When there’s a night of heavy drinking, it leads to a morning of misery and suffering—which may include a pounding headache, nausea, and sensitivity to light and noise. While a hangover is uncomfortable and annoying, it’s a sign that the body is doing its job—processing and removing toxins. You may be able to help it along (and dull the discomfort) with water, vitamins, and some reassuring essential oils.
Alone or combined, some suggested essential oils for hangovers are:
• Ginger
• Lavender
• Orange
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
Avoid the Hangover Entirely
Drink one glass of water for each alcoholic beverage consumed. When you get home, take vitamins C and a B complex with water before heading to bed to help you wake up, maybe, without the hangover. Or, don’t drink as much.
Relieve the fallout after a night out with these simple aromatherapy remedies.
• Cool compress. Add a few headache-relieving oils to a cool compress and apply it to your forehead, temples, or the back of your neck.
• Soothing soak. If you have the time, take a relaxing bath infused with essential oils that relieve headache, settle the stomach, and revive energy.
• In the air. Diffusing or inhaling rejuvenating and digestive oils may help get you through the day.
Natural Partners for Aromatherapy
For maximum results, combine your essential oils with these other natural remedies:
• Sweat it out. Exercise or a steam bath can help speed your body’s hangover-healing process.
• Hydrate. To avoid or reduce a hangover, drink a glass of water between every alcoholic drink.
• Get extra sleep. Your body will benefit from time to rest and heal.
The major symptoms of hangover are headache, nausea, and fatigue. Here are some suggestions for each.
This supersimple recipe is quick to put together and quick to offer relief to queasy stomachs.
1 teaspoon carrier oil
3 drops ginger oil
2 drops peppermint oil
Combine the oils in a small glass bowl. Massage the mixture onto your abdomen while deeply inhaling, as needed throughout the day.
Peppermint and lavender soothe your aching head while orange gives you a little lift of happiness to help face the day.
2 drops peppermint oil
2 drops lavender oil
2 drops orange oil
1 cup cool or cold water
1 clean washcloth
Combine the oils in a large glass bowl, then stir in the water. Soak the washcloth in the water, wring it out, and apply it to your head and neck. Hold it there until the washcloth comes to room temperature. Repeat the process with a fresh cloth, as needed.
A combination of Epsom salts and relaxing oils gives you allover relief from hangover symptoms while supporting the detoxifying functions of the body.
12 drops lavender oil
10 drops rosemary oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup Epsom salts
½ cup coarse sea salt
½ cup baking soda
1 dark-glass pint jar
In a large glass bowl, combine the oils. Add in the Epsom salts, sea salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into your jar. Add ¼ to ½ cup of the blend to a hot bath.