Downed a beer too fast? Drank a shot too many? We’ve all been there at some point of our lives. So to give you the best night out, we’ve quizzed and hounded industry experts on how they do it. Here are 10 tips on how to prevent that pounding headache, and how to cure your hangover—till the next drinking sesh.

#1 PUKE IT OUT

It sounds gross but puking your guts out after a night of drinking helps to rid your body of the alcohol and toxins, thus preventing hangovers.

-Alex Ng, Bartender, Tess Bar & Kitchen

#2 HEAD TO THE LOO OFTEN

If you know you’ll be spending the night drinking, head to the loo often. Peeing helps to thin the alcohol inside the blood stream; preventing you from getting drunk quickly.

- David Yeung, Spirits Journeyman, Proof & Company

#3 ONE GLASS OF WATER FOR EVERY DRINK

I go by a simple rule of thumb: one glass of water for every drink—tried and true. I almost never get hangovers.

- Desiree Silva, Mistress of the House, 28 HongKong Street

#4 HAVE A GLASS OF MILK OR STICK OF BUTTER BEFORE DRINKING

Have a glass of milk or stick of butter before drinking. Dairy helps to line the stomach, allowing the alcohol to stay in the stomach longer, thus giving the enzymes more time to break down the alcohol.

- Eugene Chua, Bartender, Luke’s Oyster Bar

#5 EAT STEAK

Have a big piece of steak. Having said that, if you’re out drinking every other night, you’re gonna be eating a mighty lot of meat.

- Jeremie Tan, Bartender, Jekyll & Hyde

#6 SEX HELPS

Sex prevents that depressive spirit you get from hangovers. The release of endorphins and oxytocins stimulate muscle contraction, bringing down one’s aggressiveness to negative emotions from a hangover.

- Joe Alessandroni, General Manager, 28 HongKong Street

#7 AN ALCOHOL SHOT GIVES YOU AN ENERGY BOOST

The hair of the dog works, but there’s times when you’ll need the whole fur coat! When you’re hungover, an alcohol shot gives you an energy boost you desperately need to go about your day.

- Peter Chua, Bartender, DIAGEO World Class Singapore 2014 Finalist

#8 DOWN A BOTTLE OF BEER

My advice for hangovers is to down a bottle of beer. It might lead to alcohol dependency (in the long run), but I live for the moment.

- Samuel Wong, Owner-bartender, Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall

#9 HAVE SUFFICIENT SLEEP BEFORE DRINKING

Make sure you have sufficient sleep before drinking. A good estimate would be 10 hours. Fatigue causes the liver to be less efficient at processing alcohol, leading to higher blood alcohol concentration levels—causing one to get drunk more quickly.

- Steve Leong, DIAGEO World Class Singapore 2014 Finalist

#10 A FRESH GLASS OF TOMATO JUICE WILL DO THE TRICK

Hangovers can be a bitch, but a fresh glass of tomato juice the morning after always works for me.

- Tomas Stoila, Manager, Manhattan Bar

About the writer
Mandy Lynn is a former I-S Magazine writer and current columnist at Nookmag; her dining and nightlife features are published in Food & Travel, Lifestyle Asia and Singapore Tatler Dining, amongst others. For bite-sized food recommendations, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, or join her Gourmet Adventures to keep up with the latest dining and nightlife news.