Good news for those who like a drink but hate the after-effects – hangovers get better with age, researchers say. Unfortunately, for those in their twenties it may be 30 years before they wake up the morning after the night before without headaches, nausea and sickness.
A study of more than 50 000 adults found both men and women report fewer hangover symptoms as they get older.
The difference between some groups was dramatic – 21 percent of women aged 18 to 29 suffer nausea when hung over, compared to just three percent of women 60 and over.
Unsurprisingly, those aged 18 to 30 binge drink more often than those in their fifties or sixties. But rather than building up resistance, their hangovers were substantially worse after a heavy night than older adults.
Scientists say this could be down to alcohol tolerance, built up over decades.
Older people also drank more sensibly, having less at any one time – typically six drinks as opposed to nine for young adults. They avoided mixing drinks and went for lighter spirits, less likely to cause hangovers.
Finally, it’s possible that people who keep drinking into their sixties never had bad hangovers to start with – while those who suffer more are likely to quit binge drinking.
A study of more than 50 000 adults found both men and women report fewer hangover symptoms as they get older.
The difference between some groups was dramatic – 21 percent of women aged 18 to 29 suffer nausea when hung over, compared to just three percent of women 60 and over.
Unsurprisingly, those aged 18 to 30 binge drink more often than those in their fifties or sixties. But rather than building up resistance, their hangovers were substantially worse after a heavy night than older adults.
Scientists say this could be down to alcohol tolerance, built up over decades.
Older people also drank more sensibly, having less at any one time – typically six drinks as opposed to nine for young adults. They avoided mixing drinks and went for lighter spirits, less likely to cause hangovers.
Finally, it’s possible that people who keep drinking into their sixties never had bad hangovers to start with – while those who suffer more are likely to quit binge drinking.