Tis indeed the season to eat, drink and be merry - and to suffer the consequences. We should all know better by now – but the chances are that Christmas will bring the familiar headache and dry mouth caused by the over-consumption of alcohol.
Why does it happen? Some drinks can cause worse hangovers than others - brandy, for example, is harder on the head than gin and after the bubbles have gone to your head, champagne can hurt.

So why does a hangover hurt? Alcohol affects all parts of the human body, most notably the brain. It disrupts nerve impulses between cells, making thought cloudy and leaving the drinker unsteady on his or her feet. Drinkers acquire a degree of tolerance of this effect, so when it is withdrawn, the brain protests. The proverbial hangover cure, hair of the dog, is simply a way of giving the brain the alcohol it craves and temporarily delaying the pain.

Heavy drinkers have flushed faces. This is because alcohol dilates the blood vessels. The headache in a hangover is similar to a migraine. Both are caused by the expanding and stretching of blood vessels around the brain and scalp. Unfortunately, the effect can persist long after the alcohol itself has been flushed out of the body. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining, so many people with hangovers feel sick.

People suffering the effects of "the morning after" usually wake up with a raging thirst. Alcohol suppresses the action of the pituitary gland so that it produces less of the antidiuretic hormone, vasopressin. This means that drinkers excrete more water than they consume.

There are ways to reduce the bad effects of heavy drinking. Choosing your tipple carefully is important. Some drinks cause much more severe hangovers than others. This is because the secondary products of alcoholic fermentation, known as congeners, which give character to drinks, are even more toxic than pure alcohol. Port and brandy contain very high amounts of congeners. Gin and vodka contain the least. Congeners are the likeliest cause of drinker's depression, remorse, shakiness and vertigo.

Some forward planning is helpful. Lining the stomach before you start drinking can reduce irritation. Extract of milk thistle is a useful herbal remedy and many people swear by a glass of ordinary milk.

During a drinking session, try to drink plenty of plain water (carbonated can be a stomach irritant). This will counter the diuretic effect of the alcohol and alleviate the thirst. Before you go to bed, drink a pint of water and take a dose of vitamin C. Heavy drinking rapidly depletes the amount of vitamin C in the body.

It is most important to get a good night's sleep. Alcohol disrupts sleep patterns and makes it hard to sleep properly. If the worst happens and you wake up with a hangover, you can hasten your recovery. Just because you feel terrible, you do not need to look it. Red and swollen eyes are caused by tiredness and a smoky atmosphere. Try using eye drops or an eye mask, and sunglasses to keep the light at bay. Otherwise, put cool cucumber slices on your eyes or even cold used tea bags.
 

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