We've all been there: capping off the weekend with friends and family or celebrating a win on Super Bowl Sunday, only to wake up with a terrible hangover to start a long work week. What you might not know is that alcohol consumption interferes with natural brain activity during sleep — to say nothing of those late-night emergency trips to the bathroom! In short, a hangover's effect on the brain is essentially identical to that of sleep deprivation, disrupting the hormones that regulate our biological clocks.

What are some of the most common symptoms of a hangover?

Hangovers range in severity based on degree of overindulgence, with the most common symptoms being fairly debilitating. These include migraines, nausea, diarrhea and extreme fatigue. More severe cases can manifest in sustained elevation of systolic blood pressure, shaking, clamminess and overproducing sweat glands.

It goes without saying that the obvious best course of treatment for a hangover is hydration and plenty of bed rest. However, it's worth noting that social events and holidays like birthdays, bachelor parties and St. Patrick's Day don't always fall on weekends! In this post, let's look at how LIFEAID beverages, hemp-derived CBD products and common health supplements may help you get ready for a productive day at work — with or without a killer hangover.

PARTYAID Recovery Blend to Reduce Fatigue & Stomach Issues

LIFEAID’s PARTYAID beverage is a non-caffeinated, 40 calorie recovery blend for revitalizing the system with much-needed electrolytes. It comes in a refreshing berry bliss flavor; a piquantly perfect balance to perk up the taste buds and energize the senses.

PARTYAID contains 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a natural amino acid used in the production of serotonin which functions as an important chemical messenger and neurotransmitter. Low serotonin levels lead to fatigue and sleep dysfunction as well as rapid weight gain, depression and other physiological disorders. 5-HTP may be an effective hangover remedy in itself because of its reported ability to promote healthy sleep cycles and reduce fatigue by normalizing serotonin levels in the body.

PARTYAID also contains milk thistle, a well-established home remedy for nausea, indigestion, gas and upset stomachs. For decades, milk thistle has been a household go-to for hangovers — making it a natural addition to a weekday recovery blend.

Cannabidiol (CBD) for Increased Focus and Relief from Headaches & Nausea

CBD and other cannabinoids produce their effects through interactive modulation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of cannabinoid receptors in the body that influence the production and throughput of hormones like dopamine and norepinephrine. This ability to regulate the flow of hormones into the nervous system is the foundation of medical research into CBD as a possible natural alternative to lab-synthesized spasmolytics, painkillers and anxiolytic drugs.

As of this writing, there is a significant amount of scientific literature exploring the viability of CBD supplementation not only for improving overall focus, but in managing symptoms of dementia as well. Studies highlighting CBD's analgesic potential are further supported by millions of anecdotal testimonies in the form of product reviews across social media and e-retail sites.

While more research is required before CBD's viability as a novel alternative to pharmaceutical drugs becomes a fact of life, it certainly can't hurt to try an all-natural, user-backed hangover remedy to reduce headaches and nausea while increasing focus and concentration — all with virtually no risk of side effects.

And if you’re not quite ready to dive into the expensive world of CBD oil yet, LIFEAID Hemp is a great alternative. It has 20mg of organic broad-spectrum hemp extract with active cannabinoids (and it tastes much better than CBD oil too!).

A Cup of Tea Using Common & Complementary Health Supplements

If you happen to be a believer in natural medicine, you'd be surprised how many of the common supplements available at your local health and wellness shops effectively reduce symptoms of a bad hangover. Let's look at three of the best examples below:

Red Ginseng has been shown in crossover studies to potentially relieve the severity of hangover symptoms by "significantly lowering" blood alcohol levels with regular supplementation. With other well-known benefits like increased energy, strengthened immune system and decreased stress, red ginseng is a handy supplement for much more than the odd episode of overindulgence.

Borage oil is derived from starflower seeds, and may be effective in reducing hangover symptoms, as shown in a home-based open label study with 113 participants. In the study, 88% of subjects reported significant relief from typical hangover symptoms like headaches and stomach discomfort — with a notable exception being palpitations in overweight individuals.

Ginger is considered in several cultures as a tried and true remedy against the spells of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea associated with everything from severe fevers to pregnancy and food poisoning. So ginger may be just as effective in ameliorating these symptoms when brought about by a bad hangover, and greatly enhances numerous Asian recipes when not in use as homemade medicine. Ginger can be an acquired taste, if you’re not ready to fully dive in, you can also crack open an ice-cold can of LIFEAID which contains ginger extract in its proprietary blend.

While these ingredients can tackle symptoms of so-called "weekday sickness" fairly well by themselves, there's no reason you can't combine two or more of the above with tea leaves and honey to make a potent home remedy against particularly debilitating hangovers. So if you can find all four of the above, be sure to stock up for emergencies.

-Paul Lewin

Paul Lewin is a hemp industry enthusiast and craft beer lover, currently hiding out in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He's written for The GrowthOp and many other large publications.