A Guide to Self-Care After a Night Out

By: Dakota D. Duran

As much as I love going out and having a great time with my friends, the morning after is my absolute least favorite part. I wake up feeling like a rat in the streets of New York City after it has eaten almost anything in sight to stay alive, while also exploring every single crack and crevice the city has to offer. Being one who enjoys keeping her body healthy and cleansed, this is obviously one of my least favorite feelings.

During the second semester of my freshman year of college, I enjoyed a good three-day bender almost every weekend, meaning I would experience the lovely “New York City rat” feeling more than I should have. By the end of the semester, I noticed how negatively this affected my body, both physically and mentally. I didn’t put in the effort to take care of my body after I spent the night filling it with different toxins, only leaving me to feel as though I had the plague.

I made sure to change this once I came back to school, as I knew how important it was to keep up with my health while still having fun. After changing my morning-after routine, I have seen beneficial changes to my body, such as an improvement in my gut health and skin. Here is my perfect recipe for self-care after a night out:

1. Rotting in Bed Time

For me, this step is essential. After an evening excursion, the last thing I want to do is get out of bed and be productive. However, I only limit myself to about two hours of rotting time because I know how much my body needs the movement. I roleplay “IPad Kid,” sitting on TikTok for ages and going through all the photos from the night before. After doing so, I make sure to chug a glass of water and do some stretches, easing my body into movement for the rest of the day.

2. Ice Bowl

Even after your rotting time, you still may not feel as refreshed and ready as you should. Along with helping you wake up, dipping your face in an ice bowl also has several benefits for your skin. Ice is a vasoconstrictor, therefore it will help decrease inflammation and puffiness on your face. It can also help decrease the amount of redness on your face while improving the appearance of pores. Ice bowls can also help with anxiety, as the coldness can soothe your nerves (my hangxiety loves this one). I also love dipping my face in ice bowls when I have a cystic pimple as it calms it down and diminishes the redness. After filling a clean bowl with ice and water, I dip my face in for 10-20 seconds for 4-5 rounds. While I feel better after doing this, I know my skin does too.

3. BRUNCH

If you know me, you know that brunch is my forte. I take brunch very seriously, especially after a night out. Depending on my mood, I either cook or take an afternoon stroll to Starbucks. When cooking, I make sure to have a spread of every single food group to give my body the nutrients it needs. My go-to brunch at home consists of eggs with spinach, turkey bacon, waffles or toast, an assortment of fruit, and a green smoothie or iced matcha. This meal always hits differently after a night on the town, and I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

4. Liquid IV

Your body will experience several symptoms once you wake up from your night events, such as dehydration, inflammation, and gastrointestinal irritation. None of these symptoms are fun to experience, therefore I always make sure to make myself a glass of liquid IV, giving my body the electrolytes it needs. After drinking it, I notice these symptoms start to go down a lot faster and find myself feeling more hydrated. I recently began to drink a glass of it while I get ready for the evening, and I noticed that the typical hangover symptoms have become less severe the next morning.

5. Everything Shower

With an everything shower, you are not only washing away the germs and filth from the night, but you are also washing away every decision that was made. After spending time in the town, an everything shower is absolutely necessary, as your body now only holds loads of bacteria and microbes. This shower will also give you time to reflect on last night’s events and rethink your life choices, and you will walk out of that shower feeling like a whole new person.

6. Nap

Even though you slept almost the entire day away, it is okay to sleep some more. I usually wake up earlier than I want to after a night out, so I always make sure to go back to sleep after I have moved my body even a little bit. I typically do this after the everything shower as going to sleep clean is a form of therapy for me (everything showers also take up the same amount of energy as preparing for war). It is essential to give your body time to rejuvenate and recharge, and you will feel revitalized once you wake up, giving you the energy you need to prepare yourself for the next day.