You’re not completely sure how you got home last night. You’re worried what you might have said to those friends you were with. You just cannot find that cash which you keep in your wallet for emergencies.
Strainer cannot help you with any of these problems.
You’re listless. Every movement requires double the effort. There’s a headache on the horizon.
Now we’re talking. It’s about time this column got around to hangover strategies. And I’m sure you won’t be surprised to see tea playing a role in the recommendations here.
Sweat it out?
Actually, it may pay (slightly) to get sweaty right now. Yes, the previous night’s alcohol will be evicted from your body sooner or later, mostly from downstairs. But sweat (and even breath) can contribute a few extra percent.
While sweating in a sauna or jogging in a rubber-tracksuit could make this dehydration (much) worse, sweating because of a hot drink can perhaps help just a little. So try heating your drink more than you usually would; yes, even in summer! See if it works for you.
The Caffeine Factor
Contrary to its role in popular culture as “wake up juice”, caffeine isn’t exactly alcohol’s opposite. “Uppers” and “downers” don’t cancel each other out, just as sugar doesn’t cancel salt. Some of today’s undesirable symptoms may actually be redoubled by caffeine; the racing heart rate and the bathroom urge. That dry carpet covering your tongue is unlikely to be improved by coffee.
But caffeine delivered by tea may help you keep your eyes open for the next few hours. After a drunken night’s (REM-deprived) sleep, it may just be your best option until you can hit the hay again.
Anti-Oxidants?
As well as the upper/downer dichotomy, there’s that pairing of the “poison” and the “panacea”. It seems intuitive enough; alcohol was the devil that got you into this trouble; maybe green tea can guide you back to normal. Well, don’t forget any of that stuff about flavonoids and catechins; that may be useful in the long term. But it’s not going to aid your hangover very quickly.
Electrolytes
I’ll admit I’d long thought of electrolytes as a marketing myth; it sounded enough like “electricity” to seem like just another apocryphal rocket-fuel energy drink ingredient. But these minerals may actually be more important to you now that you’re hung over than after a heavy gym workout, especially if yesterday’s food bounced out.
In this respect, a Gatorade may actually be more effective than pot of tea (which contains a little potassium, but not much else). But, sticking with tea, there are ingredients you can add; lemon and ginger are obvious ones. Coconut water and honey may also be worth investigating. And mint may help with the nausea.
Anecdotally, I favour a really dark tea at such times; a dark oolong or a pu’er. But I’ve occasionally been grateful to other teas, too. Let’s be honest; whichever seems least disgusting right now is probably your best hydration partner for the day.
At the very least, making tea is a comforting ritual. The positive feedback loop from a manageable task is welcome relief from the other frustrations of the “second day”.
And it’s comforting to know that, from now on, no drink stronger than tea will ever pass your lips.
…at least not until the next time.
