Time does most of the work. That is not bad news — it means you can stop hunting for a secret trick and start doing the handful of things that genuinely ease the symptoms. The catch is that two or three popular “cures” can actually make you feel worse, or hurt your liver, so knowing what to reach for matters as much as knowing what to skip.
Here is what the medical guidance supports, what it doesn’t, and when a hangover stops being a hangover and becomes an emergency.
What Actually Helps a Hangover
Hydration, rest, bland food, and time are the only measures with solid support behind them. Alcohol dehydrates you and disrupts sleep, so replacing fluids and letting your body rest addresses the root causes rather than the surface symptoms.
- Water, fruit juice, or broth. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends plain nonalcoholic fluids to counter dehydration, and broth or bouillon helps replace lost salt.
- Bland food. Toast, crackers, or soup settle an upset stomach and steady low blood sugar.
- Sleep. Most hangovers resolve within 8 to 24 hours. Sleep is the fastest way through that window.
- An OTC pain reliever — with care. For headaches and body aches, ibuprofen or aspirin can help, but both can irritate the stomach lining after drinking. Skip acetaminophen entirely (more on that below).
- Electrolyte drinks if you want them. Sports drinks and bouillon replace salt and potassium, though added electrolytes have not been shown to change how bad a hangover feels.
Medicine for a Hangover: What’s Safe and What Isn’t
Ibuprofen and aspirin are the safer pain-relief options after drinking; acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the one to avoid. Alcohol and acetaminophen together can damage the liver, and the risk rises when you’re dehydrated or have been drinking heavily.
If you’re deciding what to keep in the cabinet, a tested comparison of hangover medicine options and their risks is worth a look before your next night out.
| Option | What It Does | Caution |
|---|---|---|
| Water, juice, broth | Rehydrates and replaces salt | Drink steadily, not all at once |
| Bland food | Settles the stomach, lifts blood sugar | Skip greasy or heavy meals |
| Ibuprofen or aspirin | Eases headache and body aches | Can irritate the stomach after drinking |
| Acetaminophen (Tylenol) | Pain relief | Avoid — liver damage risk with alcohol |
| Electrolyte drinks | Replaces salt and potassium | Not proven to reduce hangover severity |
| More alcohol | Temporary numbness | Delays recovery and makes it worse |
| Coffee, cold showers, hangover pills | Feels like a fix | None are proven to cure a hangover |
What Doesn’t Work — and What to Avoid
Coffee, cold showers, and hangover supplements don’t cure a hangover, and another drink makes it worse. The Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic both note that no remedy has been shown to speed up the body’s clearing of alcohol byproducts.
A “hair of the dog” drink only postpones symptoms and adds more alcohol for your body to process. Caffeine and cold water can make you feel briefly more alert, but neither rehydrates you or removes the toxins causing the problem. Hangover pills and patches sold at checkout counters have no strong evidence behind them.
One more caution: aspirin and ibuprofen are hard on an empty, alcohol-irritated stomach. Take them with food and water, and never double up on different pain relievers.
When a Hangover Needs Medical Help
Severe symptoms can signal alcohol poisoning, which is a medical emergency. Call 911 if you see persistent vomiting, confusion, loss of coordination, slow or irregular breathing, or someone you can’t wake up.
For ordinary hangovers, a pat on the back and a glass of water is the realistic treatment. But if hangovers are frequent or interfere with work, school, or daily life, that pattern itself is worth a conversation with a doctor. There is no shame in that — it is information, not a diagnosis.
Practical order of operations: hydrate first, eat something bland, sleep as long as you can, and take ibuprofen only if you need it and can tolerate it. By the time you wake up again, most of the worst of it is usually behind you.
Common Questions
Does drinking water faster cure a hangover?
No. Water and other nonalcoholic fluids treat dehydration, which is one part of a hangover, but they don’t speed up how quickly your body clears alcohol byproducts. Drink steadily through the day rather than chugging large amounts at once, and expect symptoms to fade over 8 to 24 hours regardless.
Can I take ibuprofen and a hangover supplement together?
Ibuprofen can help with headache and aches, but combining it with unproven supplements adds risk without clear benefit. Supplements sold for hangovers have not been shown to shorten symptoms, and some can interact with pain relievers or irritate the stomach. Stick to one pain reliever, taken with food and water.
Is it safe to drink coffee while hungover?
Coffee may make you feel more awake, but it does not cure a hangover and can worsen dehydration if you drink a lot of it. Caffeine also adds strain if you’re already jittery or nauseated. Water, juice, or broth does more for recovery; save the coffee for once you’re rehydrated and feeling steadier.
Sources
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “Hangovers.” Recommended fluids, broth, and the 8-to-24-hour recovery window.
- Mayo Clinic. “Hangovers: Diagnosis & Treatment.” Supportive care, rest, and pain-reliever cautions.
- Cleveland Clinic. “Hangover.” Why coffee, showers, and supplements don’t cure a hangover.