our silly season hangover hacks
Party season is upon us. Work functions, Christmas catch-ups, New Year’s Eve shenanigans, and all those ‘just one drink’ situations that somehow turn into three bottles between friends. We’re not here to judge – we’re here to help.
Because let’s be honest, nobody wants to spend Boxing Day horizontal on the couch, wincing every time the kids fire up that noisy toy Uncle Pete thought was hilarious.
So we’ve put together our tried-and-tested hangover hacks – the ones that actually work. And because prevention is better than cure, we’ll also let you in on a little secret about why the wine you choose matters more than you might think.
First Things First: A Word on Prevention
Before we get into the morning-after fixes, here’s the thing, not all drinks are created equal when it comes to how rough you’ll feel the next day.
Those brown spirits like whisky and scotch? Loaded with congeners (compounds that make hangovers worse). Sugary cocktails? Your head will be pounding. Cheap wines packed with sulphites and residual sugar? Hello, headache.
This is the part where we toot our own horn and drop in a shameless plug. Because it’s true, our wines at Koonara are low in sulphur, have little to no residual sugar, and are made without all the nasties. We’re not saying you won’t feel anything after a big night (I mean, we’re winemakers, not magicians), but your body will thank you for choosing quality over quantity.
For party season, we’d particularly recommend our Guardian Angel Sparkling Chardonnay (perfect for mimosas and Christmas morning bubbles), our festive favourite the Golden Orb Sparkling Shiraz, or if you’re after something light and refreshing, our Lucy & Alice Pinot Gris or the ever-delightful Flowers for Lucy Moscato.
Right, shameless plug over. Now onto the good stuff.
Hangover Hack #1: The Glutamine Game-Changer
Not all heroes wear capes, this one happens to come in powder form. Glutamine is an amino acid that works absolute wonders for hangover recovery. It gives your immune system a boost and kicks your liver and kidneys into gear to flush out the alcohol faster.
Pop a teaspoon in a glass of water before bed (or first thing in the morning if you forgot) and you’ll notice the difference. It’s the kind of natural support your body actually needs – no synthetic nasties required.
Hangover Hack #2: The Protein-Packed Morning Shake
After a night of indulging, your body is crying out for amino acids. Protein powder is packed with Lysine (helps break down alcohol faster) and L-Tyrosine (boosts your mood). Together, they’ll have you feeling human again in no time.
Our favourite morning-after shake:
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ cup of milk (whatever you’ve got)
- ½ cup frozen berries
- 1 scoop of your favourite protein powder
Chuck it all in the blender (hopefully your head can hack the noise), hit go, and drink up. Simple as that.
The banana helps settle your stomach, the berries are packed with antioxidants, and the protein gets those amino acids working. Plus, it’s cold, it’s easy, and you don’t have to think too hard about it, which is exactly what you need when you’re not firing on all cylinders.
Hangover Hack #3: Skip the Sports Drinks
Sports drinks might promise quick hydration, but here’s the thing – they’re often packed with sugars that can actually make your hangover worse. (Noticing a theme here? Sugar is not your friend.)
Instead, add a pinch of Himalayan or Murray River Pink Salt to your water. It’ll help replenish essential minerals without the sugar spike and crash. Plus, it’s much kinder on your wallet.
Hangover Hack #4: Vitamin C to the Rescue
Before you reach for those pricey hydration tablets, remember that good old Vitamin C is a powerful, natural hangover fighter. It helps flush out toxins and supports your immune system – which, let’s face it, needs all the help it can get after a big night.
Keep some Vitamin C tablets on hand throughout party season. Pop one before bed and another in the morning. Your future self will be grateful.
Hangover Hack #5: Choose Your Drinks Wisely
We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating: what you drink matters just as much as how much you drink.
Darker spirits are generally rougher on your system than clear ones. Sugary mixers are a recipe for headaches. And cheap wines loaded with preservatives? Well, you get what you pay for.
Go for quality over quantity, stay hydrated between drinks, and your body will cope much better. Revolutionary advice, we know.
Hangover Hack #6: Mixers Matter
If you are reaching for spirits, your mixer choice can make a huge difference to how you feel the next day.
Tonic water, while popular, is essentially sugar water in disguise, we’re talking around 8 grams of sugar per glass. Your bod is already going to be working overtime processing the alcohol; it doesn’t need a sugar crash on top.
Switch to soda water instead. It takes a bit of getting used to if you’re a tonic devotee, but your head (and your body) will thank you for it. Add a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon if you need a bit of flavour, it’ll give you that citrus hit without the sugar bomb.
The same goes for soft drink mixers, energy drinks, and those pre-made cocktail mixes. They might taste good going down, but they’re 100% setting you up for a rougher morning.
Of course, the easiest solution? Skip the spirits altogether and pour yourself a glass of good wine instead. Just saying. 🍷
The Bottom Line
Look, we’re not going to pretend there’s a magic cure for overindulging. If you go hard, you’re probably going to feel it the next day. That’s just how it works.
But with these hacks in your back pocket – and perhaps some better choices about what you’re drinking in the first place – you can take the edge off considerably. Think of it as damage control that actually works.
At Koonara, we believe in enjoying the good times without the nasty aftermath. Our wines are crafted with care – low in sulphur, low in sugar, organically grown, and vegan-friendly. Because let’s be honest life’s too short for bad hangovers and even shorter for bad wine.
Here’s to a silly season filled with great memories you actually remember. Cheers! 🥂
You can read our full hangover hacks original blog post from a few years ago here, which still tracks true.
