UK’s favourite hangover cures - what’s your tried and tested method?

More than five million Brits will lose over a day to the dreaded hangover as the Christmas party season peaks, suggests new research.
Millions could sleep through the alarm after festive overindulgenceMillions could sleep through the alarm after festive overindulgence
Millions could sleep through the alarm after festive overindulgence

And people in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North West of England are most likely to suffer over two days of hell as they battle the nausea, throbbing headache, dizziness, or inability to get vertical.

One in eight of the hard-drinking Irish admit their hangover can last 25 hours or longer while two fifths of those in the “soft” southerners said they had shrugged theirs off within five hours.

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As Brits head out for the works Christmas party, nine million are expected to over do tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) and feel delicate the following morning.

And how we cope with the aftermath divides the nation.

While more than a third thinking a fry-up is the best cure, in the West Midlands three-quarters swear by a full English to get them feeling more human again.

However a third of Scots prefer a fizzy drink and a sixth of the Welsh said only a cold shower would do.

Nearly half of those in the north east will nurse their hangover with painkillers and over half in the south east reach for a glass of water.

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A sixth in Yorkshire and Humberside said the only thing is a hair of the dog to get things back on an even keel.

And partying hard does take its toll on turning up for work the next day with an eighth pulling at least two ‘sickies’ a year due to hangovers.

Londoners were the worst with one in eight taking at least five sick days a year but in East Anglia almost three quarters have never pulled a hangover related ‘sickie’.

Expert nutritionist Azmina Govindji offered clues to avoid the worst ravages of the next day and said: “Dehydration is one of the main causes of hangover symptoms, so it’s important to rehydrate.

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“When you’ve been drinking alcohol, your body craves fluids and drinking water before, during and after a night out drinking is one of the best ways to address this.

“Your potassium and sodium levels also go down, so having some fresh lemon wedges and a bag of salted peanuts with your drink help to replenish this.”

Her top cures are plenty of water, a bowl of porridge to reduce tiredness and for an energy boost, Greek yoghurt to help settle an upset stomach, oranges for a vitamin C boost, banana for potassium, salted peanuts, to replenish sodium levels, protein and fibre or eggs on toast to help the poor liver.

She also advises to drink on a full stomach, drink water throughout and before collapsing and if you do puke, a hot toddy of ginger, honey and lemon will settle the stomach, reduce nausea and rehydrate.