Feeling dizzy is a frequent common symptom of hangover that triggers after getting drunk. After getting a few drinks, if it feels like the room or the ground is spinning, then it means that you have the head spins. A spinning sensation often comes when a person is too drunk or has consumed alcohol more than a certain limit.
While the head starts spinning, it also causes nausea, dizziness, and extreme discomfort. Several ways can help stop or reduce the spinning sensation. Also, one can prevent the spins by following some methods, which are discussed in detail in the article given below.
1. Symptoms After Getting Drunk
People often refer to the symptoms, which include dizziness, spins, lightheadedness, and blurred or double vision. However, several side-effects of head-spinning other than dizziness must be remembered when your head spins:
- A person can fall due to the dizziness and spinning of the head.
- Blurry vision is most common and reduces focus on the way.
- A person can sway while standing, which can lead to severe falls on the ground resulting in physical injuries.
- Stumbling on the road.
- Sitting for a longer period may cause difficulties in standing.
2. The Reason that Causes Spins When Drunk
It is a well-known fact that drinking too much alcohol can cause head spins quickly, but what causes the head to spin after a few drinks? Alcohol inside the body affects the working of the inner ear. When you drink alcohol, a few parts of the inner ear get affected in this process.
There are 3 canals, these canals are tiny fluid-filled structures. The fluid inside these canals is known as endolymph. Further, the cupula is another structure, which is also the part of the inner ear filled with stereocilia. Stereocilia are the hair-like cells inside the cupula.
In daily life, when we move around while being sober, the endolymph fluid moves too along with the body. This process deforms the shape of the cupula and shakes stereocilia. In this entire process, there are electrical signals produced that directly go to the brain concerning balance and movements.
It is an automatic regular process that happens inside the body every day without any issues maintaining balance.
This entire process gets affected when a person drinks alcohol. Having alcohol in the system makes the blood thin which leads to a difference in the fluid density present in the cupula and canals. It leads to the distorted shape of the cupula which cannot associate with the person’s movements and balancing.
At that time, stereocilia send signals to the brain that the body is moving more than its actual routine which makes us feel like a spinning room. Spins are common sensations for people who are drunk past their limit already. However, it can also happen to those who have low blood alcohol levels.
3. Ways to Stop Spin When Drunk
People often look for ways that can help them stop the spinning sensation that occurs after getting drunk. Several ways that can be used to stop spins when drunk are listed below:
3.1. Drink Plenty of Water
Alcohol must be removed from your system to fully recover from the head spins and hangover. Drinking plenty of water is an excellent way to remove alcohol from your body. Also, alcohol may result in dehydration, due to which the symptoms of head spin improve.
Drinking a big glass of water can help recover the quantity of discarded fluids. Sports drinks like Powerade or drinks with electrolytes can rehydrate your system more quickly than just plain water.
3.2. Rub the Forehead with Lavender Oil
Lavender oil contains some relaxing properties that help the mind and body to get relaxed. You need to dip a cloth in the cool water and squeeze it to avoid dripping.
Then, put 4-5 drops of the lavender oil on the cloth and keep it on the forehead steadily. Smell the fragrance of lavender to calm the mind down through deep breaths.
3.3. Try to Concentrate
Trying to concentrate on a stable thing in your room is a good alternative to stop spins. Focus on an object that has a fixed location like books, tables, chairs, and light fixtures to stabilize a focal point in the mind that may assist in lessening the spinning symptoms.
3.4. Take Deep Breaths
Taking deep breaths slowly can help reduce spins. It reduces the heart rate and relaxes the body, especially when the head is spinning. Finding a place to sit suitably and comfortably and then inhale and exhale deeply can help a lot.
3.5. Over-the-counter Painkillers for Hangover
In case of a heavy hangover, nasty head spins, and headaches, you can take over-the-counter painkillers except aspirin. Aspirin can upset the stomach and cause you discomfort while drunk. However, medications that are non-steroidal and have anti-inflammatory properties can help lower spins.
3.6. Lie Down on the Back by Hanging Feet Down
Sometimes, after having too many glasses of drink, it is common to get head spins. Lying down on the edge of the bed with feet placed down flat on the floor. However, closing your eyes when drunk can make the spinning condition worse, it is recommended to keep the eyes open while lying down on the bed.
3.7. Get a Sleep
Getting a little sleep can be helpful as it allows toxins to process in your system. It may help discard excess amounts of alcohol from your system. Try to sleep for extra time, it will reduce hangover and spinning of the head by stabilizing the mind.
3.8. Consuming Supplements
Many supplements are available in the market, which help get alcohol out of the body. These supplements help get rid of the amount of alcohol at the earliest and lower the negative symptoms, including dizziness and head spins. Dizziness can also be treated with these supplements that happen after getting drunk.
3.9. Use Other Senses
Focusing on other senses and trying to take their help can be beneficial to avoid spinning situations. These senses include hearing, touching, and smelling. Smelling strong fragrances like lavender or peppermint is helpful to refresh the olfactory nerve, which may distract you from the spinning sensation.
4. Ways to Prevent Spins
Consuming too much alcohol can easily cause head spins, which are often discomforting and annoying. Spins can be prevented by following some measures given below:
4.1. Eating Before Drinking
Eating food that contains high-fat proteins can protect your stomach against alcoholic reactions. It will stop alcohol from processing swiftly and may not influence you too much. It is recommended to avoid foods, that are high in carbs as they process too fast and will soon be out of the system, so they won’t be able to help with the prevention of alcoholic reactions.
4.2. Drink Water with Each Glass of Alcohol
Dehydration is one of the causes that makes people’s heads spin. Drinking a glass of water between every glass of drink is helpful to keep you hydrated, which assists in reducing symptoms of hangover.
4.3. Limit Heavy Drinks
The drinks, which are dark in color such as rum, whisky, or wine, can cause the worst symptoms of hangover. Dark-colored drinks contain congener, which is a type of chemical that can lead to severe alcoholic symptoms and cause blurry vision and spinning of the head.
4.4. Drink After Intervals of Time
Generally, a common serving glass of alcohol can be processed in the body within an hour. Getting a few drinks within one hour can result in symptoms like blurry vision, head spins, and stammered speech.
It is important to limit drinking to avoid spinning symptoms and only consume them after a certain interval of time. Drinking one glass in an hour can help you prevent spins and other effects of alcohol.
4.5. Drink After 48 Hours
However, people in the corporate world may need to go through this phase daily and they may not be able to put a stop to alcohol but limiting it is an alternative that one can achieve. One should give 48 hours or two days to the system of the body to fully remove the alcohol from the body. Drinking after 48 hours can prevent head spins.
5. Sober-Up Methods After Hangover
- Eating a light meal that includes fatty acids can help sober up at the earliest.
- Banana is another source of natural sugars that rehydrate the body and lower alcohol levels.
- Cranberry juice or juices rich in vitamin C assist in getting rid of alcohol effects faster.
- Getting a lot of sleep after a few drinks can also aid in recovering swiftly.
6. Conclusion
Spinning is an awful sensation that occurs in the head when drunk. People can apply the methods mentioned above to stop head spins. However, as prevention is better than cure, it will be better, if one can prevent spinning conditions from occurring by limiting the alcohol amount in their everyday life.
Limiting alcohol not only stops head spins but improves the quality of life as well as maintains the well-being of a person. Symptoms of the spinning may vary from person to person as many of them also feel dizziness while others go through the nausea and puking condition.
Last Updated on by Khushahal Malakar