A Guide to Knowing How to Hydrate the Morning After Drinking

October 15, 2025 •

4 min read

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, suppressing the hormone vasopressin and causing the body to lose fluids and electrolytes through increased urination. This dehydration is a primary contributor to many unpleasant hangover symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and a dry mouth. Knowing how to hydrate the morning after drinking is key to a smoother recovery.

Quick Summary

This guide details the science behind alcohol-induced dehydration and provides actionable, evidence-based strategies for rehydration and hangover recovery, including the best beverages and foods to consume.

Key Points

Start Rehydrating Immediately: Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up to begin replenishing lost fluids.
Replenish Electrolytes: Use drinks like coconut water, broth, or commercial electrolyte solutions to restore depleted minerals such as sodium and potassium.
Opt for Hydrating Foods: Eat water-rich fruits like watermelon and nutrient-dense foods like eggs and toast to aid recovery and stabilize blood sugar.
Avoid Quick Fixes: Steer clear of more alcohol (the 'hair of the dog') or excessive caffeine, which can worsen dehydration and prolong the hangover.
Prioritize Rest: Sleep is crucial for your body's healing process, and alcohol often disrupts sleep quality.
Consider Prevention: Alternate alcoholic drinks with water and eat a substantial meal beforehand to reduce the dehydrating effects.
Listen to Your Body: Sip fluids slowly to avoid upsetting your stomach, and don't force yourself to eat if you feel nauseous.

The Science of Dehydration and Hangovers

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases the frequency of urination. It achieves this by suppressing the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), or vasopressin, which typically signals the kidneys to reabsorb water. When ADH is suppressed, more fluid is directed to the bladder, leading to excessive fluid loss. This process, along with other factors like sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea, can result in mild dehydration, which is a major contributor to classic hangover symptoms.

Beyond simply losing water, the body also loses vital electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These minerals are essential for regulating fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. The imbalance of electrolytes can cause symptoms like muscle cramps, weakness, and fatigue. Furthermore, alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, increase stomach acid, and lead to inflammation throughout the body, intensifying the feeling of being unwell. While there's no way to instantly cure a hangover, strategically rehydrating and restoring nutrient levels is the most effective approach.

The Best Drinks for Rehydration

To effectively rehydrate, you need to replace not only the lost water but also the depleted electrolytes. Here are some of the best beverages to reach for:

Water: The most important and straightforward option is plain water. Sipping water throughout the morning can help rehydrate your body gently without overwhelming an upset stomach. Keep a bottle by your bedside to start rehydrating as soon as you wake up.
Electrolyte Drinks: Commercial electrolyte beverages like sports drinks (e.g., Gatorade) or oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are specifically formulated to replenish lost sodium, potassium, and other minerals. However, watch out for excessive sugar, which can sometimes worsen an upset stomach.
Coconut Water: For a more natural option, coconut water is rich in potassium and can be a fantastic way to replenish electrolytes. It's naturally isotonic, which means its electrolyte concentration is similar to your body's, making it very effective for hydration.
Broth and Soup: A warm bowl of broth or soup can be gentle on the stomach and provides fluids, sodium, and other nutrients. Bouillon soup is often recommended for its vitamin and mineral content.
Fruit Juice: Fruit juices, particularly tomato juice, can help boost low blood sugar levels and provide a dose of vitamins and electrolytes like potassium. Remember to choose 100% juice to avoid added sugars.
Herbal Tea: Ginger or peppermint tea can help soothe nausea and an irritated stomach. Chamomile tea may aid in relaxation and better sleep, which is often disrupted by alcohol. Be mindful that caffeinated teas are diuretics and should be consumed in moderation.

Hydrating Foods That Aid Recovery

Eating the right foods can support your rehydration efforts and help stabilize your blood sugar. Avoid greasy, heavy foods that can further irritate your digestive system. Instead, opt for these nutritious choices:

Water-Rich Fruits: Melons, such as watermelon and cantaloupe, and berries like strawberries are excellent sources of water. They provide hydration along with essential vitamins and antioxidants.
Eggs: Eggs contain L-cysteine, an amino acid that can help break down acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism. They also offer protein and B vitamins, which are often depleted after drinking.
Bland Carbohydrates: Simple, easy-to-digest carbs like toast, crackers, or oatmeal can help restore your blood sugar levels and settle your stomach. Oatmeal also contains B vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties.
Avocado: High in potassium and healthy fats, avocados can help replenish lost nutrients and provide a sustained energy boost.
Ginger: Whether in a tea or as an ingredient in a light meal, ginger is well-known for its ability to combat nausea.

How to Prevent the Worst of It

The best way to recover is to minimize the damage in the first place. Here are some prevention tips:

Pace Yourself: Drink slowly, aiming for no more than one alcoholic beverage per hour, to give your body time to process the alcohol.
Alternate with Water: Have a full glass of water between every alcoholic drink to stay hydrated and slow your alcohol intake.
Eat Before Drinking: Having a meal with protein, fat, and carbohydrates before drinking can help slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.
Choose Wisely: Drinks with fewer congeners (chemical byproducts of fermentation), such as vodka, gin, or light beer, may cause less severe hangovers than darker spirits like bourbon or red wine.
Hydrate Before Bed: Drink a large glass of water and keep one by your bed to sip throughout the night.

Comparing Rehydration Methods for Hangovers


Method	Speed of Rehydration	Electrolyte Replenishment	Other Benefits	Considerations
Plain Water	Moderate	Minimal	Gentle on the stomach, flushes toxins	Doesn't replace lost electrolytes
Electrolyte Drink	Fast	High	Restores lost minerals, quick absorption	Can be high in sugar and calories
Coconut Water	Fast	High (Potassium)	Natural source, contains antioxidants	Lower in sodium than sports drinks
Broth/Soup	Moderate	High (Sodium)	Provides vitamins, minerals, and calories; gentle on the stomach	Can be high in sodium, may not be palatable for everyone
Fruit Juice	Moderate	High (Potassium)	Boosts blood sugar, contains vitamins	High in sugar, may worsen an upset stomach
Herbal Tea	Slow-Moderate	Minimal	Soothes stomach (ginger, peppermint), aids relaxation (chamomile)	Not ideal for rapid electrolyte replacement

Conclusion

While there is no miracle cure for a hangover, knowing how to hydrate the morning after drinking is the single most effective step you can take for recovery. Alcohol's diuretic effect leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which can be addressed with strategic fluid and food intake. Plain water is your foundation, but incorporating electrolyte-rich options like coconut water or broth and consuming gentle, nutritious foods can significantly alleviate your symptoms. Always remember to listen to your body, give it time to recover, and focus on prevention for future instances. For further reading on the effects of alcohol on the body, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides extensive resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning it increases urination by suppressing the hormone vasopressin. This leads to excess fluid loss and depletes important electrolytes in the body.

Water is the most important component of rehydration, but it doesn't replace the electrolytes your body loses. Combining water with electrolyte-rich drinks or foods is more effective for a full recovery.

A sports drink can replenish electrolytes faster than water alone, but it often contains high levels of sugar. For most hangovers, slowly sipping water is sufficient, with electrolyte drinks being helpful for more severe dehydration.

While coffee might give you a temporary energy boost, it is also a diuretic and can worsen dehydration. It's better to stick with water or caffeine-free herbal teas to avoid exacerbating symptoms like headaches.

Bland, easy-to-digest carbohydrates like toast or oatmeal are good for stabilizing blood sugar. Nutrient-rich foods like eggs and water-rich fruits such as watermelon can also aid in recovery.

No, drinking more alcohol will only delay and likely worsen the inevitable hangover. It simply adds more toxins to your system and prolongs the recovery process.

If you or someone you know exhibits symptoms of alcohol poisoning, such as confusion, irregular breathing, seizures, or loss of consciousness, seek immediate medical help. For typical hangovers, persistent and severe symptoms that don't improve with rest and hydration may warrant a conversation with a doctor.