We’ve all been there- you get a little too high the night before, only to wake up the next day not quite feeling like yourself. The solution? Get back on that bong, pipe or joint, and have a few more hits to sort your mind out once again! Although this feeling can be mild and moderate – maybe just manifesting as a bit of brain fog or trouble concentrating – what is dubbed “the weed hangover” is actually very much a real thing.
As with alcohol, though, which we all know tends to make you feel like a ton of bricks just fell on your head, the weed hangover is normally not nearly as severe, and the cause for this experience might not be from the origin that you expected. There are numerous misconceptions regarding feeling “off” the next day after consuming marijuana, so this article serves as a way to hopefully clear up the circulating misinformation.
Medical professionals do not yet know if weed causes a hangover, and only a few studies describe weed hangovers. Some suggest that using weed can lead to hangover effects, while others indicate the opposite.
The reported effects of weed use vary widely between studies, and researchers do not know if the participants in these studies used other substances alongside weed. It is also unclear whether or not age or sex can influence the “hangover” effects of using marijuana.
Symptoms
The effects of marijuana use may linger for hours. If a person smokes or vaporizes the drug, these effects may last between 1 and 3.5 hours.
Ingesting marijuana in the form of edibles causes longer-lasting effects than inhaling it. A person who takes edibles may experience effects for up to 8 hours. These effects may last even longer depending on the amount of marijuana the person used. So, if a person takes an edible at night, they may still feel the drug’s effects the next morning.
Some potential effects of marijuana include:
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- nausea
- disorientation
- increased sense of happiness
- confusion
- sedation
- increased heart rate
- breathing problems
Potential ‘weed hangover’ effects
A study in the journal PainTrusted Source explored people’s perspectives on using marijuana for pain relief. Some reported weed hangovers that caused a foggy feeling in the morning. Some also felt a lack of alertness the day after using marijuana.
Some other potential effects of a weed hangover include:
- dry mouth
- fatigue
- headaches
- dry eyes
- lethargy
- mild nausea
However, it is important to remember that some people use marijuana and alcohol at the same time. In these situations, it may be difficult to know which substance is responsible for the effects.
What can you do if You are experiencing a Weed Hangover?
If you are experiencing a marijuana hangover, don’t worry about it! The feelings will pass before you know it, and they are typically much more subtle than the type of hangover that you get from alcohol. If you want to remedy your weed hangover as fast as possible, though, then it is important to start with nourishing your body:
- Be sure to drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated and catch up with any of the water you may have forgotten to drink the day prior.
- Be sure to eat a well-balanced diet and don’t simply pig out on some type of meal that satisfies your taste buds more than your body. Consume a meal rich in healthy fats/oils, and one that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, vitamins and minerals. Also be sure to add in a protein so that you’ll be able to fuel-up and gain some much needed energy.
- You may want to stay away from a cup of coffee during the morning. It may sound tempting, but the caffeine might actually just make you feel worse and won’t necessarily help your situation.
- By all means, stay away from drinking any alcohol. You won’t feel any better, and you might actually find yourself with a stronger headache afterwards.
- Take a hot shower or warm bath and try to relax your body a little bit.
- Rest plenty and maybe even try some yoga or meditation.
- If all else fails, take some vitamin B supplement and dose-up on your daily vitamins.
- High potency CBD oil also seems to be of great assistance, and can help balance your mind and body out once again. Cannabidiol oil is non-psychoactive, and shouldn’t make you feel any more high than you already are (or were).
If you don’t want to experience a cannabis hangover at all, there are some preventative measures you can take:
- Know your limits and stick to doses of marijuana that you know have been fine for you in the past. Don’t over-indulge and know when you’ve had enough.
- Drink plenty of water before and during your high — trust us, this can help immensely.
- Choose a strain that also contains some CBD, which can help balance out the psychoactive effects of the THC, all while still providing you with the medicinally beneficial qualities.
- Choose healthy snacks to consume while you’re going through the munchies. This can help you feel a little lighter and energized the next morning.
Final Thoughts on Weed Hangovers:
If you’ve ever wondered if marijuana can actually cause you to experience a hangover the next day, then we hope this article answered your questions and cleared up any misinformation about weed and its relation to post-high feelings. At the end of the day it seems that weed hangovers are, indeed, a very real occurrence. However, they’re just so manageable that cannabis consumers don’t mind that much if they have some of the symptoms afterwards.
We hope you not only found this article to be entertaining, but also educational and informative. It is important to remember that the consumption of marijuana is the sole responsibility of the user, and discretion should always be taken.
Remedies
People who feel fatigued the morning after using marijuana may need to sleep for a little longer to start feeling better. Although caffeine may help promote alertness, the body may still need extra sleep.
To resolve the feeling of a dry mouth, it is important to stay hydrated, especially if a person combined marijuana with alcohol.
Anyone experiencing nausea should try to eat small, frequent portions the next day.
The following remedies may also help with the effects of a weed hangover:
- Take a hot shower: A hot shower can leave a person feeling refreshed and help with any feelings of lethargy and fatigue.
- Eat a healthful meal: A nutritional meal can provide hangover relief.
- Use a pain reliever: These can help with headaches.
- Stay hydrated: Marijuana can lead to dehydration, so drinking plenty of water is important.
- Avoid caffeine: Although caffeine can help with sleepiness, it can also worsen dehydration, so be sure to drink plenty of other fluids.
Effects such as increased heart rate, confusion, dizziness, and disorientation will disappear with time. If they do not, a person should speak with a doctor as soon as possible.
I don’t know if it’s just me but when ever I fall asleep while stoned I wake up feeling as if I didn’t even sleep. This only happens when I fall asleep while at the ‘high’t of my high. Eh, weed effects everyone differently.