Do last night’s festivities have you feeling a little sluggish this morning? We’ve all done it: failed to check ourselves before wrecking ourselves. Maybe you smoked a little too much weed last night, and now you have a weed hangover. It’s okay, champ, you got this.
If your hangover has been keeping you from getting a good start on your day and you’re wondering how to get rid of a weed hangover, here are some measures you can take to feel better.
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13 Recovery Hacks to Get Over a Weed Hangover
1. Drink More Water to Rehydrate
While marijuana itself doesn’t dehydrate, many of the activities you do after consuming it probably do. From eating salty foods to just forgetting to drink as much water as you normally do – there is a good chance you’re dehydrated now. Dehydration alone can cause a hangover-like feeling. Get your water intake up to rehydrate your body, and that will alleviate symptoms like low energy and a dry mouth. Your eyes will also feel better after a few glasses of water.
Hydration provides the fastest recovery. Chug down a few glasses of water and see if they make a difference.
2. Consume Some Caffeine to Boost Energy
A cup of coffee or tea is a great way to get some extra energy. Your head will get a little fresher after a caffeine jolt. If you do drink coffee, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, too, because caffeine can dehydrate you a little.
3. Go for a Walk and Get Active
Try going for a brisk walk if you want to get rid of your brain fog. Sometimes just getting out of the house helps, and getting your heart and blood pumping reduces tension as well. You can also benefit from a super-stretchy slow, and gentle yoga session.
4. Get Some More Sleep
Cannabis can make you feel high by alternating your brain chemicals, and those same chemicals interfere with your sleep cycle. The REM stage that is supposed to give you rest is affected by cannabis.
If you feel fatigued throughout the day, you’ll need an extra couple of hours to recover and allow your body to return to its natural state. Say this is a prolonged issue and your sleep cycle is entirely affected by cannabis consumption; make adjustments to lower your total intake so you can sleep better. More sleep is without a doubt one of the best ways to get over a weed hangover.
5. Eat Something Healthy
Munchies make you snack on unhealthy foods, and smokers grab the first thing they have at home or order takeout. If you’ve been eating pizza constantly, this will affect your body and contribute to that hangover-like feeling.
It’s time to grab some fresh produce and cook up a meal rich in nutrients. This could be broccoli, but the real broccoli. Even if you don’t like it, your body will get the nutrients it needs and start feeling better. Another good option would be eggs and avocado toast.
6. Sports Drinks for Hydration and Electrolytes
Sports drinks like Gator Aid are not exactly healthy, but they have electrolytes that can rehydrate you quickly. Your body lost a lot of minerals while you were high and might need a drink to give you those extra minerals.
These drinks can be more effective than water for overcoming weed hangovers.
7. Sweat it Out (Saunas Are Great)
If you are out of shape, your body is packed with harmful toxins, and it’ll be easy to get them out. As soon as you go out and start running, you’ll sweat a lot and this is super good for your body. Your skin will instantly flush out the toxins and look better, plus you’ll start feeling better.
Say you’re a pro athlete, and you struggle to sweat. Try alternative methods like a sauna. A sauna can help them flush out the toxins in as little as a couple of minutes.
8. Take a Pain Reliever
If you have a strong headache and nausea, you might struggle to recover with a simple glass of water or sleep. You could pop a pain reliever that is available over-the-counter, like ibuprofen – and you most likely have it at home.
These solutions will only offer temporary relief and they are generally fine to use for simple headaches. If the feeling persists for longer than a day, consult a doctor.
9. Bring on the Potassium
Eat something healthy and high in potassium. Banana smoothies are great, but if you’d rather not drink your calories, a spinach & mushroom omelet is a good place to start.
10. Hop in the Shower
A shower is a pleasant way to wash away the effects of sleep and a hangover. Even though you probably don’t feel like it, getting your body moving will help. If you’re ambitious and not at all like me, start with 30 seconds of cold water to really punish yourself. I mean, wake up.
11. Eye Drops
The most effective way to soothe dry eyes is with eye drops. Keeping your eyes relaxed is crucial here. Keep yourself away from blue light and screens for the time being.
12. Compresses and Massage
Cold compresses, facial massages, and even gua sha to ease headaches can be so helpful. Cannabis hangover headaches can also be caused by stress. I don’t know about you, but I get headaches if I’ve laughed a lot, something we tend to do when we’re high. Cold compresses might help if so. Massages to reduce facial and neck tension are helpful too. It is possible to combine the two approaches to achieve the best results.
13. Have More Weed
Yes, really. But not THC. Cannabidiol is known to be an effective equalizer if you’re experiencing an unpleasant high. In a nutshell, CBD oil works by balancing out the endocannabinoid system. If you’re really smart, you can try CBD before bed and after smoking to prevent the weed hangover altogether.
What is a Weed Hangover? Top 4 Symptoms
The jury is still out on whether a weed hangover is a real thing, but let’s break it down a little, you know, for science.
Foggy Brain
Feeling dazed and confused? The neurons in your brain don’t seem to be firing. Everything about you seems disjointed. You’re suffering from classic brain fog there, my friend. The difficulty with this dreadful feeling is that it’s hard to pull yourself out of it. It is a frustrating feeling, especially if you have something important to do that day, like attending class or a job interview.
Feeling Dehydrated/Dry Mouth & Eyes
The next morning, your mouth will be dry, and your eyes will be itchy. A simple home remedy is all that needs to be done to fix this situation. Not an ideal situation, but it’s easy to chug a bunch of water.
Light Nausea
Sure, you won’t experience as much nausea if you consume too much marijuana as if you consume too much alcohol. A feeling of wanting to throw up isn’t nice at all. Time is your friend. This feeling will also pass after a few hours, just like the headaches.
Headache from Weed
If you’ve ever smoked enough weed that you ended up with cottonmouth, then you already know that consuming cannabis can leave you feeling dry. Is that headache you sometimes get the next day related to dehydration, though?
Can Smoking Weed Cause Dehydration?
You might be surprised to discover that the short answer is no. Marijuana’s effect on cannabinoid receptors is what makes you feel dehydrated.
THC consumption often results in cottonmouth. Around 70 percent of our saliva comes from the salivary glands. Cannabinoid receptors are also present in the salivary glands. Our Endocannabinoid System is made up of receptors for CB1, CB2, and THC.
Endogenous cannabinoids bind to these receptors. By binding to a receptor within that gland, THC temporarily disables the gland’s ability to receive nerve messages telling it to produce saliva. This is also the reason your eyes may feel dry.
Weed can indeed make you feel dehydrated. So, it is recommended that you drink enough water or juice before, during, and after you smoke weed. It is also important to note that edibles can also cause those sensations of dehydration so make sure you’re getting your water intake during any cannabis consumption. More on that later.
Too Much THC Can Cause a Weed Hangover
So even though you’re convinced that your weed hangover is a result of dehydration, what you’re actually feeling is the aftereffects of too much THC.
People sometimes call it a weed hangover.
Weed vs Alcohol Hangover
Despite what you might think, alcohol is not the only substance that can leave you feeling like a crap sandwich after having consumed too much. It has been shown that dehydration from alcohol affects brain function and cognition, like memory and attention. The reports on cannabis being able to cause hangover symptoms are, however, conflicting.
Some studies say smoking marijuana can result in lingering hangover effects the day after smoking. Another study contradicts that entirely by summarizing that weed doesn’t cause hangovers and that brain behavior the morning after was no different than if the participants in the study were sober. So which is it?
Everyone is different, and it will depend on you, the strain you smoked, and how your body reacts to different routes and strains of marijuana. Too much of anything is a bad thing, and if you smoked so much weed that you greened out, you already know that you’re going to feel like 10 lbs of poop in a 5 lb bag the next day. The bottom line is that you’re going to have to be your own Weed Control Board and figure out what works best for you, just like when you discover new strains that either leave you feeling euphoric or poopy.
The good news is that we’ve put together a self-care guide for when you’ve been hitting the bong too hard the next before. While some of these suggestions are obvious, we’ve included a couple based on anecdotal evidence that has very little to do with science.
Let’s get you on the road to recovery!
What Causes a Weed Hangover? Top 7 Causes
The road to recovery starts with a simple breakdown of what you’re dealing with. Hangover symptoms and the cause of cannabis hangovers vary from person to person. These are just a few of the more common ones.
1. Excessive THC
It’s not uncommon to hear The Bong Boomers lament, “Back in my day, weed wasn’t as strong as it is now.” They’re right! The THC content of marijuana today is about six times higher than it was two decades ago. You could be in trouble if, for example, you smoke a joint with 24% THC. Those who aren’t accustomed to such potent strains might find it to be too much.
2. Habitual Cannabis Consumption
If you’re someone who consumes cannabis often, and you decide to take a break, you could feel more affected by it the next day as your tolerance has waned a bit (or a lot). Smoking weed is like riding a bike or being on roller skates. If you’re doing it daily, it’s easy to ride the ride. However, once you stop, things can get more difficult once you pick it back up again. Your next smoke session after the break could lead to problems the next day.
3. Unhealthy Lifestyle
Cannabis hangovers are not terrible, but an unhealthy lifestyle can worsen them. Some issues may arise if you overindulge in your recreational substances or enjoy mixing them. A smoking session coupled with too many drinks can leave you feeling horrible the next day. Too much of anything is bad.
4. Consumption Method
Do you enjoy vaping cannabis, or are you an edibles fanatic? Your preferred consumption method may have an impact on how you feel the following day. It’s all about finding a method that suits your lifestyle. It won’t hurt to switch things up from time to time, but it’s best to enjoy one consumption method at a time. Certain forms of cannabis, such as concentrates and edibles, will cause a more intense weed hangover than smoke or vaping flower.
5. Munchies
After a smoke session, a munchies attack is almost automatic for some people. Delicacies such as bacon-wrapped mozzarella sticks and pizza popcorn are the product of stoners. Those fats and sugars may also intensify your high, and eating too much of these snacks can leave you feeling bloated and dehydrated, and your hangover might actually be food-related.
6. Quality of the Cannabis
You should be cautious when buying from unidentified sources since your product may not have been grown properly. As a result, its quality is compromised, which can have unwanted side effects. Often, inferior products have been improperly cured or contain residual chemicals, mold, or pesticides. Consider getting a new source or growing your own weed if you have had bad experiences with a certain source.
7. The Route of Consumption
Something that many people won’t consider a problem is the route of your consumption. If your dab rig is full of old resin, it may be harboring some nasty bacteria, biofilm, Strep, or E.Coli. Your lung will thank you if you take the time to clean your equipment before smoking, and you will feel a lot better if you clean it after every use so it’s ready for the next time. Be sure to rinse your equipment well after cleaning and allow your rig to dry completely before filling it up again, especially if you’re using alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or vinegar.
Preventing Weed Hangovers
Knowing your dose is the best way to prevent a weed hangover. It is important to know how much edible to take in order to avoid overdoing it and feeling terrible later.
To figure out your dose, you’ll need to start low and slow. Take your time to feel the effects of edibles before consuming more. They can take 45-60 minutes to start to take effect.
Simply eat a quarter or a half of one THC gummy and wait an hour or more if you aren’t experienced. You can have more if you do not feel anything or you can scale back the concentration next time if it feels too intense.
By finding your dose, you’ll feel confident about eating edibles and won’t experience weed hangovers as often!
Can More Cannabis Cure a Hangover?
Some people swear by smoking weed to treat a hangover. Although everyone is different, it’s worth a try to see if weed can help your hangover!
For some, you could immediately start to feel better. Since weed is often used for nausea, it makes sense for it to help with the effects of a hangover. It may also help give you an appetite to aid in your recovery.
It is common today for weed smokers to claim it has helped them recover from a hangover, with threads on Reddit filled with users praising the practice. “They don’t call it THC for nothing,” says one, “because it’s The Hangover Cure.” Some say marijuana might just worsen a hangover headache, even if it has previously worked, and they are worried it might lead to anxiety or paranoia, or vomiting. Again, choose your strain wisely.
The debate also rages whether it’s better to smoke or take an edible to cure a hangover and which strain is best according to your symptoms. Many have warned of the dreaded crossfade that can occur when weed is combined with alcohol. Don’t smoke if you’re still drunk. While others wonder why anyone would drink when they can smoke weed.
How does scientific research support using weed to treat a hangover? Is this effective? Are there any advantages to this over the countless other questionable hangover cures out there?
There hasn’t been a lot of research on this, and there hasn’t been much research on hangovers in general, making the question doubly tricky to answer. Smoking weed could help ease the after-effects of a hangover by examining the way alcohol causes them.
The diuretic effect of alcohol makes you urinate. Excessive urination leads to dehydration. In addition to triggering an inflammatory response in your immune system, dehydration irritates the stomach lining, causing nausea and vomiting; lowers your blood sugar levels, making you feel tired or jittery. And expands your blood vessels, causing headaches.
Water and food can address most of these problems, even when you’re feeling ill. Weed may provide benefits in three different areas. In addition to relieving nausea and anxiety, smoking cannabis can also reduce pain. The effects of smoking may help you cope better the next day, as many smokers can attest to.
Research has not yet caught up with DIY home remedies. Our knowledge of weed and hangovers is largely anecdotal.
There’s always another potentially helpful effect of weed to consider: pain relief. The anecdotal evidence currently suggests that it helps with headaches and headache disorders, too, but studies to confirm this have not yet been conducted.
Smoking Weed for Headaches
There’s some evidence that it’s best to use THC and CBD together as a headache treatment rather than separately. Researchers cannot determine under what circumstances it is beneficial, including in the case of hangovers, without more research. Cannabis may relieve pain in a variety of ways that scientists are unsure of.
Although cannabis can help with a hangover, it’s important to understand that it is not intended to cure anything so much as to let you handle the consequences of overindulgence while your body recovers. Marijuana can be used therapeutically to treat symptoms. The best way to deal with hangovers is to avoid them entirely.
You can do this by drinking a glass of water in between each drink and not overdoing it. However, let’s say you have already messed up and wake up with a pounding headache, dizziness, and a feeling of nausea. Use some marijuana alongside more traditional, proven methods, such as electrolytes and water in that case.
Supplementing with magnesium and Emergen-C packets, which provide vitamin C and potassium, can be useful in place of Gatorade, which is high in sugar. A magnesium drip and an IV drip are the best solutions for dehydration. With mobile IV companies popping up all over the country, getting a home IV is convenient and easier than ever.
It is important to remember that when it comes time to smoke, you are treating specific symptoms. You should carefully select the strain and method of delivery. Both THC and CBD seem to help with pain relief, but CBD seems to help more with anxiety. Indica strains contain more CBD, so keep that in mind.
We can say with certainty that you’ll probably feel better while high, recovering from the previous bad decisions you’ve made, and it is probably not harmful. Mostly we are still in the unfamiliar territory of anecdotal evidence as we pursue the science of cannabis. If you plan to use weed to treat a hangover, congrats, you’re part of the collective experiment.
TLDR: Recovering From A Weed Hangover
- Weed hangovers haven’t been scientifically studied as much as alcohol hangovers, and there isn’t an “official” cure for a weed hangover.
- The four most common weed hangover symptoms are: Brain fog, dehydration, nausea, and headache.
- A cheat-code cure for weed hangovers is hydration and potassium-rich foods. Use water for hydration and foods like bananas.
- Physical activity and showering can also alleviate the negative side effects of a weed hangover.
- Practice moderation and don’t mix weed with bad foods or alcohol to avoid weed hangovers in the future.
Not to be Captain Buzzkill, but weed can be addictive. Your dependence on it increases as you use it more frequently.
You may be experiencing cannabis hangovers as a sign that you are overdoing it. In the case that you have a hard time cutting back, you may need to contact a doctor.
Also, you might be misusing weed if you’re using it on a daily or near-daily basis if you’re experiencing cravings for it, or if you think about it a lot. It might be time to look at your situation with a critical eye if you find yourself using more than you intended or if you find yourself using more and more over time.
The same holds true if you continue to use it despite negative consequences. You’re spending a lot of money on it, even when you can’t afford it, or avoiding situations or places where you can’t use it.
Consult your doctor if you keep trying and failing to stop using cannabis or if you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop. These are major signs that you may need medical help. Use cannabis wisely!