Weed Hangovers: What They Are & How to Avoid Them

Hangovers don’t just result from drinking; they also happen after using marijuana. Weed hangovers are pretty rare and tend to be very mild, but they do affect some people. If you’ve never experienced this type of hangover, it’s actually very different from an alcohol hangover. Learn more about this unusual side effect when you read on here.

What is a Marijuana Hangover?

Just like the name suggests, this type of hangover is a reaction to the cannabis you enjoyed the night before. The main symptoms you may experience from a weed hangover include:

• Fogginess
• Dry Eyes
• Lethargy
• Mild Nausea

While alcohol dehydrates your body and causes liver damage to result in a hangover, cannabis doesn’t do that. So why the hangover?

Studies haven’t found a singular root cause for cannabis hangovers simply because there hasn’t been enough research in that area. Short studies with small sample sizes hypothesize that overconsumption is the reason behind any negative side effects. Still, there is no conclusive evidence about what occurs chemically inside the body to explain it all.

How Can You Tell Your Hangover is from Weed?

It’s common for new users to feel a little tired or foggy after using weed, but that may not necessarily be a weed hangover. If you used weed in conjunction with alcohol or other drugs, these are likely the cause. Another reason you might be feeling a little off could be from marijuana withdrawal. However, these symptoms are typically so mild that most people associate them with overindulging the night before.

How to Avoid a Marijuana Hangover

Everyone's a little different, so it’s difficult to provide a single solution to a weed hangover. The best ways to combat the negative side effects of any recreational substance include sticking to well-known preventative measures.

Drinking Water

Even though cannabis doesn’t typically dehydrate you in and of itself, you may forget to drink enough water while you’re enjoying its effects. Make sure you have water nearby to remind yourself to take a sip!

Eat Well

You should always be eating a healthy diet, but it’s especially important to get a balanced breakfast after a night of partying. Make sure you’re including all essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and protein.

Balance Your Gut

The gut biome is critical to your health, and making sure you’re eating right can help you avoid an upset stomach and nausea. Ginger and lemon teas are great for calming side effects, but prebiotics and probiotics should be a regular part of your diet.

Can You Prevent a Weed Hangover Completely?

There simply isn’t enough research to confirm whether you can completely prevent a cannabis hangover. Experimenting for yourself is the only way to get a verifiable result. Make adjustments to your weed consumption based on your tolerance, overall health, and other recreational substance use. Some changes you could consider making include:

• Switch from edibles to smoking and vice versa
• Lowering your dosage
• Drinking more water
• Improving your diet
• Using cannabis at different times of the day

Think about what contributing factors may be affecting you specifically.

Tolerance Breaks

What you might really need to avoid a cannabis hangover is a tolerance break. Learn more about the best ways to take one with a little help from the Green Gone Detox guide here.