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By Mayo Clinic staffFrom pulling your hair to drinking sauerkraut juice, home remedies for hangovers abound. Pharmacy shelves are often stocked with hangover remedies as well. But in the end, time is the only sure cure. Here are a few things you can do to help yourself feel better in the meantime:
- Fill your water bottle. Sip water or fruit juice to prevent dehydration. Resist any temptation to treat your hangover with more alcohol. It'll only make you feel worse. Be careful with caffeinated beverages, too. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which may increase dehydration. Additionally, caffeinated beverages may make you think you're alert when you're really not.
- Have a snack. Bland foods, such as toast and crackers, may boost your blood sugar and settle your stomach. Bouillon soup can help replace lost salt and potassium. Foods and drinks that contain fructose, such as honey or fruit juice, may help your body burn the alcohol faster.
- Take a pain reliever. An over-the-counter pain reliever may ease your headache. But there are a few caveats. Aspirin can irritate your stomach. And if you sometimes drink alcohol to excess, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can cause severe liver damage.
- Go back to bed. If you sleep long enough, your hangover may be gone when you awaken.