Electrolytes & Hangovers - Day After Drinking Recovery Guide
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Bryan Seigel D.C., P.L.C.
Short version: Yes, electrolytes help — but not because alcohol "dehydrates" you in the way most people think. Alcohol switches off the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold onto water, so you lose fluid and the sodium, potassium and magnesium dissolved in it. Drinking plain water the next morning replaces half the problem. That's why you can down a litre of water and still feel terrible.
Ok, so you had a few too many last night. They were tasty, you had a great time with your friends, and right now the headache isn't so fun and your body feels like it's been run over by a steamroller. Here's what actually helps.
Why alcohol wrecks your electrolytes
Alcohol suppresses vasopressin — the hormone that normally tells your kidneys to conserve water. With that signal switched off, your kidneys pass fluid through instead of reabsorbing it. That's why you're up in the night, and why you're passing more fluid than you drank.
The important part: what leaves isn't just water. Sodium, potassium and magnesium go with it. So by morning you're both low on fluid and low on the minerals that let your body hold fluid in the first place — which is exactly why chugging water doesn't fix it. You're diluting what little you have left.
That mineral gap is doing a lot of the work behind the classic symptoms. The headache, the shakiness, the muscle aches, the general fog — those track more closely with electrolyte depletion than with dehydration alone.
The morning after, in order
1. Electrolytes before anything else. Your first drink of the day should be water with minerals in it. An electrolyte drink mix is the easiest option. Pickle juice works too if you can face it — it's basically salt water, which is the active ingredient.
2. Then coffee, if you want it. Have it second, not first. Caffeine is a mild diuretic and you're already behind. Consider skipping the cream — dairy tends to be rough on a stomach that's already had a night of it.
3. Keep sipping through the day. One drink in the morning isn't enough to close a whole night's deficit. Spread it out.
What to look for in a hangover electrolyte drink
Most things marketed for this are sugar water with a token amount of sodium. What actually matters:
- Real sodium. The main thing you lost. A product with 50mg isn't going to touch it.
- Potassium and magnesium too. Magnesium is tied to the headache and the shakiness, and it's the one most hangover products skip entirely.
- Low or no sugar. Your blood sugar is already unstable after a night of drinking — a big sugar hit gives you a lift and then drops you back down harder.
- No caffeine in the mix. Keep those separate so you control the timing.
- Something you can stomach. Genuinely a factor when you feel rough. If it's unpleasant you won't finish it.
Ours is Electrolyte Recovery Plus — all six electrolytes plus 12 vitamins including the B vitamins alcohol depletes, no sugar, no caffeine. The hydration capsules are the option for when the thought of drinking anything flavoured is too much.
Worth saying plainly: nothing cures a hangover. Time does that. What electrolytes do is close a real, specific gap that's making you feel worse than you need to.
Shop Electrolyte Recovery Plus
Should I eat with a hangover?
Getting cravings for a big greasy breakfast from the diner you went to in college? Put down the Nutella and don't order the fries. Greasy food doesn't soak anything up — that ship sailed last night — and it's harder work for a stomach that's already irritated.
If you don't feel like eating, that's fine. Skipping a meal gives your body time to clear things without digesting anything new. When you are ready, go lighter and smaller than instinct is telling you. Bone broth is close to ideal — it's warm, it's salty, and salt is the thing you're short on. Eggs are good too. Celery, watermelon and other high-water foods help on the fluid side.
Fruit is worth a mention: the potassium and the small amount of natural sugar both help, and it's easier to face than a proper meal.
Prioritise self-care
You're allowed to nap. If you're lucky enough not to have a demanding day, lean into it — sleep, a gentle walk, a couple of episodes of whatever you're watching. Your brain isn't firing on all cylinders, so don't schedule anything important.
Your emotional state probably isn't at its best either. Alcohol disrupts sleep architecture even when you sleep plenty of hours, and the anxiety a lot of people get the next day is partly that. Be patient with yourself and with the people around you — they're not trying to start anything.
Skip the workout, or make it a walk. Training hard while already depleted just digs the hole deeper.
Next time: front-load it
Easier than repairing the damage — have an electrolyte drink before bed rather than waiting for the morning. You're topping up before the deficit builds overnight, and most people find it makes a noticeable difference. Alternating water with drinks through the evening helps for the same reason.
When it isn't a hangover
Worth knowing where the line is. Get medical help rather than reaching for a drink mix if there's confusion or someone can't be woken, vomiting that won't stop or brings up blood, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, or pale and clammy skin. Those are signs of alcohol poisoning, not a rough morning.
And if hangovers are becoming a regular fixture, or you're finding it hard to cut back, that's worth talking to someone about — a doctor is a reasonable place to start.