Making a DIY Hangover Prevention Kit
Have you ever gone out with friends with plans of having just a few drinks, only to end up extremely drunk? If it has happened to you, then you know all too well what follows next. That’s right, a hangover!
Well, after reading this Drip AZ article, you won’t have to worry about dealing with the pesky headaches and nausea brought about by hangovers. Here’s how you should make a DIY hangover prevention kit, so you can finally enjoy your nights out without having to worry about having a hangover when you wake up the next day.
So, what exactly is a DIY Hangover Prevention Kit?
A hangover prevention kit is a first aid kit for your nights out, the only difference being that instead of treating your pain, it prevents it from happening in the first place. The kit contains everything you need to avoid a hangover and a few extra items for keeping you prepared for whatever the night might bring.
The best thing about this kit is that it’s contents are readily available around your house, so you don’t need to make a last-minute run to your local supermarket to get supplies. Plus, you might end up saving the night for that Sun Devil (ASU reference haha) friend of yours with a low alcohol tolerance.
How is it Made?
Before we get into it, you should note that the ideal kit should be small enough to fit in a backpack or purse with ease.
Now that we have that out of the way, here are a few ideas and essentials. You can choose any of these choices based on your needs and preferences.
Essentials
1. Grab a bottled beverage like water or Gatorade or Coconut Water
Staying hydrated throughout the night is one of the best ways to prevent a hangover. And since water is readily available literally anywhere you choose to party, it shouldn’t be that hard to come by.
On the downside, regardless of its rehydration qualities, taking too much water while you’re out drinking might make your hangover worse. Let me break it down for you;
When you take too many fluids, your body has to expel them. While expelling the excess water and alcohol, your body loses a substantial amount of vitamins and nutrients required for normal body functions. When the level of these vital vitamins and minerals becomes too low in your body, chances are you’ll get an even worse hangover.
For this reason, we say you must include a drinkable hydrating beverage in your kit. Oral rehydration solutions are in several forms, like bottled drinks and powdered packets that you can mix with water. The choice you go for will ultimately depend on the size and nature of your kit.
Top tip: you can also use sports drinks since they contain electrolytes that can restore the vitamins and minerals your body loses over the night. However, if you prefer a more natural approach, you can use coconut water since it can rehydrate you and restore the electrolytes you’ll lose.
2. Painkillers like Ibuprofen or Advil
A hangover prevention kit without a blister pack of painkillers is incomplete. That being said, you should take them in moderation. Taking anti-inflammatories at the early stages of a headache can significantly reduce or even prevent the onset of a full-blown headache.
However, you should never take medications that contain acetaminophen. The content reacts badly with alcohol and might cause liver damage.
Top tip: You should do thorough research on the effects of mixing certain medications with alcohol so that you can choose the best type of painkiller you’re going to put in your kit. Also, if you plan on taking the medication while you’re out drinking, you should have a ride set up with a designated driver since some medication might have adverse side effects when mixed with alcohol. Avoid Tylenol.
These side effects can make it pretty hard, if not impossible, to drive, not to mention how unsafe it is.
3. Pack a few Snacks
Eating food is a very effective way to prevent a hangover. For starters, food slows down the rate at which your body absorbs alcohol, so you’ll feel less impact from vodka or whiskey than you would have on an empty stomach.
Eating also helps you replenish all the nutrients and electrolytes that you naturally lose when you’re drinking.
Therefore, we advise you pack a few snacks in your prevention kit, especially if you’re planning on going to a place that doesn’t have readily available food. On the upside, most late-night lounges and bars serve a wide variety of snacks well into the early hours of the morning. If the place doesn’t have food, you can always shop for snacks from a 24-hour food spot like a gas station or grocery store or vending machines at rest stops.
Pro tip: Although most people believe that greasy and fatty foods are the best option for preventing hangovers, any food will do. If you have access to healthy food, it should be your go-to choice. This is because healthy foods help restore the nutrients and minerals lost while drinking. Potatoes in all its forms provide starches that really help with preventing bad hangovers.
4. Intravenous Hydration (IV hydration)
Even though it’s challenging packing a rehydrating intravenous bag in your hangover kit, you can always pack a Drip AZ IV therapy gift card. Lactated ringers and Saline IV bags are the most effective way to hydrate your body fully, and the best part about it is that you can have the treatment before or mid-way through the party with our mobile IV therapy.
Rehydration IV’s usually contain one liter of saline water mixed with electrolytes.
The Drip AZ Hangover IV therapy is the perfect prevention for a hangover since it contains everything you need, from anti-inflammatory to anti-nausea medication that provides immediate relief from your hangover symptoms.
It also helps restore the minerals your body loses while you’re drinking, thus preventing a hangover naturally.
We can also give you some add-on shots such as B-complex or B12 that will provide you with an energy boost enough to run a marathon event. You can also opt for our magnesium shots since they keep you energized, especially when you’re planning on partying all night.
Pro tip: To opt-in to our IV therapy service, all you need to do is sign up online, and we’ll do the rest. It doesn’t matter where you are; we’ll get it to you in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler Gilbert, Temp, Mesa Queen Creek and the entire Phoenix Metro Area. We even can serve you late at night or early in the morning.
Optional Additions to your DIY Hangover Prevention Kit
The items we’ve discussed above are our chosen essentials for a hangover prevention kit. However, you can add plenty of other things to your kit to make it more complete. Your choice of items will ultimately depend on your preference and how much space you have. Here are a few ideas.
- Sick Bag – Nothing kills the party more than throwing up all over the place. So, if your party spot doesn’t have a bathroom available, a sick bag could come in handy.
- Antacids – Nothing kills a stomach upset better than antacids. And remember, always to take them with water.
- Hand Sanitizer or Wet Wipes – Hand sanitizers and wet wipes come in handy during unexpected messy situations. It could be a spilled drink, food, or anything else that makes a mess; they’ll clean it up.
- Hair Ties – Although hair ties are mostly used as a fashion accessory, they can come in handy when you or your friend needs to go to the bathroom.
- A Packet of Peppermint Tea or Peppermint Gum – Peppermint also provides natural relief from nausea. You can get it at any bodega. Peppermint sachets are pretty small so that they won’t take up much space, and the warm water you take them with can help soothe an unsettled stomach.
- Ginger Chews or Candy – Ginger chews and candy provide natural relief from nausea. You can get ginger candy in most grocery stores.
Now that you know everything you need for a fully-equipped DIY homemade hangover kit, you’re ready to head into the night and party till the sun comes out, without worrying about getting a hangover.
