10 Ways To Avoid Those Dreaded Wine Hangovers

There's no reason to settle into a belief system that hangovers are unavoidable if you choose to indulge in alcoholic beverages. Many people deal with a dreaded headache and hangover the day after an evening of drinking wine. It's not uncommon to suffer from a headache after consuming red wine in particular (via Secco Wine Club). But there are ways to ensure that you can enjoy the beverages you love the most without experiencing discomfort afterward.

According to Forbes, wine sales grew by 16.8% in 2021 and have shown no sign of slowing down. It's clear that it is one of the more popular adult drinks to consume. Since we've established that wine is a top-tier beverage to sip on during a night out, it's time to establish the ways that people can avoid getting headaches and hangovers for good. Fortunately, a lot of myths about wine consumption are totally false, and there are plenty of things you can do to improve the drinking experience.

Watching any episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones" that features Cersei or Tyrion Lannister might remind you of the power that wine can have over people. In the real world, plenty of people understand the draw of a finely-aged glass of red, white, or rosé. It might be too difficult to stop indulging in wine completely, but you won't have to if you know how to keep your brain healthy throughout the drinking process. Here are 10 helpful ways to avoid those dreaded wine hangovers.

If you're feeling tempted to enjoy a sweet treat while sipping on a glass of wine, you might want to rethink your plan. According to Daily News, alcohol can already mess with your blood sugar when you drink it. After consuming alcohol your blood sugar can spike, but then it can fall after your body processes it. It can put your body out of balance, especially if you are drinking wine while eating something loaded up with sugar. 

That includes decadent slices of cake, sprinkle-covered donuts, and sugar cookies! Pair wine with cheese and crackers all night long, but reconsider things before chowing down on pastries and baked goods. Drinking wine while eating sugary foods will force your body into survival mode by causing it to dehydrate, per Bright Cellars. Being fully hydrated before a night of drinking will also help.

If you truly want to ensure your health and well-being the day after drinking wine, you'll probably want to hold off on ordering dessert. The good news is that having a bottle of fine wine might be enough of a sugar indulgence to keep your body happy. Alcoholic beverages can automatically stop you from craving the sweet stuff (via Insider).

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do, whether you're drinking wine or other forms of alcohol. When it comes to having water in conjunction with an adult beverage, remember to consume plenty of H2O before, during, and after you start drinking your wine. According to Eat This, Not That!, alcohol classifies as a diuretic — since it falls into that category, you can become dehydrated while drinking it.

The problem is, you might not even notice when you're becoming dehydrated. Drinking sips of water alongside your glass of wine will make a huge difference in helping you avoid a wine headache or hangover the following day. Allowing yourself to become dehydrated is the easiest way to end up with a headache after enjoying your favourite bottle (via Food Network). 

That being said, having an ample amount of water is one of the simplest ways to save yourself from a difficult aftermath. If drinking plain water is a little too boring for you, you can always add a wedge of fruit to your glass in order to shake things up. A slice of lemon, some chopped up watermelon chunks, or a few pieces of cucumber can make a huge difference in terms of flavor.

If drinking wine is totally your thing, then you should also know which foods to eat to keep your brain in a perfectly healthy state. Avoiding wine headaches and hangovers is totally doable with the right diet plan in mind. According to Travelling Corkscrew, cooking up some eggs can help break down pesky toxins floating around inside your body from wine consumption. 

The lovely thing about this healthy breakfast food is that you can enjoy them in several different ways. You can try preparing them as fluffily scrambled, soft boiled, or poached. Adding a banana to your morning meal is also recommended to help replenish your electrolytes, per Healthline. Whatever your body starts lacking from wine consumption can be made up for with a medium-sized, ripe banana that is full of potassium. If you don't feel like biting into a banana, you can try blending one up into a healthful smoothie or milkshake.

Coconut water can also prevent an unpleasant headache after drinking your favourite vintage (via Delicious). This healthy beverage is incredibly high in potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Chowing down on eggs, bananas, and coconuts might be the answer to your wine headache struggle.

Steaming hot showers shouldn't be reserved just for times when you've finished a tough workout at the gym. They can come in handy to help get rid of a dreaded wine headache as well. According to Travelling Corkscrew, hopping in the shower can help relax your body after a night out. When you feel calm, it makes it easier for you to fall asleep as well. This is a huge win, since everyone knows how important it is to get rest while battling a headache or hangover.

A hot bath or a shower can be wildly beneficial to help detoxify your body (via The Healthy). When toxins are lingering in your system with no place to go, they start wreaking havoc. When you sweat those toxins out in a hot shower, you'll start to feel better right away. If you're not interested in soaking your hangover away under a stream of hot water, you might consider sitting back in a sauna or steam room to reach similar results.

Taking a hot shower will benefit your body in many ways, not just by releasing toxins after wine consumption. The steam from a shower can help promote balanced blood sugar, improve respiratory health, and achieve clearer skin, per Health Shots.

Another smart option to consider to try to avoid wine headaches and hangovers is drinking kombucha after alcohol. According to Insider, the fermented tea helps to reduce inflammation in the body. It can also be used for people who are experiencing nausea and an upset stomach.

Kombucha is great when it comes to ridding the body of toxins since there are so many antioxidants in a cup of the popular health drink, per Bucha Brewers. Kombucha is also filled with electrolytes, which means it is great for staying hydrated. Since we know that headaches are directly linked to dehydration, it's obvious that kombucha is beneficial in this department. What makes it even better is that it's super low in sugar.

The taste of kombucha is made up of your flavor choice mixed with a combination of sweet, sour, and a bit of fizz (via Flying Embers). If you're going for something a little more fruity, you can find that. If you prefer something a little more herbal, it's available too. Those who enjoy floral-flavored beverages are also in luck. One of the easiest drinks to compare kombucha against would be sparkling apple cider with a little less sweetness to it.

There's a lot to be said about sulfites and tannins in red wine. According to Secco Wine Club, it's a myth that sulfites and tannins aren't connected to terrible headaches and hangovers. When it comes to sulfites, they exist in wine as a byproduct of the fermentation process. Meanwhile, you know your wine is full of tannins if your glass has a dry and bitter taste to it.

You can use special droplets to remove sulfites and tannins from your glass of wine without messing with the overall taste or flavor (via Eat This, Not That!). The droplets are said to reduce tannins and sulfites in red wine, white wine, and sparkling wine.

Sulfites should not be confused with sulfates — which technically come from sulfuric acid — which are found in harsh cleaning products, per Crush Wine XP. While sulfates are toxic and poisonous for human consumption, sulfites are still "invited to the party" when it comes to wine. The only reason to truly fear sulfites is if you have an intolerance and are prone to uncomfortable wine headaches. If hangovers are a problem for you, droplets to remove both sulfites and tannins could help save the day.

Who would've ever guessed that hitting a coffee shop before heading to the bar could save you from a headache afterward? The truth is that caffeine is actually a lot more helpful in this department than one might guess. Coffee gets a bad rap for many reasons, but this isn't one of them. According to Delish, pouring a strong brew before a glass of wine will help constrict your blood vessels and they won't be able to fully open up.

Drinking a couple of cups of strong coffee will help prevent a headache from forming due to its vascular benefits. This is good news for anyone who enjoys drinking coffee products just as much as they enjoy drinking wine. Now you have an excuse to visit your favourite barista to caffeinate yourself, before relaxing with your glass of wine at the end of the night.

In 2022, coffee consumption has hit its highest point in two decades (via The National Coffee Association). About 60% of Americans are sipping on a cup of coffee every single day. In fact, people drink the caffeinated beverage more than they consume tap water! As it stands today, lattes and cappuccinos are tied for being the most popular coffee beverage in America, with plain espresso shots next. It's clear that coffee is a popular beverage that isn't going anywhere, and now people can pair their love for it with their passion for wine.

Straining your wine before drinking it might be the last thing on your mind, but it's something you should consider trying if you want to avoid a dreaded hangover. According to Eat This, Not That!, straining your wine is another great way to filter out pesky sulfites. It's possible to find filters that will effortlessly remove the sulfites from your bottle of wine while still preserving the flavor of your favorite adult beverage. 

But, you'll probably want to avoid using a cheesecloth or coffee filter to strain your wine (via Wine Spectator). There are other better alternatives to think about, including a device that serves as a purifier. When you pour your beverage through this type of machine, you help return the wine back to its most authentic and natural state. After your wine is properly strained, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy without feeling fearful about any repercussions.

The process of straining is incredibly simple, per Kitchen Stories. All that is required is the passing of the drink product through a sieve to keep any undesired components away from your final beverage. Straining is a great technique to use in the kitchen when working with dishes such as pulps, purees, broth, or jam, so why not use the technique with wine?

When you're selecting the best type of wine for you, you'll want to keep in mind how much tyramine it contains. According to WebMD, tyramine is directly linked to migraines and headaches. Along with wine, you'll also find the substance in foods such as cured meats, smoked fish, and aged cheeses. Sipping on an aged wine that's filled with tyramine can cause migraines in a way that experts still don't fully understand. 

Tyramine is mainly present in most red wines, per Migraine Ireland. Since not every single brand of wine is made the same, there are plenty of options for wine lovers to choose from. This is good news for people who prefer white wine over merlot, since it generally has way less tyramine in it. You don't have to totally say "sayonara" to red wine, but if keeping yourself free from headaches and hangovers is your goal then white wine might actually be a better vibe for you.

Being told to cut down on alcohol consumption is probably the last thing any wine lover wants to hear, but sometimes it's the smartest route to take for your personal well-being and health. According to Go San Angelo, the number one tip to avoiding a wine hangover is to stop drinking too much wine altogether. As self-evident as it may be, it's still insightful enough to consider. 

Moderation is always key to drinking wine and staying healthy (via Mayo Clinic). There are potential heart benefits that come from drinking wine, however the pros are instantly nixed if too much wine is consumed. In fact, drinking too much wine can lead to cancer, high blood pressure, liver disease, pancreas disease, heart failure, strokes, obesity, weight gain, and mental health issues. 

When you decrease the amount of wine you drink as a way of saving yourself from a headache or hangover, you improve so many other areas of your well-being at the same time.