The holiday season can be a trying time in many ways. Meals are often eaten late, are rarely balanced, and nights can be short. This change of pace, combined with strong emotions, contributes to disrupting our habits.

All these changes can put extra strain on the body’s ability to assimilate – and eliminate – what you consume.

The after effects of drinking alcohol vary “depending on the number of drinks you have, the rate of absorption, your gender, age, height and weight, your drinking pattern, your mood at the time, your level of fatigue and physical condition, and whether or not you have eaten”, explains the Aide Alcool website.

Can genetics play a role?

The aftermath of parties, dinners and other festivities when alcohol is on the menu can be difficult for some people. Headaches, tiredness, aches and pains, all are characteristic signs of veisalgia – more commonly called a hangover.

Several factors come into play, such as age or gender or the psychological state of a person. Thus, anxiety, depression, stress levels and personality could all contribute to making the experience more or less difficult.

Even more surprisingly, one of the explanations can be found in biology, according to an American study.

When you drink alcohol, liquid acetaldehyde, a chemical compound that plays a role in the onset of hangover symptoms, is released into the body. At this point, the ALDH2 gene comes into play.

This “limits the breakdown of acetaldehyde, leading to a greater build-up of the chemical compound – thus greater hangover symptoms”, explains Craig Gunn, a lecturer in psychological science at the University of Bristol, writing in an article on The Conversation website.

People with a variation of this gene could, therefore, suffer from worse hangovers.

To limit the onset of hangover symptoms, it’s wise to stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the evening. Also, remember to drink alcohol in moderation.