The Complex Guide to Hangover Cures

To say that bars are a large part of the modern social fabric is an understatement. A staggering percentage of business (and pleasure) is transacted between rounds of beers, shots of whiskey, or sips of Cosmos (Am I right, ladies?). But what happens the next morning, when you get up for work, brunch (Am I right, ladies?), or a Call of Duty tournament and you aren't feeling your best (Am I right, ladies?)?

It seems everyone is looking for relief from early morning purgatory; swapping hangover cures is as much a hobby these days as swapping mixtapes or STDs (Am I right, la—). But then, man has engaged in alcoholic revelry since the dawn of time. A great article on hangover cure history, courtesy of Time, tells us, “When the ancient Assyrians felt the painful aftereffects of excess merriment, they consumed a mixture of ground birds' beaks and myrrh.”

While I couldn't get my hands on either of these, Complex enlisted me to take on hangover cures that have been championed through the ages and put them to the test. That's right folks; I have sacrificed sleep (woke up at 7 a.m.), breakfast (no food until all cures had been tested), and my sanity (you'll see) to test out these purported hangover remedies, so you don't have to.

Thank me later. Or at least give me your pity.

By Brenden Gallagher (@muddycreekU)

All photos by Ian Stroud