You ignored your better judgement and decided to have just one, last drink on New Year’s Eve. Now you’re lying in bed with a woozy stomach, loud pounding noise in your head and wondering why the ceiling won’t stop spinning. You’ve got a hangover.

The best thing you can do at this point is give your body plenty of water and rest, but there are a few other things you can do to speed up your recovery.

Before getting to those, it’s also important to give you a few words of advice before you even start drinking tonight.

If you’re over the age of 18 and planning on enjoy a night out on the town, make sure you have organised a designated driver to pick you up or reserve some extra cash for cab fare.

If you are planning to drink, never do so on an empty stomach. Fill up beforehand with a fat-filled meal. Some people suggest eating a greasy dinner such as french fries and a hamburger to give your stomach something to digest before a night out.

It’s also best to keep hydrated by drinking a full glass of water after every alcoholic drink you consume.

Another tip for partygoers is to steer clear of coloured drinks like red wine, black rum or bourbon, which contain certain properties that are more likely to cause a hangover. Instead stick to clear alcoholic drinks featuring ingredients like vodka or gin.

And whatever you do once you decide on your poison of choice for the night, stick with that beverage instead of attempting to taste every concoction behind the bar.

In the event you do consume too much alcohol, try downing a glass of full-fat milk or vitamin-loaded fruit juice before going to bed. Whatever you do avoid drinking caffeine in the evening and the morning after, which will dehydrate you even further.

By thinking a little bit ahead of the celebrations, it’s easy to avoid a hangover. But let’s say you didn’t take heed to our warnings or are just finding this article on New Year’s Day after the big fete and looking for a way to get rid of that inexplicable headache.

A quick search on the internet shows that water will be your new best friend over the next day or two.

Some say it’s good to drink two glasses of water after you wake up and repeat every two hours until you feel better. Not only does this keep the body hydrated, it also helps that throbbing in your head to go down.

Get as much sleep as possible, but once you’re up for the day try filling your stomach with a heavy breakfast, such as a traditional English fry-up, which is loaded with fats and carbohydrates.

Filling up on carbs like buttered toast and jam or cereal with soy or almond milk is also a good option and will help get rid of that shaky feeling you get when hungover. It will also help if you are suffering from low blood sugar.

Bananas are supposedly a great hangover cure. This fruit contains high volumes of fructose, as well as potassium, which has been severely depleted after a night of drinking. Bananas are also a natural antacid to help with the nausea and contain magnesium which can help relax the pounding blood vessels which are causing that headache.

Can’t fathom the thought of eating? Drinking soda, like 7Up, will help boost your energy and replenish low blood sugar so you can get back on your feet again. Ginger ale is also a good option if you’re looking for something that will soothe your stomach.

If your throat is sore, taking a tablespoon or two of plain honey or adding some honey to a herbal tea will help to soothe any dryness.

One last option: if your symptoms aren’t going away try lying in a dark room with a cool compress on your head.

The Royal Gazette wishes you a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve!!