There's no getting around it: Hangovers suck.
Your head's pounding, you're drained of energy, your stomach is making some pretty dangerous noises and all you want to do is hole up with Netflix and a giant bowl of pasta.
Unfortunately, spending your day doing that is almost as bad as what you did the night before.
So do yourself a favor and carve out 45 minutes of that miserable, hungover day to get some exercise.
We know, it sounds horrible. But it doesn't have to be, and it can actually make you feel a lot better!
Here's how you should go about getting exercise while hungover, according to the experts.
Just do it.
Let's face it: It's hard enough to get to the gym when you're well-rested, fully-hydrated and have eaten some form of vegetable that day.
So when the only thing in your body is rum, too many Bud Lights and five slices of super greasy pizza (that you didn't even blot)? Forget it.
But nutritionist Michelle Blum tells Elite Daily while a workout isn't necessarily a hangover cure, it will certainly help.
She explains,
Even though it is the last thing you may feel like doing, working out is one of the best things you can do to keep your hangover lingering to lunch.
Body Conceptions' Mahri Relin adds,
Your body needs to get rid of the byproducts of the alcohol you drink, and sweating and breathing more heavily during exercise are two of the ways your body can do that.
Like it or not, sweating out those toxins is pretty freaking good for you.
So what should you do?
Let us clarify something: We're not suggesting you head to CrossFit and top it off with an hour of hot yoga. When you're hungover, your workout should be on the lighter side.
Relin tells Elite Daily,
You should be careful not to over-exert yourself. Keep your exercise moderate -- both in the cardiovascular and strength-training realms -- so that you don't risk injuring yourself. After all, you may not have the endurance or strength to support your movements fully.
She suggests choosing activities that make you sweat but don't push you to your limits like barre, light running, dance cardio, sculpting and spinning.
She adds,
If you've gotten used to doing something, and it doesn't destroy your body when you haven't been drinking, you can probably do it hungover.
Think about it. Will a jog around the block really make your already bad day that much worse?
Maybe in the moment, but ultimately the endorphin boost will make you feel better.
Don't forget to fuel up.
Although working out while hungover is generally a good idea, it becomes a really terrible idea if you don't take the right steps beforehand.
Blum explains,
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes you dehydrated. Make sure you drink plenty of water prior to hitting the gym. An even better remedy would be coconut water, which contains electrolytes to help restore fluids without the added sugar of sports drinks.
Basically, water is always a good idea -- before, after and during your workout.
Hangovers suck, and if you want to live your best life you should probably try to avoid them.
But hey, now you know what kinds of workouts you should be doing the next time you do have one.
