Woke up after a big night feeling flat, thirsty and foggy? Plenty of people reach for an electrolyte drink the morning after. Here's an honest look at what alcohol does to your hydration, what the research says about water and hangovers, and where an electrolyte drink fits (and where it doesn't).
What causes a hangover?
According to the WA Government's Alcohol. Think Again campaign, the main cause of a hangover is the toxic effect of alcohol itself. Your body breaks alcohol down into acetaldehyde, and alcohol can also set off an inflammatory response and irritate the lining of your stomach and gut. Broken, shallow sleep adds to the tiredness and brain fog.
Common symptoms include headache, dry mouth, fatigue, nausea, trouble concentrating and a raised heart rate. Alcohol. Think Again notes that symptoms can last up to 24 hours after alcohol has left your blood.
Does alcohol dehydrate you?
Yes. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you wee more than usual, and that can leave you dehydrated. Add a warm night, a dance floor or a long afternoon in the sun and you can easily finish the night down on fluid. That's why thirst and a dry mouth so often turn up the next morning.
Dehydration is only part of the story, though. A 2024 review led by researchers at Utrecht University, which looked at 13 earlier studies, found that drinking water during or straight after alcohol had only a modest effect on next-day hangover. The authors described dehydration and hangover as two separate effects of drinking that happen at the same time (summary via ScienceAlert). In plain terms: rehydrating deals with being low on fluid, but it won't undo the effects of the alcohol.
Where do electrolyte drinks fit the morning after?
Let's be straight with you. No drink cures a hangover, and that includes electrolyte drinks. What a drink with electrolytes can do is help you rehydrate if you're down on fluid.
Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium help your body manage fluid balance. The Australian Institute of Sport notes that replacing fluid and electrolyte losses together is part of rehydrating after exercise and other dehydrating activities. So if you've sweated through a hot night out, a drink with electrolytes alongside water and a decent breakfast is a sensible way to top back up.
Not sure whether you need electrolytes or plain water day to day? Our guide to electrolytes vs water breaks it down.
A simple morning-after plan
1. Start with fluids
Keep a glass of water by the bed and sip steadily through the morning rather than gulping. If you were sweating a lot or feel properly dried out, add a drink with electrolytes.
2. Eat something
A proper breakfast brings fluid, salt and energy along with it. Even if you don't feel like much, something simple is better than nothing.
3. Take it easy
Rest if you can. A big training session in the heat on a rough morning isn't the time to chase a PB. If you do move, keep it light and keep your bottle close.
4. Don't reach for more alcohol
The "hair of the dog" just adds more alcohol to what your body is already dealing with.
Better still: plan before the night
The most reliable way to avoid a hangover is to drink less. A few habits help:
- Eat first. Alcohol. Think Again suggests having alcoholic drinks with or after food.
- Alternate your drinks. Swap every second drink for water or a non-alcoholic option.
- Know the guidelines. The NHMRC alcohol guidelines recommend healthy adults drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day. A standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol.
- Set up the morning. Leave water and a cold can in the fridge so future you has something ready.
Heading into the festive season with Christmas parties and long summer days? It's worth having a plan. Our guide to choosing an electrolyte drink in Australia explains what to look for on the label.
Where Uthrive fits
Uthrive is a lightly sparkling, ready to drink natural hydration drink in a 355mL can. The electrolytes come from certified organic Lake Deborah salt from Western Australia, with real fruit juice, natural flavour, no added sugar and nothing artificial. It's a good non-alcoholic pick to alternate with on a night out, and an easy, refreshing drink the next morning. It isn't a hangover cure, and we'll never pretend it is.
Choose from Passionfruit, Pineapple and Orange online, or find a stockist near you, including WHSmith airport stores, City Cave and Go Vita.
Hydrated by Nature
Uthrive is a lightly sparkling natural hydration drink made with Lake Deborah salt from Western Australia, real fruit juice and no added sugar. Built by a firefighter.
FAQ
Do electrolyte drinks cure a hangover?
No. A hangover is mainly caused by the effects of alcohol itself, not just dehydration. A drink with electrolytes can help you rehydrate if you're low on fluid, but it won't cure a hangover.
Is water or an electrolyte drink better the morning after?
Water is a good place to start. If you sweated a lot, were out in the heat or feel dried out, a drink with electrolytes alongside water and a proper breakfast can help you top back up on fluid.
How can I avoid a hangover?
Drink less. Eat before and while you drink, alternate alcoholic drinks with water or a non-alcoholic option, and stay within the NHMRC guidelines of no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, or feel unwell in the heat, talk to your doctor. If you're concerned about your drinking, speak with your GP.