In todays Britain about 70% of people drink alcohol weekly‚ but the morning-after effects go beyond just head-aches and feeling sick. The post-drinking worries (which people often call hangxiety) hit different depending on what youʼve been drinking
Prof David Nutt‚ a brain-drug specialist from Imperial College explains that fizzy drinks like champagne are the worst choice: “The bubbles make alcohol get into blood super-fast which creates quick peaks and worse after-effects“. The brain tries to fight these peaks – thats why people wake up at 4am feeling super-alert and worried
Mix-drinks bring their own trouble: they combine different types of alcohol plus sugar which makes blood-sugar go up-and-down (this causes extra stress on your body). Sandra Parker‚ an alcohol coach points out that cocktails are extra-tricky because its hard to know how much alcohol youʼre actually drinking
Dark spirits like whisky and brandy have whats called “complex alcohols“ – they contain hundreds of different compounds that mess with your brain more than simple drinks; these spirits spend time in wooden barrels which adds these extra substances. Vodka isnt as pure as people think but its less complex than dark spirits
When it comes to easier options beer and lager seem to work better: they have less alcohol and actually help with hydration. Felicity Simpkin who runs Drink Coach says that new alcohol-free drinks are getting popular; lots of people now choose things like:
- Zero-alcohol beer
- Hard seltzers with just 5% alcohol
- CBD-based drinks
- Special botanical drinks
The experts suggest some simple tricks: dont drink on empty stomach; skip the shots; mix regular drinks with alcohol-free ones