Everyone enjoys a big night out now and then — but nobody enjoys what it can do to you the morning after.
Some people wake up with a thumping headache, others can’t keep anything down, and plenty end up spending the whole day barely moving. However it hits you, a hangover is rarely worth celebrating.
It’s no surprise people have spent years hunting for ways to avoid them. From anti-hangover supplements like Myrkl to advice about eating before you drink, there’s no shortage of supposed fixes and “must-try” tricks.
One approach that’s been getting more attention recently is called “zebra striping” — and it has nothing to do with animals or pedestrian crossings.
In simple terms, zebra striping means switching back and forth between alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic ones throughout the night.
“Like the black and white stripes of a zebra, this method creates a pattern that helps moderate your drinking,” says Drinkaware.
“Because of this technique, you’ll find yourself able to still enjoy social occasions that typically involve alcohol.”
Psychologists Cathy Montgomery and Abi Rose from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK have also backed the idea.
Writing for The Conversation, they explained: “By alternating non-alcoholic alternatives with alcoholic drinks, zebra striping slows overall alcohol consumption.
“This not only reduces your peak blood alcohol concentration (meaning you’re less intoxicated at any given point), it also tends to reduce the total number of alcoholic drinks consumed.”
And cutting down your total intake is exactly what can make the next day feel more manageable.
“Zebra striping can reduce hangovers if it leads you to drink less overall,” the experts said.
“By slowing the pace and extending the time between alcoholic drinks, you might end up drinking less.”
For anyone interested in trying it, Drinkaware suggests five practical steps to make zebra striping easier to stick to.
First, think ahead and choose which alcohol-free options you’ll use in between your usual picks.
Second, keep the pattern steady: have an alcoholic drink, then follow it with a soft drink or a non-alcoholic alternative, and continue alternating.
Third, set yourself a limit before you start — decide in advance how many alcoholic drinks you want to have.
Fourth, if drinking is a regular habit, the charity also recommends building in alcohol-free days during the week to give your body time to recover.
Finally, bring your friends in on it. If the people you’re out with are doing the same thing, it’s often much simpler to stay consistent.