The Pain of Wine Migraines – A Genius Labs Study
The Pain of Wine Migraines
The Connection Between Aerating Wine and Preventing Headaches
One study found that 41.8% of participants experienced a wine hangover. For those who enjoy the taste of wine, avoiding wine headaches is a top priority.
In this article, we answer questions such as, ‘what is a wine headache,’ and ‘how can aerating wine help?’ Continue reading if you want to be able to enjoy your favorite beverage while preventing headaches.
What is a Wine Headache?
A wine headache occurs when consuming wine, especially red wine. These headaches can occur at any time during consumption. Some people experience them within the first few sips while others may not feel them for some time after drinking a glass.
Because alcohol can dilate blood vessels in the brain as well as trigger the release of serotonin, it can trigger migraines. This wine hangover doesn’t affect everyone, and some people only experience it when drinking certain wines.
Wine Hangover Causes
A wine headache results from the body’s response to the alcohol and other contents of the wine. Red wine contains histamines, which are found in the skin of a grape. This is one reason why white wine is less likely to give a person trouble.
Histamines trigger responses in your body such as signals to the brain and the release of stomach acid. When the body builds up too much of this chemical, it results in a headache. This is also known as histamine intolerance.
The tannins found in grape skins communicate to your brain that it needs to release serotonin. Some people are sensitive to this and experience headaches.
Another suspect for a wine hangover is sulfates. These are found naturally in wine and help to preserve it. Sulfates are also common in pickles, raisins, and soy sauce.
How Aerating Wine Helps
While you can minimize the effects of a wine headache by drinking lots of water, consuming some caffeine, and applying a cool compress, you may also consider aerating your wine.
Aerated wine is beneficial as it may help you with avoiding wine headaches as well as improve the overall flavor of the wine. Aerating wine allows it to mix with the air. This results in evaporation and oxidation.
As some of the alcohol evaporates, the wine becomes more fragrant and some of the wine headache-causing sulfites disperse as well. Keep in mind that not every wine benefits from aeration and may negatively impact the flavor.
How to Aerate Wine
Preventing wine headaches with aerated wine is simple if you have a decanter or aerator. An aerator attaches to the bottle of wine and aerates as you pour and a decanter holds the entire bottle of wine. Its shape allows for aeration.
You don’t need fancy equipment for aerating wine. Another option is to pour the wine between two containers such as wine glasses or swirl the wine in your glass before taking a sip.
Start Aerating Wine Today!
If you’ve fallen victim to wine headaches, consider aerating wine before drinking it. Aerated wine can help disperse sulfates and evaporate some of the alcohol.
Check out our wine accessories to find the right aerated wine technology as well as improve your overall wine experience.