jump-start your detox before heading to bed. Activated charcoal and turmeric help the body eliminate toxins such as alcohol. (see Amazon links below for these supplements!) 
• Drink water in between your cocktails and also before heading to bed. Alcohol is a diuretic that signals your body to remove fluid from the blood through the kidneys and bladder. If you’re not drinking water alongside your alcohol, you’ll quickly become dehydrated. 
• Thiamine-rich foods can help you sleep better, too. It’s tempting to grab a slice of pizza for your late-night snack, but try eating eggs, beef or oranges before you snooze instead.

Does alcohol mess up your circadian rhythms?

Circadian rhythms serve as our bodies’ biological clocks. When alcohol impacts our ability to respond to light cues and sleep normally, we fall out of sync with our natural sleeping and waking cycles. 

Adequate sleep, along with the preventative measures mentioned above, will help alleviate the symptoms of a hangover and make it more bearable. Though drinking festivities often take place at night, try whenever possible to adhere to your normal schedule and get a full night’s rest. 

If you want to understand your sleep even better, and how to maximize its benefits for your body and mind, check out this interview with Jaclyn Renee of Jaclyn Renee Wellness. She is an expert coach in her self-discovered 3-2-1 method to achieve a restorative and deep sleep! 

Jaclyn recommends that we pay attention to what triggers our circadian rhythm and calms down our nervous system.  Some of her tips include: 

• Drink bone broth for nourishment during the day or before bed. 
• Go for easy-to-digest foods, like soups or stews, when you are having digestive issues. 
• Take supplements to get to sleep faster, like trying Valerian Root or Kava extract.