Study reveals that hangovers may get better as you get older

There’s hope for hangovers yet!

Woman suffering from a hangover while she lying on bed
(Image credit: Getty Images / Boy_Anupong)

Hangovers are the price we pay for overindulging and partying too hard. There are thousands of hangover myths and "cures" out there, but if you’ve drunk more than you can handle the night before, nothing will really save you from the morning after. All we do know is that wine hangovers are the worst—especially red wine.

We’ve all woken up, Googled the benefits of not drinking alcohol, and uttered that famous phrase: “I’m too old for this.” But actually, that may not be the case at all. A new study from scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands has revealed that the severity of hangovers lessen with age.

Scientists surveyed people aged 18-94 on their alcohol consumption. The results showed that the "severity" and "frequency" of hangovers actually decreased with the older participants. This suggests that alcohol tolerance could improve with age.

Woman sleeping in bed

(Image credit: Getty Images / Roy Hsu)

The scientists said: “Our study confirms that both subjective intoxication and hangover frequency decline with age.” Though the results showed that young people drink more, the results still determined that the number of hangovers and their severity diminished with age.

A reason for this is pain sensitivity—the scientists said that our sensitivity to pain decreases with age, which could help numb the pounding headache, nausea, and aches that come with a hangover.

Sadly, though they might improve, hangovers will in no way stop altogether as you get older. They’ll always be the consequence of one glass too many. But there are a few things you can do to help.

Overhead view of wine glasses and shadows on a white table

(Image credit: Getty Images / Lisa Wiltse)

You should never drink on an empty stomach, and make sure to eat carb-filled and fatty foods before you drink. Also, chasing a drink with a glass of water will help to keep you hydrated during your night out.

Sugary foods will also help the next day, as will drinking a pint of water before you go to bed! Remember, "hair of the dog" is not a thing, so don’t do it—it won’t help anyway.

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team, where she covers everything from entertainment to fashion and beauty, as well as TikTok trends for Woman&Home, after previously writing for My Imperfect Life and GoodTo. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but lept into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing and earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.


Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.