Do you feel like you have a hangover even though you haven’t been drinking? The reasons may be surprising

After an abundantly drunk evening, the next day we have to get sick. The hangover is a very common and well-known phenomenon. However, if you wake up with a throbbing headache, nausea, and a feeling of dehydration – even though you didn’t drink a drop of alcohol the night before – it could be due to another health problem. Yes, you can have a hangover without drinking alcohol. Why is this happening?

1. We can often experience hangover symptoms despite not consuming alcohol
2. This happens, inter alia, in case of poisoning or as a consequence of not getting enough sleep at night
3. There are also diseases whose symptoms are very similar to the so-called syndrome the next day
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

What happens to your body when you have a hangover is your body’s response to alcohol. You may experience many symptoms of varying severity. Nausea is the result of alcohol having an effect on your stomach. Headaches are caused by dehydration caused by alcohol consumption. And the feeling of anxiety is caused by a product that is formed when the body metabolizes alcohol (acetaldehyde). It turns out, however, that you may experience similar or identical symptoms for completely different reasons.

According to Dr. Beth Ricanti, we can very often experience hangover symptoms despite not consuming alcohol. This often happens in the event of poisoning or as a consequence of not having enough sleep at night. There are also diseases whose symptoms are very similar to the so-called syndrome the next day. Remember not to underestimate the signals your body is sending out. Here 13 of the most common reasons why you feel hungover even though you haven’t had alcohol.

Further part below the video.

Dehydration like a hangover

Anything that dehydrates the body has the potential to cause hangover-like symptoms. If you don’t drink enough water, you may start to feel bad quickly as a consequence weakness and headache. Try to replace the missing fluids, it should be quick to help you.

Too much caffeine

Have you consumed a lot more coffee than usual today? According to Dr. Ricanati overusing caffeine can make you feel like you are having a terrible hangover. A cup of coffee contains 70 to 100 mg of caffeine. While there is no specific allowable daily dose for caffeine, a 2021 study suggests 400 mg (for healthy individuals without any medical conditions) is considered safe. Exceeding this amount, i.e. drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can have unpleasant side effects. The most common ones are headache and feeling anxious. To avoid undesirable effects, it’s best not to overdo it with caffeine and drink a glass of water in a cup of coffee.

Caffeine withdrawal

If you’ve been drinking a lot of coffee so far and suddenly decide to “get better”, you can pay for your caffeine detox with a hangover. According to a study caffeine withdrawal symptoms they tend to show up within 12 to 24 hours of drinking their last cup, peak around 20 to 51 hours, and can last as long as two to nine days.

Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal cover the full spectrum of hangover symptoms – from headache, fatigue and low alertness, to depressed mood, difficulty concentrating and the feeling of brain fog. You may also feel irritable. Symptoms may vary in severity. Even if you only drink one caffeinated drink a day, giving up caffeine can trigger withdrawal symptoms.

Stomach viruses

Anyone who has ever had the so-called stomach flu, knows that the symptoms you experience are like a hangover. The most common direct fault is the rapid dehydration of the body due to diarrhea and / or vomiting.

Infections

Any type of infection – from the common cold to a urinary tract infection – can make you feel unwell. Whether you feel sore, tired or nauseous, it’s best to make an appointment with your doctor. Perhaps you need support and hot broth alone is not enough.

Electrolyte imbalance

An isotonic electrolyte drink can save you from a severe headache after drinking at night, but it’s not the only reason to keep your body’s electrolyte levels normal. Electrolyte imbalances can occur after vigorous exercise or heavy sweating, for example on a hot day. The symptoms you experience will be similar to an alcohol hangover.

According to Dr. Ehsan Ali, any change in the level of important electrolytes can affect the mental and physical state of a person. We feel the strongest disturbance when it is disturbed sodium and potassium levels. To keep your mineral balance under control, make sure you are properly hydrated, especially while exercising.

Action of hypnotics

If you are taking sleeping pills, you will certainly feel dizzy in the morning. This is a very common symptom. Some sleeping pills may cause sleepiness the next day or headaches, according to the psychiatrist. Interestingly, such an effect may appear both after medications prescribed by a doctor and the use of certain herbal remedies or dietary supplements.

Antihistamines

There are many other medications that can lead to unwanted side effects, including the fairly popular antihistamines. These drugs are used for allergies and their use can cause headaches and dizziness, blurred vision, dry mouth, and even nausea and vomiting. Just like a hangover.

Too little sleep

If you haven’t slept through the night, you can quickly face hangover symptoms. If you suffer from sleep deprivationyou will most likely feel tired and lightheaded, but you may also experience more serious side effects. Chronic sleep deprivation has a huge impact on the functioning of the body. You may experience reduced motor skills and coordination problems.

Anemia

When you have a real hangover, you could often spend the whole day in bed, but you may experience a similar feeling of weakness because of a serious medical condition – anemia. Such a symptom, for no apparent reason, could indicate a condition called pernicious anemia that is associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. It very often affects people on plant diets. If you experience such discomfort, be sure to check your vitamin B12 level and take care of a properly balanced diet and / or supplementation.

Migraine

If you have migraines, you know perfectly well that it’s more than just a headache. But if you’ve never experienced it before, you may not realize how serious so-called migraine hangover.

Unfortunately migraine symptoms can be very long lasting, even after the episode has ended.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes many physical changes to the body, including so-called morning nausea. While nausea and tiredness all day long can be very similar to a hangover, they can be early pregnancy symptoms caused by hormonal changes.

Liver or kidney problems

If you wake up with a hangover relatively frequently, it could be that one of your organs is not working properly. Specialists urge not to underestimate such a bad mood, as it may indicate liver and kidney problems. If you are experiencing chronic hangover symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, or even brain fog, let your doctor know as soon as possible.