7 Sure-Fire Ways to Recover from New Year's Eve ...

We can’t go back in time, but one of the best ways to recover from New Year's Eve is to make a plan before you party. The day before a night of fun, make sure you drink a ton of water and eat a filling meal before drinking any alcohol. Right before you go out, take an aspirin and leave one or two on your bedside table along with a glass of water. Now you’re ready to go out and have fun with enough food in your stomach to keep you from feeling inebriated too quickly and a plan of action as soon as you get back to your bed.

If you’re lucky enough to have zero plans on January first, then sleep! By all means, sleep! Sleeping it off is ideal if you had a major party night. A lazy day in bed does a body and a mind good. It’s important to drink water and have at least one good meal during the day to keep yourself healthy and make it easier to get going on day two. You don’t want to be sick in bed for two full days do you?

If you must enter the world of the living, aspirin will be your best friend. Grab a big glass of water and gulp a pill or two. If you’re not used to taking aspirin, you might ask your doctor just to make sure it’s okay. Don’t overdo it – most of us can get by on one or two pills. The most important part is the water. Be sure and drink a full glass or more of water and, better yet, have a hearty breakfast to help get things back on track.

Ahh. Mother’s milk! Caffeine can get us going on a regular day, so why not on days when we need it most? As soon as the beans begin brewing, the aroma will help you feel better and better. Pour a mug and do your best to enjoy it slowly. If you are in a hurry and must take it to go, be sure and grab a bottle of water as well. Hydration is key!

If you’re like me, you have a specific meal for mornings like this. Mine is biscuits and gravy. It picks me right up after a night of…excess. Heavy foods usually do the trick, as they help to soak up any alcohol that’s lingering in your tummy so your body can continue to process it and work its way back to normal. If you’re searching for something a bit healthier – gravy isn’t necessarily part of a breakfast of champions – try any warm breakfast cereal. Grits, oatmeal, and Cream of Wheat are all great options.

Have you heard of ‘Hair of the Dog’? Well, it’s always an option! A designated morning drink, such as a Bloody Mary or mimosa, could be just what you need to get rolling again. This is an option only if you have nothing pressing to get to for the day. Others say that drinking exactly what you drank the night before is the only sure-fire way for this option to work. If you think you can stomach it, pour up a shot or crack open one more beer to get well! One word of caution with this option: it tends to get worse before it gets better.

Not for the faint of heart, a healthy way to knock yourself right out of your hangover is with a good sweat. Head out for a nice job, a hike, or a bike ride to get your mind right again. The fresh air along with the rise in heart rate are all good for flushing what’s left from last night right out of your body in the way of sweat. Plus you will most likely be guzzling water during your workout, and hydration is the most important part to feeling better after a long night of partying.

Don’t feel bad if you enjoyed yourself perhaps a bit too much on New Year's Eve. You’ve got more than one option for getting things back on track. What tricks do you use to feel normal again after a night of partying? Share in the comments!