Untangling the Mystery of Two-Day Hangovers
Researchers are still untangling what leads to multiple days of misery, and why some people are more susceptible.
Introduction
The margaritas you downed on Friday night leave you slumped in bed all Saturday. On Sunday, you wake up, and you’re still parched and jittery. Your head hasn’t stopped throbbing.
Could you be in the throes of a two-day hangover?
In order to metabolize alcohol, the body breaks it down into acetaldehyde, a chemical compound. A hangover — the whirring heart, the sour stomach — can be the byproduct of this process. For a vast majority of people in a vast majority of cases, hangovers follow a predictable pattern: They make you feel weak and weary for about 24 hours and then they abate. But in some cases, the symptoms can last longer.
The more alcohol someone drinks, of course, the more likely the hangover is to linger. However, some people are predisposed to hangovers that stretch beyond one day even when they drink a relatively moderate amount, said Emmert Roberts, a psychiatry fellow at Stanford University who studies hangovers.
Scientists aren’t totally sure why this is, but are working to untangle it. “There’s been such a dearth of hangover research in general,” Dr. Roberts said. “It is sort of slightly uncharted territory.” Here’s what experts know.
Who has two-day hangovers?
After a big night of drinking, those most prone to feel the aftereffects for multiple days fall, paradoxically, into two camps: people who drink heavily quite often, and people who rarely do.
If you routinely consume large quantities of alcohol, you might be familiar with the agony that sets in as your body strains to process all that booze. This is particularly true if you binge-drink, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as a woman having at least four drinks on one occasion or a man having at least five. But, in some cases, what you consider to be a hangover may actually be the start of serious alcohol withdrawal, said Lara Ray, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, who researches alcohol use disorder.
The symptoms of a hangover and alcohol withdrawal can overlap, and it’s important to know the difference, said Anthony T. March, an addiction medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. If you are vomiting persistently and cannot keep fluids down, having frequent diarrhea, experiencing confusion or even mild hallucinations, or if your skin is turning blue, you may have a severe form of alcohol withdrawal and you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Conversely, if you don’t drink very often but overindulge one night, one hypothesis for why you may have a longer hangover is that your liver may not be conditioned to produce acetaldehyde, Dr. Ray said. That means your hangover symptoms might stick around, she explained.
Age can also be a factor: An older person’s liver may take more time to metabolize alcohol, Dr. Ray said. In addition, she said that medications like S.S.R.I.s (including Zoloft) can interact with alcohol, potentially leading to more drawn-out hangover symptoms.
Causes of Two-Day Hangovers
As for those unlucky people who suffer from two-day hangovers even after moderate drinking, researchers have a few theories. Some people might be genetically predisposed to more severe hangovers, Dr. Roberts said; they may have an abnormally intense reaction to the way booze boosts their blood sugar, which can lead to worse, persistent headaches, or their immune system may struggle to defend against the toll alcohol takes, which can exacerbate and prolong general feelings of sickness.
Other biological factors may contribute as well. “Some people are very sensitive to beer because of yeast; some people are sensitive to different wines because of the sulfites,” Dr. March said. “It’s highly individual, and it’s difficult to predict.”
And because “hangover” is such a broad condition (researchers have identified as many as 47 symptoms), something that seems like an alcohol-induced sickness could be another problem entirely.
People may think they are experiencing a long hangover when in fact their symptoms stem from stress or an underlying condition, Dr. Roberts said.
Preventing Two-Day Hangovers
The obvious guidance is to drink in moderation, since the more drunk you get, the worse your hangover will probably be and the longer it can last. And conventional wisdom on how to ward off a hangover — drinking a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages, eating ahead of time — can help prevent one in the first place.
The type of beverage you drink also matters: Tequila, whiskey and darker alcohols contain compounds called congeners, which are more likely to bring on longer-lasting hangovers because of how they are metabolized, Dr. Roberts said.
If you
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol | Indicator 3.5.1: Coverage of treatment interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial and rehabilitation and aftercare services) for substance use disorders |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all | Indicator 3.8.1: Coverage of essential health services (defined as the average coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access) |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally | Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article discusses the effects of alcohol consumption on the body, specifically focusing on hangovers and their potential duration. This relates to SDG 3, which aims to ensure good health and well-being for all.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Although not the main focus of the article, it briefly mentions the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated to prevent hangovers. This connects to SDG 6, which aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
The article discusses the effects of alcohol consumption and highlights the potential risks and consequences of excessive drinking, including prolonged hangovers. This aligns with the target of strengthening the prevention and treatment of harmful alcohol use.
Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
The article mentions that hangovers can cause physical discomfort and impact mental well-being. By addressing the factors that contribute to prolonged hangovers, such as excessive alcohol consumption, progress can be made towards reducing premature mortality and promoting mental health.
Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
While not directly discussed in the article, achieving universal health coverage and providing access to quality healthcare services can contribute to addressing the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, including hangovers.
Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
The article briefly mentions the importance of drinking water to prevent hangovers. This aligns with the target of improving water quality and ensuring access to clean drinking water.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to the identified targets. However, some potential indicators that could be used to measure progress include:
– Indicator 3.5.1: Coverage of treatment interventions for substance use disorders. This indicator can measure the availability and accessibility of treatment options for individuals struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction.
– Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease. This indicator can help track progress in reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases, which can be influenced by excessive alcohol consumption.
– Indicator 3.8.1: Coverage of essential health services. This indicator can measure the extent to which individuals have access to essential health services, including those related to substance abuse prevention and treatment.
– Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality. This indicator can assess progress in improving water quality and ensuring access to clean drinking water.
These indicators can provide valuable data to monitor and evaluate efforts towards achieving the identified targets.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol | Indicator 3.5.1: Coverage of treatment interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial and rehabilitation and aftercare services) for substance use disorders |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality
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