The dreaded hangover. We've all been there - waking up feeling bleary-eyed and headachy, with a mouth that feels like a furry desert. Unfortunately, those evenings of drinking too much alcohol can take their toll the next day, especially with Christmas around the corner. But fear not – with these five top tips, you can help to reduce your chances of having a hangover after your night out.

Avoiding a hangover

With London being the nightlife capital, its massive selection of bars, pubs, clubs, and restaurants means there’s no better place for those all-important office parties and social get-togethers this festive season. But as well as being a season associated with excess, there’s no reason why you can’t keep your health a priority at the same time.

Dehydration is one of the top causes of a hangover, causing symptoms like thirst, headache, tiredness, and dry mouth. But while there’s no hangover cure, here are five tips to help prevent you from having a bad one:

Tip #1: Hydrate quickly and often

One of the best ways to prevent a bad hangover is by drinking water. Make sure you’re fully hydrated before you go out, and continue drinking water when you’re out as your night progresses. And when you get home, drink some more. This hydration should relieve you of some of those hangover symptoms, like headache and thirst.

Tip #2: Eat before you go out

It’s always a good idea to eat before you go out – ideally, with a good meal of carb-heavy foods like potato (chips are excellent), rice or pasta. If you drink on an empty stomach, your blood alcohol levels rise much quicker, so you feel the effects of the drink quicker, and you get dehydrated faster. A decent feed gives your body a better chance of reducing the amount of alcohol going into your system.

Tip #3: Moderate your drinks

Most hangovers happen because you drink too much, so the easiest way to avoid a hangover is to moderate your drinks. While the effect of hangovers generally varies from person to person, consuming too much alcohol so quickly that your body can't process it quickly enough will always end in the same way. Making your drink last longer and drinking more slowly will help.

Tip #4: Know your limits

Even if you are moderating your drinks during the evening and drinking water between drinks, the temptation can be there to have another drink – and another, and another. But this is where your willpower can help you. If you know your limits and can do the unthinkable and resist, your body will thank you in the morning, even when others are still going for it.

Tip #5: Avoid cogeners

Alongside ethanol, cogeners in alcoholic drinks can also make a big difference to the effects of your hangover. Drinks high in cogeners include ‘dark’ ones like whiskey, brandy, and red wine. While adding colour and flavour, it also means the alcohol stays in your body for longer. Light or colourless drinks have lower levels of cogeners, so stick with gins, vodkas, and light beers.

Helping London stay hydrated this Christmas

While enjoying London’s Christmas nightlife, staying hydrated is crucial to good health. If you’re not a fan of the London or South East tap water, you can save money on your water bill and reduce your use of single plastics by installing a Thirsty Work bottled water cooler, giving you 100% pure, filtered water every time.

But we also supply more venues around London and the South East than ever too. If you’re a London club or bar manager or owner looking to supply pure-filtered water – with optional business branding – with specialist taps and bottling systems, contact the Thirsty Work team today. Call 02080 498 501 or email hello@thirstywork.com to get your free quote or start your free 10-day trial before the celebrations are in full swing!