The morning after a night out on the town can be difficult. No matter if you enjoyed a light happy hour with friends or a bar crawl, a slew of home remedies, from hair of the dog that bit you, to greasy foods, to stockpiling on electrolytes can help cure your affliction. But the best cure all? Staying hydrated before, during, and after. Here are a few methods to stay on top of your water game, no matter what.
Drink Plenty of Water Beforehand
Normally, when your body is dehydrated, your pituitary gland releases a chemical that helps your body to retain water. However, alcohol acts as a diuretic. And while you might think that drinking a vodka tonic helps add a little more water to your system, the alcohol manages to block that chemical from being released from your pituitary gland, effectively canceling out that little splash of Topo Chico in your drink.
Alcohol, being the diuretic it is, also effectively strips your body of electrolytes, making your potential hangover worse than it would have been had you stayed on top of your hydration game.
So, be sure to pre-game with plenty of water beforehand. The standard is 8 glasses a day, but the Mayo Clinic-approved amount for men is 15.5 cups of water per day, and for women is 11.5 cups of water per day.
If you can keep getting those healthy electrolytes your body craves while actively boozing, and also cut out the contaminants that might do you harm, filtered bottle water the best way to stave off any hangover.
Use the 1-for-1 Rule
The rule is fairly simple and straightforward. Throughout the night, whether you’re enjoying one glass of vino with dinner or if you have a long 
night ahead of you, drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you sip on. This should help you not only mentally manage how much your drinking at any given moment but should dilute the amount of alcohol that enters your system as it happens.
Having Shots? Chase Them with Water
Going to a bachelor or bachelorette party? Or maybe you’re celebrating a milestone birthday? Similar to the 1-for-1 rule, this one is for you. Oftentimes, when people take shots, they ask for lime or a small coke to chase the shot with. Unfortunately, sugar, like alcohol, gets processed through the liver and tends to compound your dehydration. If you’re trying to stay hydrated even as another round is ordered, ask for a cup of water to chase your drink with instead.
Use Clean Water in Your Blended Drinks
You might not think that clean, filtered water in your blended drinks will help you stay any more hydrated than unfiltered water, but if you’re using filtered water from an Aquasana Reverse Osmosis + Claryum Filter to make your frozen margarita, then you’re using water that has added healthy minerals that your body craves. Because, as we mentioned, alcohol helps to effectively strip out the electrolytes from your system, our filtered RO water will help replenish those stores.
Not only that, but it’s sure to make your drinks stand out from the pack. Using clean, filtered water will help your flavors stand out a little more clearly, making you savor every sip.
End Your Night With Water
Even if you kept up with the 1-for-1 rule or pre-gamed with plenty of water before your night out, don’t forget to end your night with plenty of water, too. Again, alcohol acts as a diuretic and tends to dehydrate, so hydrating with plenty of water should balance out your equilibrium a little better, making your hangover pack less of a punch.
Keep a Bottle With You
While not usually purse-approved, the easiest way to stay hydrated is to keep a bottle of water on you at all times. One that filters on-the-go while you’re out on the town is even better. If you can keep getting those healthy electrolytes your body craves while actively boozing— even if you’re just enjoying one drink at happy hour — and also cut out the contaminants that might do you harm, filtered bottle water the best way to stave off any hangover.
At the end of the night, it’s important to stay hydrated no matter what. Drinking plenty of water has many physical benefits, including aiding mental clarity, helping your digestive system, improving your mood and helping to fight fatigue. But when your liver is processing alcohol or sugars, no matter how much or how little, it becomes all the more important to not just fight the hangover, but stay healthy all evening long.