What is a Hangover?

Waking up a bit queasy one Sunday morning you might ask yourself, "what is a hangover?" Simply put, a hangover is a subset of unwanted physical and mental symptoms due to the excess consumption of alcohol.

Veisalgia, the formal name for a hangover, is defined as an "uneasiness following debauchery". Hangovers can range from a benign subset of unpleasant alcohol related side-effects to posing a substantial risk to the sufferer even in the absence of alcohol in the blood.

The hangover has been around since the discovery of alcohol. In fact, hangovers are even documented in the Bible. Check out this verse from Isaiah 5:11: Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

There is some debate about the exact etiology of a hangover. The truth is that it's a combination of several factors: dehydration, gastronomical distress, electrolyte and glycogen cannibalization, alcohol toxicity, allergens, compromised sleep architecture and other factors still being discovered.

Along with being a nuisance, the alcohol hangover has substantial social, health and economic consequences. In America, the total cost of alcohol use and abuse has been estimated as high as $148 billion per year (although this figure has been criticized for using unrealistic criteria).

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