What feels great tonight, may feel like hell tomorrow.

Such is the case for students who experience the dreaded hangover after a night of heavy drinking. However, not all who have more than their share of alcohol wake up the next morning with a splitting headache and other symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, thirst, dizziness, fatigue and muscle cramps.

What explains this phenomenon? Why do some people get hangovers while others get to wake up fresh and ready for the day?

Before we explore the reasons behind who gets a hangover and who does not, we must first understand the nature of the beast. Although under debate, research suggests that hangovers are caused by two things: alcohol withdrawal and dehydration.

Hangovers are also believed to be influenced by acetaldehyde (a byproduct of alcohol metabolism) and cogeners (chemicals formed during alcohol's processing and aging).

What does this all mean? Certain alcoholic beverages are more likely to cause a hangover — those with more cogeners and more likely to cause severe hangovers. Examples of these include red wine, tequila, whiskey and other dark liquors.

Clear- or light-colored liquors are lower in cogeners and are less likely to cause a hangover. Examples of these are gin, vodka and white rum. Depending on its darkness, beer lies somewhere in between.

Several other factors increase the probability of getting a hangover. Mixing different types of alcohol together, loud music, flashing lights, smoking and lack of sleep can lead to an aggravated hangover the following morning.

Eating food before and during drinking, especially high-fat foods (which slow down the spread of alcohol in the bloodstream), and re-hydrating your body by drinking lots of fluids also decreases the severity of a hangover.

Drinking coffee is not suggested because it is a diuretic and thus causes the body to become even more dehydrated. Taking aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen is also not suggested.

Rather, experts say re-hydrate your body with water or a sports drink (to replenish your sodium and potassium levels). Eat a banana or other potassium-rich food like kiwi, and eating eggs can help too, because they contain cysteine, which helps break down acetaldehyde.

Have some fructose (found in a variety of fruits and vegetables) to combat low blood glucose.

Then get a good night's sleep. The best remedy for a hangover is time, allowing all the toxins to leave your body.

UWM students said those who reported awakening the morning after a hard night of drinking with no after-effects said they drank water, ate if they were hungry, and got plenty of sleep, but did nothing to intentionally avoid hangovers.

Research has shown that women are more likely to suffer hangovers than men. Scientists, however, have yet to discover the exact determinants of hangovers.

It may be that the answer to the elusive hangover question is part science, part just plain luck.

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