DEC 31, 2015 7:37 AM PST

The Science of Hangovers

WRITTEN BY: Xuan Pham

New Year's Eve is finally here. And for many people, celebrations will include staying up late, mingling, and, of course, drinking. It's a good thing that New Year's Day is a holiday, because some people will be nursing a hangover from the previous night's merriment.

Scientists have a formal name for hangovers: veisalgia, which literally translates to "pain, grief, and uneasiness after debauchery." This aptly describes the general malaise brought on by consuming too much alcohol. Common symptoms of hangovers include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, stomach problems, drowsiness, sweating, excessive thirst and cognitive fuzziness - generally the opposite experience of any alcohol-induced revelry the night before.

But why do hangovers happen, and can you prevent getting one at the start of 2016? Watch the video to learn what alcohol does to your body, why some people are more susceptible to hangovers than others, and what eggs have to do with getting over a hangover.
About the Author
Doctorate (PhD)
I am a human geneticist, passionate about telling stories to make science more engaging and approachable. Find more of my writing at the Hopkins BioMedical Odyssey blog and at TheGeneTwist.com.
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