Super Bowl Hangover Cures: Top 6 Cures, Tips and Pitfalls to Avoid for Surviving Super Bowl Sunday and Monday Morning

With Super Bowl 2012 upon us, America is preparing for one of the biggest party nights of the year.

But with Monday morning just around the corner, there are going to be plenty of sore heads, dry mouths and sick stomachs heading (or not) for work.

In fact, the problem is so large that in 2007 HR experts Challenger, Gray & Christmas estimated that Sunday's drinkathon hangover cost the nation $820 million in productivity, with 1.5 million people calling in sick and 4.4 million turning up late for work.

So for the sake of the economy, and your own well-being, stick to these fail-safe tips.

Hydrate:

And no, that doesn't mean just keep hitting the beer. Hydrate with water, or if you've had enough of that, then try vegetable juice (even a Virgin Mary or two), soups such as clear chicken broth, or even caffeine-free diet sodas.

Go Ape:

Alcohol rapidly depletes your body of potassium, making you feel lightheaded. Bananas are packed with potassium and can help alleviate that nauseous feeling.

Pickled:

Eastern Europeans, known for their love of strong spirits, swear by the practice of drinking pickle juice to cure their hangovers, while others prefer sauerkraut juice.

Scrambilitious:

Eggs are another good cure, as they contain cysteine, which helps the body break down all that excess alcohol.

Don't pop that pill:

Headache cures such as Aspirin are actually counterproductive. They work to thin the blood, just like the alcohol.

Run it off:

While it may feel like the last thing you want to do, emulating your sporting heroes off the field and taking yourself for a training session might just be the trick you need. Sporting activities help the body fight hangovers, but make sure you drink plenty of water while you exercise.

.....And the things to avoid:

If you're tempted to just keep drinking, don't! Hair of the dog is nonsense as your body will just start processing the new alcohol in your system, leaving the old stuff to fester.

A cup of Joe will also just leave you more dehydrated, and hitting the greasy food will just slow down the body's ability to process all the alcohol you consumed the night before.

Finally, avoid hangover pills. Almost all medical experts agree they don't work.