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Study Finds That Hangovers Get Easier As You Get Older

Study Finds That Hangovers Get Easier As You Get Older

Contrary to what you might think, this study showed that perhaps younger people suffer worse

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Contrary to what you might believe - especially if your best days are way behind you - a new study claims that hangovers actually get less severe the older you get.

That goes against almost everything that you might believe, but according to the scientists behind this study it's completely true.

Obviously, people who are younger tend to drink more and have less responsibility, but surely that must make being hanging a bit easier, right?

Well, this study found that hangovers actually get easier with age, even when you consider that older people tend not to drink as much and less frequently.

One potential reason behind this is that you simply get used to it and deal with it better.

Pixabay

Reduced pain sensitivity as you get older could mean that those a little longer in the tooth just perceive their morning after illness to be not as bad.

Whereas when you're young it can feel a little bit like the world is ending, right?

Anyway, this latest paper was published in a journal called Alcohol and Alcoholism and it makes note of the interesting information that ill effects from overdoing it on the booze tend to decline in frequency with age, as your work and family responsibilities increase.

However, they did also note that how drunk a person feels is a pretty key factor in the state they are in the following day.

If you feel really drunk, the likelihood is that you'd better get a cold bottle of water in the fridge and McDonald's on speed dial for the next day, because you're going to struggle.

'Subjective intoxication' they're calling it.

The researchers concluded: "Hangover severity declines with age, even after controlling for the amount of alcohol consumed

"Sex differences were greatest in the younger age groups but became significantly smaller or absent in the older age groups.

"The relationship between age and hangover severity is strongly mediated by subjective intoxication. Pain sensitivity, lower with aging, might be a mediator."

Pexels

That's not to say that you should go out and get hammered if you're older, because you will still get a hangover. This merely suggests that it might not be as bad as it could be.

Obviously, you should always drink responsibly.

However, it is interesting, given that people tend to believe that hangovers get worse with age, and that younger people can simply drink what they like without worrying about the ill effects the following morning.

It's also often suggested that older drinkers just 'know their limits' and when to stop, when actually, that isn't particularly a factor when it comes to hangovers.

Featured Image Credit: Pexels

Topics: Science, World News, Interesting, Food And Drink, Alcohol, Beer, Health