For the first time, researchers have thoroughly investigated how different parts of the human body respond to a hangover the day after consuming alcohol. As a result of the study, the first-ever map of bodily sensations experienced by young people aged 18 to 35 after excessive alcohol consumption was created.
This is reported by Finway
Hangover map: main symptoms and sensations
The research showed that participants experienced the strongest discomfort and pain in their heads, chests, and stomachs. At the same time, legs, arms, and lower body were characterized by pronounced weakness and lack of energy. To create the map, scientists from KU Leuven (Belgium) involved 34 young individuals who regularly abuse alcohol. Over several weekends following parties, study participants filled out questionnaires, assessing their level of intoxication, intensity of hangover, and quality of sleep.
A unique feature of the study was the use of a special mobile tool: participants shaded areas on a body outline where they felt the most pain, pulsation, weakness, or numbness. The pressure applied indicated the intensity of sensations in specific zones. This approach allowed for a visual representation of how discomfort is distributed during a hangover.
Age, symptom intensity, and debunking myths
“The results also showed that in the group aged 18 to 35, older participants experienced the effects of alcohol consumption more acutely than their younger counterparts.”
Diagrams illustrating the hangover map demonstrated that the head, chest, and stomach were highlighted in red and yellow, indicating a high level of pain and discomfort, while the lower body was marked in a cold blue color, corresponding to numbness and weakness. Symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, headache, and intense thirst were most often associated with activation in the torso and head, while weakness and nausea were linked to deactivation in the limbs and abdomen.
Interestingly, researchers found no direct connection between the level of intoxication the night before and the intensity of the hangover the next day. On the contrary, among those surveyed, those who experienced stronger unpleasant symptoms did not aim to reduce their alcohol consumption, which contradicts the common belief that hangovers serve as a natural deterrent.
Additionally, the study confirmed that millennials in the 18–35 age group more frequently suffered from stronger hangovers than the youngest participants. This may be related to physiological and metabolic characteristics of the body, which cause older participants to recover more slowly after consuming ethanol.
The conducted research opens new perspectives for understanding the impact of alcohol on the young body and debunks myths about the effectiveness of hangovers as a deterrent to further alcohol abuse.