Many Hangover 'Cures' Are Merely Myths

Turns out these rituals you practice after every big bash don't actually work. Sorry.

Myth #1: Drinking a mimosa, screwdriver or bloody mary the next morning helps take the edge off. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Drinking more will just delay your hangover from setting in. Hangover symptoms are at their worst when your blood alcohol level reaches zero. And eventually, friends, you will get there, and it will hurt.

Myth #2: Eating some bread, or everything in your pantry, before bed will help soak up the alcohol. Nope. You need to already have food in your stomach prior to drinking alcohol if you want any hopes of feeling better the next day. It's all about digestion and how quickly the alcohol hits your bloodstream.

Myth #3: Drinking a pot of coffee the next morning will sober you up. Eh, not exactly. Coffee is a diuretic and alcohol is a diuretic, so you're just dehydrating your body even more. Your headache might feel a little better thanks to the caffeine, but unless you add some water to the mix, you're likely to stay in a state of misery.

Myth #4: A large fry, giant hamburger and soda will get you off the hot mess express. Sorry folks, just skip the drive-thru. Doctors say fatty, salty or spicy foods often make hangover symptoms worse.

Myth #5: Hitting the gym or sauna will help you to sweat out the bad toxins. Be careful. Excessive sweating and heat can disrupt your body's blood flow pattern and make you even more dehydrated. Doctors say taking it easy and sleeping will help your body recover faster.

So what's a hungover person to do? Drink water, rest up and cross your fingers that 2016 is the year scientists discover a cure. Or there's always the option of drinking less, or not at all. We'll leave that up to you.

This video includes images from Getty Images.