5 Ways to Prevent a Summer Hangover

• Stay Hydrated
• Make Your Drink HALFSIES™
• Avoid the Bubbles
• Order it Spiritless
• Get Plenty of Sleep

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If there’s one thing summer has plenty of, it’s occasions to drink – cocktails on the beach, beer on the golf course, rosé all day, and summer-Friday happy hours. While enjoying your favorite drink in the summer sun can be enjoyable in the moment, you might pay for it the next day.

We all have that one superhuman friend who never has to nurse a hangover but for the rest of us, excessive drinking is likely to cause an unpleasant morning. Symptoms of a hangover can include a headache, dizziness, nausea, and even anxiety. No thank you!

In a perfect world, there would be a miracle cure for all hangovers. In reality, there are a few ways to prevent one that don’t involve a magical pill from an infomercial. Here are five helpful tips to get you through the summer hangover free!

1. Stay Hydrated

Alcohol on its own causes dehydration. And, when combined with the summer heat, well you’re in for some trouble if you’re not staying hydrated. A glass of water is always a good choice in a pinch, but there are several better options if you are able to find them. Coconut water, sports drinks, herbal tea, and milk are all known for their hydrating properties because they have more minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes compared to water.

2. Make Your Drink HALFSIES™

As “mindful drinking” trends continue to steadily grow, they’ve given rise to low-alcohol beverages. Low-ABV drinks and cocktails give you all the flavor and experience of a full-strength drink but with less alcohol. (and often with less calories and sugar!) If you’re not a beer drinker, you can make your own low-alcohol cocktail. Simply take your favorite cocktail recipe and cut the alcohol serving in half – here at Spiritless we call that HALFSIES™– by using a non-alcoholic spirit. Half full-strength alcohol + half Spiritless = half the alcohol. Hello, second margarita on a Tuesday night! 

3. Avoid the Bubbles

Research shows drinking carbonated beverages increases how quickly alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. Faster absorption can make it difficult for your body to metabolize the alcohol, leading to a potential hangover. If you have big plans the next morning, pass on the rum and coke and the sparkling wine, and opt for a margarita or whiskey sour instead. These citrus-based cocktails will also give you a little vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports your body’s natural defenses.

4. Order it Spiritless

Gone are the days when the only non-alcoholic option is a club soda and lime or a high-sugar mocktail. Spiritless makes beautifully distilled non-alcoholic bourbon and non-alcoholic tequila let you mix a delicious craft cocktail that has “all the feels” of the real thing. Our distilled non-alcoholic spirits are designed to perfectly complement traditional cocktails like an old fashioned or paloma whether you’re going fully alcohol-free or not. So you can say “yes” to more weeknight summer cocktails, and still enjoy an early morning. Oh, and did we mention non-alcoholic spirits have way less calories? 

5. Get Plenty of Sleep

While alcohol can help you fall asleep quicker, it has been shown to reduce your rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, an important part of your sleep cycle. If you’ve consumed alcohol, give yourself more time to sleep in than usual. Getting at least 8 hours of shut-eye will give your body time to metabolize the alcohol. If you’re unable to get ample sleep, it’s probably a night to order it Spiritless! Bonus tip: plan to have a healthy breakfast the next morning to get your blood sugar levels back on track.