Planning to indulge this festive season? Here's how to beat that hangover

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The festive season is here! A time of reunion, celebration and long nights filled with laughter, music and raised glasses and bottles. From office parties and family gatherings to village homecomings and end-of-year concerts, alcohol often flows generously during this period.

Yet for many people, the joy of especially overnight indulgence is followed by an unpleasant morning marked by pounding headaches, nausea and overwhelming fatigue. In comes the dreaded hangover, one of the body’s loudest warnings that celebration has crossed over into excess.

Dr Hassan Mayanja, a physician at Mpererwe-based Mercy Hospital in Kampala's Kawempe division, says a hangover is not a mystery but a clear physiological response to too much alcohol in the body.

“Alcohol interferes with the body’s normal systems, especially blood sugar regulation and fluid balance,” he says.

One major cause of hangover is low blood sugar, which occurs as the liver prioritises breaking down alcohol over maintaining stable glucose levels. At the same time, alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing the body to lose fluids rapidly.

Mayanja says hangover symptoms usually appear about six hours after drinking begins and may include intense headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to bright light, nausea, lethargy and general body weakness.

These effects are often more severe in people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as those who use recreational drugs. Poor sleep, common after heavy drinking, further worsens the condition.

'Keep your mouth busy'

Dehydration plays a central role in hangovers. For every bottle of alcohol consumed, the body can lose up to four times that amount in fluid. This is why drinking water alongside alcohol is one of the simplest and most effective preventive measures.

Health experts recommend taking at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink to reduce dehydration.

How alcohol is consumed also matters. Gulping drinks leads to faster absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, increasing the likelihood of a severe hangover. Sipping slowly allows the body more time to process alcohol.

Mixing alcohol with water, fruit juice or adding ice helps dilute it, reducing its impact. 

Research from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom shows that bubbly drinks increase alcohol absorption due to the gas they contain, making alternating them with water or juice particularly important.

The type of alcohol consumed can also influence hangover severity. Studies have shown that cheaper alcoholic drinks often contain higher levels of congeners, chemical compounds responsible for taste, smell and colour.

Drinks like bourbon contain far more congeners than clearer spirits like vodka, which explains why some people feel worse after consuming lower-quality alcohol.

Mayanja of Mpererwe also offers a practical festive tip: keep your mouth busy. 

Talking, laughing and sharing stories slows drinking, while eating, especially foods rich in fats and carbohydrates, reduces alcohol absorption by giving the digestive system something else to process.

As the festive season gains momentum, moderation remains the best protection. Celebrations are meant to create good memories, not painful mornings. Listening to the body and drinking responsibly ensures the joy lasts beyond the night.