How to Get Over a Weed Hangover
It's a well-known fact weed is one of the safest psychoactive substances you can use, but that doesn't mean smoking a lot won't have adverse effects. In fact, little is worse than waking up the morning after a long smoke session with a pounding headache, insatiable dry mouth and a fridge full of expensive delivery from the night before that you don’t remember ordering. This phenomenon - known as a ‘weed hangover’ - doesn't happen to everyone, but it's more common than you might think. After you wake up from a night of heavy smoking, you may feel disoriented and uncomfortable. In many ways, this feeling mimics a hangover typical of alcohol overconsumption. You may already know dehydration causes hangovers after drinking. But did you know dehydration from smoking too much weed can cause similar effects? That’s right - cannabis itself doesn’t cause dehydration, but the way you act when you’re under its influence might. Think about it: how often do you drink water when you’re smoking? Is it enough? If you're feeling tired, sore, and generally uncomfortable the day after smoking a significant amount of weed, it's safe to say you have a hangover. Fortunately, there's plenty you can do to relieve your symptoms and enjoy your day without feeling overcome. In this guide, we'll go over a few of the best things you can do to relieve your symptoms when you have a weed hangover and help you get back on your feet. Tip #1: Get Out of Bed and Get Moving
We get it - When you're tired from a weed hangover, the last thing you want to do is get out of bed and do your daily activities. Unfortunately, lying in bed all day will help you feel better. Half of recovering from a weed hangover is mental. You need to have self-discipline and resist the temptations you'll face throughout the day. You'll want to relax and smoke most of the morning and into the afternoon, but it won't fix the underlying problem. If you give in to these temptations, you'll feel the same the following day - it's important to stop a cycle before it starts. Start by getting up and going for a quick walk. It doesn't need to be far and you don't need to overwork yourself. Walking is a simple, effective exercise to increase your heart rate and kick-start your hangover recovery.
Tip #2: Take a Refreshing Shower
If you're feeling groggy after smoking a lot of weed, taking a cool shower can be a quick way to wake up. It'll help you prepare for your day, feel active and get ready to tackle some basic daily tasks. It's important to take a cool shower if you're trying to wake up. Hot showers promote serotonin release in the brain which encourages sleepiness. Hot showers can feel great early in the morning or while you're high but if you're recovering from a weed hangover, they'll make you want to crawl back into bed. Alternatively, a hot shower can be a good idea if you have a pounding headache and you're looking for a quick Solution. Tip #3: Grab a Cup of Your Favorite Coffee
If your cool shower didn't wake you up enough, a cup of coffee (or your other favorite stimulant, like black tea) could be enough to help you get going. A fuzzy mind is one of the key characteristics of weed hangovers. If your brain is feeling foggy, caffeine can be a quick solution to overcome the feeling. However, we offer a word of caution - drinking caffeine will make you feel better quickly, but when the effects wear off you may feel worse than before. It's important to time your coffee consumption wisely, especially if you're already tired when you pour your first cup.
Tip #4: Eat Something Healthy
When you're high, you're more likely to eat junk food than when you're sober. At least, that's how it is for a lot of people. If you eat more sugary or greasy foods when you're high, it may contribute to your hungover feeling the following day. You can combat the issue by eating a healthy breakfast the morning after your smoke session. Instead of reaching for the Cocoa Puffs with chocolate milk, try eating whole foods like fruits, eggs, whole grains, or clean proteins. It's also important to eat plenty of calories in your morning-after breakfast. Weed causes increased appetite for a lot of users, which means they may not eat as much the following morning. It’s common not to feel as hungry, so they eat less than they normally would. If you don’t eat enough, your weed hangover will feel worse. Stock up on whole, nutritional calories to start your day right and feel energized. Tip #5: Use a Cold-Compress for Headaches
Have a headache the morning after? We recommend using a cold compress to soothe the pain. Cold compresses work quickly and you don’t need to take OTC pain pills for them to work. Making a cold compress is easy. Start by wetting a clean towel and putting it in the freezer. Within 10 minutes, it should be cold enough to wrap around your head and soothe the pain without feeling overwhelming.
Tip #6: Drink Plenty of Water
We mentioned above that not drinking enough water while smoking can make a weed hangover worse. On the flip side, drinking plenty of water during a weed hangover can clear up your symptoms fast. The first thing you should do when you wake up with a weed hangover is drink as much water as you can. Be careful not to drink yourself to a point where you feel sick, but and take enough water to counteract any dehydration from the night before. If you drink enough water and eat a large, healthy breakfast you'll start your day out the right way to beat your weed hangover and you'll be back to your normal routine in no time. Tip #7: Don’t Smoke Again (Yet)
When you have a weed hangover, you'll be tempted to smoke again. It makes sense - smoking weed helps with pain and nausea, two common symptoms of a cannabis hangover. However, smoking weed the day after a long session is rarely a good idea. Unless you're a medical patient, it's important to take breaks from Cannabis so you don't increase your tolerance and experience more uncomfortable side effects. Try taking the day off and tend to your hangover so you can feel better more quickly.
Final Thoughts
Weed hangovers can be uncomfortable. In fact, they're one of the worst parts about smoking cannabis. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to combat the effects and help you put your day back on track before it gets too late. If you're experiencing any serious conditions like vomiting after smoking weed, talk to your doctor. Some conditions may lead to physical intolerances that cause more severe side effects after cannabis use. However, these conditions are rare and most weed hangovers are easily treatable with drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy meal and exercising.
