Theres no denying it: Waking up with a hangover can be awful. The intense headache coupled with random waves of nausea is usually enough to make you consider giving up drinking forever (or at least until next weekend).

But theres more to it than just feeling like crap. Your body and brain are working overtime to help you recover from those beverages.

Curious whats actually happening internally the day after drinking? Below, experts break it down.

Your body is working to flush out toxins.

According to Kate Denniston, a licensed naturopathic doctor based in Los Angeles and the founder of Los Angeles Integrative Health , the cause of a hangover is not actually the alcohol itself. Rather, its the byproducts of the alcohol metabolizing that cause hangover symptoms, she said.

As your body breaks down your favorite cocktails, it creates a toxin called acetaldehyde. Your body works hard to flush out that toxin which is also a carcinogen, by the way leading to some pretty painful symptoms.

Your kidneys and liver are forced to do some major work.