How to maximise your ability to go 'out out' and not feel awful the next day

Let’s face it, sometimes we go out and drink on nights we shouldn’t.

Perhaps it’s the work Christmas party hosted on a Thursday, and you need to get back to office first thing Friday, or maybe you had a date that went a little too well and are now rushing to look presentable for your meeting while faced with a hangover.

Whatever the reason alcohol was consumed, there are some things you can do pre- and post-going out to make the next day that bit more manageable.

You can’t undo the texts you sent, but you can make your body feel better.

It all starts with what you eat and ends with what you do before finally hitting the pillow.

While we’re not advocating excessive drinking, there are some better health practices we think you should know for the times you do go ‘out out’ with a beverage in hand.

What to eat before a night out

Before you figure out what to eat, first get the timing right.

Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart, a nutritionist and chartered psychologist specialising in health, tells us it’s a good idea to eat dinner one and a half to two hours before you go out. This means you won’t be drinking on an empty stomach but you’ll have some time to process your food.

‘All foods will give you energy, but they will all affect your energy differently,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.

‘For example, “simple” carbs like white pasta and white bread, will give you a quicker energy boost than “complex carbs” like oats and wholemeal pasta and bread.

‘Healthy fats and protein, will help keep you fuller for longer as they take longer to digest – this means that these foods will keep giving you energy for longer than just a bowl of pasta by itself.

‘My ideal pre-drinking meal is grilled teriyaki salmon with sweet potato mash and veggies.’

Hangover avoidance through hydration

There’s no such thing as a hangover cure, but getting hydrated before the hangover kicks in makes a huge difference.

Dr Naomi finds that ‘if someone normally is well hydrated and drinks “enough” water on a daily basis, then they are less likely to struggle with a terrible hangover,’ so to help you get there, she recommends the following:

• It’s best to try and have a really good day when it comes to drinking water, so have your 1.5/2litres of water throughout the day.
• Have a small glass of water between each alcoholic drink.
• Another good option is to change your mixers to soda water.
• A general rule I use is to try and have one pint of water in the hour or so after drinking alcohol, preferably with a multivitamin to help replenish those vitamins and minerals lost through drinking.

Though, try not to rush all your rehydrating in one go, as dietician Lola Biggs warns, as your sleep will be even more disturbed by a full bladder.

She continues: ‘You can’t avoid a hangover by eating certain foods before drinking. But, you can certainly reduce the impact that the alcohol has on your body, leaving you with a much more manageable hangover.

‘The quicker alcohol is absorbed into your body, the worse your hangover will be.’

Researchers at the University of Indiana studied how different food groups affect absorption of alcohol and found that carbs, protein and fats all worked as well as each other, so that myth about needing carbs to ‘soak up’ alcohol isn’t entirely true.

Lola Biggs, a dietitian at natural health supplement brand Together Health says the average meal takes around 20 to 30 minutes for the small intestine to release the energy from it, but sustained energy is delivered for three to four hours if the meal is balanced.

This is what you want to aim for.

‘Protein-rich foods such as eggs have been shown to slow down the speed at which alcohol gets absorbed through slowing stomach emptying,’ explains Lola.

‘Protein combined with starchy foods will give the maximum feeling of fullness for longer, making it a good combo to fend off cravings.

‘Good fats omega 3 fatty acids are a great option as they have been shown to have a shielding effect on the brain, which can be affected during heavy nights of drinking. Avocados, salmon and nuts and seeds can provide this.’

With both our experts recommending salmon, you have your answer for the ideal pre-drinking meal.

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