TOO MUCH HOLIDAY CHEER?

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

Imagine this: it’s 7 AM and you’re trying desperately to drag yourself out of bed after a holiday party that went late into the night. Spending the day watching Netflix and feeling sorry for yourself simply won’t fit into the day’s busy schedule, whether it involves shuffling off to a day at the office or taking the kids on a local holiday outing. So what should you do?

While there is no cure-all for over-indulging the night before, we do have some tips to help you get on the move. Tried and true methods like cups of coffee and pain killers will certainly help keep the headache and stomachache at bay, but there are options that might put a little extra pep in your step on a hard morning.

Staying hydrated is key. Replace some of what you lost by drinking more than a plain glass of water (alcohol can throw your system off balance). Over the counter pick-me-ups in the fridge—or at the nearest gas station—include Gatorade, Powerade, or Vitamin Water. One of the best tricks is taking a few swigs of Pedialyte before bed and again in the morning (mix it with water for the best results).

Supplements are one more way to get over that morning hump. Ginger can help stave off gastrointestinal complications (mix it with water, tangerine extract, and brown sugar) while studies have linked prickly pear extract to an overall reduction in hangover symptoms. Red ginseng could potentially even reduce your blood alcohol level, according to one study.

Lucky for us, many of these cures require no preparation the night before, but the best ways to wake up peppier is to prepare. Take a hangover cure-all the night before, either drinking it before your alcohol or even mixing it in, or get smart while drinking (don’t mix several alcohols and limit sugary beverages).