How to hide a hangover

With fresher’s fortnight colliding with the beginning of lectures, you’ll need some of these tips to avoid the walking-dead look in your first few seminars

With the start of university comes the inevitable onslaught of throbbing, gut-agonising, soul-destroying hangovers. The hangover-o-meter varies wildly, ranging from “mild headache” to “there is a pneumatic drill inside my skull”, but if you take some basic steps you can minimise and hide the morning pain of most hangovers – and still make it to your 10am seminar.

Before you start drinking

It’s the cliché you’re going to ignore but the absolute law of hangover prevention is make sure you have lined your stomach with a decent carb-filled meal, or at the very least a few slices of toast and some berocca.

It’s good to have everything you’ll need in the morning on hand, such as water, one or two painkillers, vitamin tablets and a washing up bowl (for stomach evacuations).

Put these near your bed before you leave along with tomorrow’s clothes. Set your alarm for a little earlier than normal for recovery time and put it on the other side of the room to get you out of bed. If you have a housemate who doesn’t mind banging on your door to wake you, enlist their help.

Out and About

photo:Flickr/andrew_mc_d

When you’re going out, all of the sensible advice your mum and the NHS gives you definitely still applies. Pace yourself, sip water regularly and have your drinks earlier in the evening to give your body a fighting chance of breaking down the alcohol.

Whilst your 2am guilty kebab might help prevent your hangover, substitute it for something more carby to increase your metabolism and absorb alcohol.

When you’ve finished the night’s activities and arrived home, all you’ll want to do is sleep, but the more you do now, the less painful it will be tomorrow morning. Repeat this mantra while you attempt to take off any make up, wash your face, brush your teeth, and finally drink as much water as you can (at least a pint) without feeling sick.

Dealing with the aftermath

If despite taking (or ignoring) precautions, if you wake up feeling like someone’s kicking your temples, it’s time to hide the symptoms. Although your body feels like its seams are being unstitched, don’t retreat to sleep again. Instead, slowly sip a glass or two of water until your mouth doesn’t feel arid. Carry a bottle of water throughout the day to keep yourself topped up.

Photo: Flickr/Piotr loop

Eat breakfast before you take any pain relief. Dairy products won’t do your (already delicate) stomach any favours, so ditch milk and cereal in favour of toast or a pastry.

Caffeinated painkillers can also make you feel queasy easily so it’s worth considering something more like plain paracetamol with a vitamin C tablet.

It’s then time to shower for a good ten minutes to wash away the distinctive scent of the Copper Rooms. This is a good chance to try and remember what happened last night and attempt to regain your sense of balance. Afterwards, put on some tidy clothing that you feel comfortable in.

If the room is spinning, no one has time for eye shadow, so although it might be tempting to disguise your tiredness with layers of makeup, it’s better to be minimalistic. Stick a brush through your hair, dab on moisturiser and under eye concealer and put on mascara if you’re feeling especially brave.

Finally, you should consider arriving early and going for a walk before your seminar.

Although it’ll go against your instincts, try and get a few good lungfuls of cold morning air. It’s a great way to clear your head before considering how to bluff your way through a seminar on Derrida or mechanical engineering.