{"id":8857,"date":"2022-08-14T13:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-14T17:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/?p=8857"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:40:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:40:36","slug":"cycling-and-hangovers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/health-and-wellness\/cycling-and-hangovers\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling with A Hangover: How To Ride with One or Avoid Them Altogether"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you frequently find yourself cycling while you’re hungover? Cycling when hungover puts you in danger of getting into accidents and even crashing your bike. If you’re feeling shaky after drinking, you should avoid riding your bike and instead choose other modes of transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post will discuss hangovers, what causes them, what happens when you ride with a hangover, and how you can avoid one altogether. And we will finally answer the question\u2014is it safe to ride your bike with a nagngover?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cycling with a severe hangover is dangerous and should be avoided. When dehydrated, your body becomes extremely sensitive to pain cues that cause nausea and vomiting. Even minor bumps can induce you to vomit. However, if you have mind symptoms and you are no longer intoxicated, cycling can be a good way to improve how you feel during a hangover.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is a hangover?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A hangover is a collection of unpleasant signs and symptoms after consuming too much alcohol. As if feeling bad wasn’t enough, frequent hangovers are linked to poor performance and conflict at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more alcohol you consume, the more likely you will have a hangover the next day. However, no magic formula will tell you how much you can drink and avoid a hangover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter how unpleasant, most hangovers go away on their own, though they can last up to 24 hours. If you choose to consume alcohol, do so responsibly to avoid future hangovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens when you ride with a hangover?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cycling while hungover is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Dehydration causes your body to become extremely sensitive to pain cues, causing nausea and vomiting. And minor bumps can cause you to vomit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, drinking while driving impairs vision and judgment, making it difficult to analyze potential road hazards such as potholes or traffic signals. Additionally, drinking promotes lactic acid accumulation, making your legs feel stiff and heavy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Because alcohol is a diuretic, excessive consumption leads to dehydration because it causes the kidneys to produce more urine. If you do ride, once you begin sweating, you will lose even more fluid, worsening dehydration and reducing performance because the flow of oxygen and nutrients is slowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image of a bicycle with bottles of beer. Source: camila quintero franco, unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Should you ride your bike with a hangover?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While this all sounds terrifying, and the prospect of staying home, watching TV, and putting your feet up is appealing, you should still consider getting some fresh air outside. And a short, relaxing bike ride can make a world of difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fresh air, sunshine, and movement will jump-start your recovery and aid with digestion and headache relief. However, be careful if you’re still intoxicated when you wake up; riding a bike in that situation is dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you avoid the hangover?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best strategy to avoid a hangover is determined by your personal dietary and drinking habits.<\/strong> However, here are some pointers that may be useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Keep track of your drinks.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Avoid a “binge.” According to the NHS, a “binge” is anything more than six units for a man or woman, two to three standard glasses of wine, or two to three pints of 4% beer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Hydrate before bed.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everyone knows you should drink a glass of water before bed, but consider combining it with a hydration tablet (such as Nuun Hydration Tablets<\/a>) for the best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

3. Don’t drink on an empty stomach.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you drink, have a hearty meal. Having some food in your stomach slows the rate at which your body absorbs alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Drink water between every alcoholic drink.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drinking water prevents dehydration, slows down drinking, and encourages you to consider how much you drink. If you feel like a glass of water attracts too much attention to your sensibility, go for a soft drink, and no one will guess your game (you can laugh at them the next day if you’re riding together).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Don’t mix your drinks.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Choose a wine, beer, or spirit and stick to it. Don’t mix and match drinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want even more tips, watch this video called “How Bad Is Alcohol For Cycling Performance?”<\/em> from the Global Cycling Network YouTube Channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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