Whether or not you should work out with a hangover is something that has been disputed in health circles. There are some arguments against working out when hungover, because according to the likes of Damion Martins, M.D., a sports medicine physician — who is also director of Executive Health, Orthopedics as well as Sports Medicine at New Jersey's Atlantic Health System — you will only end up further dehydrating your body, and this could lead to more serious effects, Glamour reports.
But there have also been arguments for working out, with Mario Batali telling those with a hangover that they have to sweat out the poison. He said during an interview with People magazine that the best cure for drinking too much is "Basically if you get up and you exercise hard for 45 minutes and then shoot a beer, it's gone." But what are you meant to believe?
One thing we do know is that if you do decide to work out when hungover, and according to Women's Health Magazine, personal trainer and founder of RightFitNation, Matthew Kornblatt, “exercising when you're hungover helps you get rid of toxins from drinking,” you need to be careful. Firstly, you need to eat a nutritious meal beforehand, which Kornblatt suggests should be something like oatmeal with fruit and a coffee will help speed up your metabolism before you begin your workout. But the most important thing? Hydrate! Drink a lot of water before doing any physical activities to combat the effects of the night before.
Working out normally can be hard, but working out with a hangover is so much worse, but it also decreases your reaction time and can cloud your judgement, which opens you up to the possibility of getting hurt. That's why it's important not to overdo it, and instead focus on stretches or yoga (to get your blood flowing). According to DailyBurn, Dr. Robert Czincila, who is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery in East Norriton, says it's best to start slow — yoga is great, as is a brisk walk or a stationary bike ride, and if you want to weight train, use lighter weights than usual.
