Whilst we don’t condone excessive drinking, a three-year stint at university can almost guarantee at least a few mornings where lying horizontal is much preferable to standing up. So in order to save you poor souls who have strayed from tee-totality, here are a few tried and tested tips for curing the demon hangover. So pay attention!

PREVENTION IS THE BEST WAY! As found on DrinkAware.co.uk the prevention of a hangover can begin on a night out. Know your limits and keep within Government regulation limits. These are currently 3-4 units a day for men and 2-3 for women. See below for more hints and tips:

• Eat a substantial meal before going out and give it time to digest! Include complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta as they take longer to digest and so can help soak up some of the alcohol!
• Drink PLENTY of water before you go out, during the night and afterwards, when you get in!! Alcohol is a diuretic which means that, despite being a liquid, it actually dehydrates you.
• Try alternating alcoholic drinks with water.
• if you like your spirits, try to choose light-coloured drinks. This might sound strange but alcohol contains ‘congeners’ - impurities caused by the fermentation process. Darker drinks such as red wine and whiskey have more congeners and are therefore more likely to cause a hangover than vodka or gin for example.

HOWEVER, if find yourself having totally neglected any of these and find yourself rotting in a darkened room all morning, here are some “cures” which just might help:

• DRINK WATER! Your body is screaming for rehydration which is why your head hurts! If you really must use painkillers, try and use soluble ones – they are less likely to irritate your stomach too.
• Avoid caffeine! Coke, coffee and tea are not friends of the hangover – they cause further dehydration and do not solve the problem!
• Avoid the 'hair of the dog' (drinking more)! You may think that you are curing the pain but really it will just be worse when it finally hits!
• Try out milk thistle tablets before going out. Milk thistle is a natural supplement which boosts the liver function. This can help the body process high levels of alcohol a bit quicker.
• Pull out the sunglasses and get some exercise! This might be the last thing you feel like doing but the air in your lungs or a session in the gym will make you feel a lot better.
• Grab a Full English A big breakfast can set you up for the day and settle your stomach with some much needed food. Salty foods such as plain crisps can also aid rehydration whilst fruit or vitamin C tablets can boost your energy levels.

It is important to note that whilst most hangovers subside after a few hours a persistent hangover may be the indication of something more serious. If this is the case then contact your local GP or visit www.nhsdirect.co.uk for advice. Doctors also advise that, after a heavy drinking session, you leave at least 48 hours before you drink anymore alcohol in order to give your body tissues time to recover. Of course the effects of a hangover can make this very easy advice to follow!

You may also like to visit: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Hangovers.aspx
and http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools/dealing-with-a-hangover