What Is a Hangover? What Causes a Hangover?

Danielle Cutler

Variations in Health I

Sim Minhas May 6, 2013

What Is a Hangover? What Causes a Hangover?

Most people who have ever consumed alcohol have experienced a hangover or two, or three, or several, in their life. Anyone who’s been there knows the feeling, you wake up after a night of indulging with that fuzzy feeling in your head, your body feels like its been hit by a train and your not sure if you’re ready to actually sit up yet because the room wont stay still but you really want at the glass of water sitting on your nightstand! Most of us who have suffered this self inflicted agony know why it’s caused and the usual symptoms, but Christian Nordqvist goes into further detail about the physical causes and even some ways to relieve symptoms and speed up recovery.

Too much alcohol has several effects on the body, an accumulation of these effects can lead to a hangover, Nordqvist, (2012). The reason you feel extremely thirsty when a hangover is present is because alcohol is a diuretic, which leads to frequent urination, possible dehydration and a sensation of thirst and lightheadedness often experienced the next morning, Nordqvist, (2012). The immune system may trigger and inflammatory response to the alcohol, the stomachache, nausea and/or vomiting is due to an increase in stomach acids and a slowed rate of digestion in the stomach, alcohol can cause a headache by dilating the blood