Blaze of Glory – Jon Bon Jovi
This song popped up again in my playlist the other day. One of those moments where shuffle just knows what it’s doing. And when that line hit, “wake up in the morning and I raise my weary head,” I couldn’t help but smirk a little. Because I knew exactly what that felt like.
Not in a poetic, rockstar kind of way. More like… you wake up and it feels like someone’s been doing construction work inside your head all night. Sledgehammers, drills, the full renovation package. Your mouth? Dry enough to start your own desert storm. And your body? Still negotiating whether it even wants to participate in the day.
Yeah… that kind of morning. This made me wonder, why do you get a hangover?
The Classroom Hangover Cloud
I’ve seen it plenty of times, not just in myself, but in others too. Back in culinary school, we had theory class once a week. 8:30 in the morning. I used to walk in just in time, and every single time it felt like stepping into a cloud of regret. Heads down on tables, arms as pillows, sunglasses indoors like we were all part of some very questionable band.
You didn’t need to ask what happened the night before. You could smell it.
Then came the first break. And like a well-rehearsed ritual, we all stormed the cafeteria. Sausage rolls, fries drowned in sauce, chicken satay subs, anything greasy, salty, heavy. Add an ice-cold Coca-Cola with ice cubes, and somehow we all convinced ourselves this was the cure. It helped… for a bit. But the real moment that stuck with me happened years later, when I was living in Curaçao.
The Curaçao Rum Night
I had received a Christmas gift from the hotel I worked at, one of those packages with a few things in it, including a cheap bottle of rum. That same evening, after my shift, I went next door to the bar where a friend of mine, Michael, was working. A couple of drinks turned into more, and when his shift ended, we kept talking and moved to my place.
Now, I lived right on the beach. So, there we were, sitting outside, talking about food, life, Curaçao, just enjoying the moment. Somewhere along the way, we opened that bottle of rum. And somewhere along the way… we finished it. Completely.
The funny part? We didn’t even notice. The conversation just kept flowing, and the rum followed along quietly in the background until it was gone. It wasn’t until I tried to get up that reality gently tapped me on the shoulder. Or more accurately, slapped me.
The next morning… or afternoon, let’s be honest, I woke up feeling like an elephant had spent the night sitting on my head. My mouth felt like a full desert storm had passed through it, and the only thing I wanted to do was drink every drop of water in the house and throw myself into the ocean. Which I did. Living right in front of the ocean has its advantages.
And when I finally felt human again, the first thing I reached for was a strong cup of coffee, hoping it would bring me back to life. And sometimes, that first cup doesn’t just wake you up, it gets things moving a bit faster than expected.
That moment stuck with me. Not just because of how I felt, but because it made me wonder: why do you get a hangover? What is actually going on inside your body? Because clearly, it’s not just “a bit too much fun.”
Why Do You Get a Hangover?
A hangover is basically your body dealing with the aftermath of alcohol. And it’s doing a lot more than you think.
First, there’s dehydration. Alcohol messes with a hormone that helps your body hold on to water. So you lose more fluids than usual. That’s why you keep running to the bathroom during the night, and why the next morning your body feels like it’s been left out in the sun for days.
Then comes the real troublemaker: acetaldehyde.
When your body breaks down alcohol, it turns it into this toxic compound before it can safely process it further. And if you drink faster than your body can keep up, that stuff starts to build up. It’s one of the main reasons you feel sick, foggy, and just… off.
On top of that, alcohol triggers inflammation in your body. Blood vessels expand, which contributes to that pounding headache, and your stomach lining gets irritated, which explains why food can feel like both your best friend and your worst enemy at the same time.
And let’s not forget sleep. Alcohol might knock you out, but it doesn’t give you proper rest. Your body stays busy all night trying to deal with everything you threw at it. So you wake up tired, even if you technically slept for hours.
Why You Crave Greasy Food
That post-hangover craving? It’s real.
For me, it was always fatty food and an ice-cold Coca-Cola. Salty, greasy, heavy. Something about it just felt right. And I’m definitely not the only one. Some people swear by a Bloody Mary, others by fried food.
Does it cure the hangover? Not really.
But it helps your body feel a bit more stable. You’re replacing some of what you lost, and maybe more importantly, you’re giving yourself comfort. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need in that moment.
Beer, Wine, Spirits… Does It Matter?
In the kitchen, beer was the standard. There was even a kind of unspoken “10 o’clock rule,” where a round of beers would come in for the cooks after the rush. I joined that for a couple of years, but at some point, I realized it just didn’t feel right anymore. Still in your chef jacket, still working, and already drinking. I stepped away from that.
These days, if I drink, it’s different. A good glass of wine at a dinner. A nice aged rum on a sunny day. Maybe a proper gin and tonic. But rarely, and with intention.
Because here’s the thing, alcohol is alcohol. Your body processes it the same way. But darker drinks like whiskey or red wine can hit harder because of extra compounds formed during fermentation and aging. Still, in the end, it’s not just about what you drink.
It’s about how much and how fast. Once you understand why you get a hangover, it becomes a lot easier to deal with it the next day.
A Quick Look Around
I’ve also seen the other side of it. I had a coworker in the Caribbean who would drink so much and so quickly that it stopped being funny a long time ago. Skinny guy, not a big frame, but he would push his body past its limits almost every time. We tried to help him for years, talking, slowing him down, but it never really stuck for long.
Luckily, I heard he’s doing much better now. Drinking only on occasion. And that’s the difference.
So, What’s the Lesson?
It’s simple. Know your limits. You can go over the line once in a while, that’s part of life. But don’t let your work, your health, or your life become the victim of it.
There was a rule we used sometimes: Two drinks, one glass of water. Yes, you’ll be running to the bathroom more. But it helps.
Eat before you drink. Drink water after. Give your body something to work with instead of just expecting it to clean up everything on its own. And one of my favorite kitchen sayings still makes me laugh: “I quit drinking… until tonight.”
One Last Sip
So next time you wake up, raising that weary head like Jon Bon Jovi, just remember there’s a whole process going on inside you. Chemistry, biology, and a bit of poor decision-making all working together to give you that lovely morning-after experience.
Sometimes it’s a good reminder. Sometimes it’s just pain. But either way, your body always tells you the truth the next day.
So, take it a little easier, drink a little smarter, and maybe… keep the construction crew out of your head next time. Because some mornings don’t need a blaze of glory.
Cheers,
Yohan