You’ve heard this one before because, for a very long time, this was thought to be the sole cause of a hangover.

Alcohol is much harder for the body to process than regular food and drink, therefore your water demand greatly increases on a “night out.”

To make matters worse, ingesting alcohol has detrimental effects on your hypothalamus, which is the part of your brain responsible for the regulation of the hormone vasopressin.

When vasopressin goes off the hinges, you urinate more frequently, diluting your concentration of electrolytes and causing even more dehydration.

Alcohol metabolism in your liver produces toxic by-products called acetaldehydes.

Your body has natural acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione stores that turn these toxic substances into acetate, which is considered harmless at low levels.

When your glutathione storage runs out, this leaves the toxic substances in your body, which have been shown to cause flushing, sweating, and vomiting, much like when any other toxic substance enters your body.

The consumption of alcohol also puts a heavy load on your immune system. Studies show significant changes in immune system parameters during a hangover, namely increased concentration of cytokines, which are released during an inflammatory response.

These cytokines are likely the culprit behind many cognitive effects of alcohol, such as memory impairment and mood changes.

When someone is drinking, alcohol inhibits one of the body’s natural stimulants - glutamine. When the drinking stops, the body will immediately begin producing more glutamine to catch up.

This “Glutamine Rebound” almost always happens while you are asleep, stimulating the body and keeping you from reaching your deepest sleep all night - and usually causing you to wake up in the middle of the night after you drink.