Does Weed Help with a Hangover?

Consuming a small amount of cannabis can potentially help alleviate some symptoms of an alcohol hangover. We’ve all been there. It may even have happened to you after celebrating the new year. You wake up from a night of drinking with a screaming hangover, cursing yourself for downing one too many.

So, you might chug some water, pop an Advil, and order a greasy breakfast. And, if you’re like us, you might reach for your grinder and papers - or other favorite way to enjoy your cannabis.

Although a little bit of marijuana may not cure a hangover, it can help to alleviate some of the unfavorable symptoms that occur after consuming too much alcohol.

Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover is to not overindulge. But, if you do find yourself feeling hungover, here are seven common hangover symptoms that cannabis may help to alleviate.

Using Weed to Alleviate a Hangover

Before we get into the different ways marijuana can help to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover, we need to clarify one thing.

When it comes to cannabis, the effects will be different for each person. A strain that may be just right for you, may be too strong for someone else. Or a strain that’s just right for someone else may be too potent for you. How is this possible?

It’s because we all have our own internal endocannabinoid system (ECS). And, the way the terpenes and cannabinoids found in cannabis interact with our ECS can determine how each strain affects us.

Learn about: Why Your Endocannabinoid System Could Be the Key to Unlocking Your Body’s Natural Healing Power.

Learn about: What Gets You High - THC or Terpenes?

Alright, now that we’ve clarified that the effects of cannabis can vary for each person, let’s talk about the seven common symptoms associated with a hangover that cannabis may help to alleviate.

7 Ways Weed Can Help Alleviate Hangover Symptoms

1. Reduce Nausea / Vomiting

One of the most common symptoms associated with a hangover is nausea. And it is not just drinking that can cause it. Some other causes of nausea include motion sickness, food poisoning, and chemotherapy.

Regardless of why you feel nauseous, cannabis may be helpful in providing relief.

In May of 2021, researchers at the University of New Mexico examined the effects of cannabis on those suffering from nausea symptoms. They examined the effects of cannabis consumption over a period of time ranging from 5 minutes after consumption to one hour after.

The study found that using cannabis resulted in people finding relief from their nausea just minutes after consuming cannabis - and the benefits tend to improve over time.

It is important to note that cannabis flower and concentrates provided faster and greater relief than consuming edibles. Methods of consumption using combustion - like smoking a joint or bong - were also found to provide greater relief compared to vaping.1

2. Relax Muscles & Calm Headaches

It is no secret that the cannabinoids in cannabis can be helpful in reducing inflammation - which is often the root of other health issues. Perhaps, this is why many athletes turn to cannabis as a natural alternative for pain relieving drugs.

Well, good news for those suffering from a drinking induced headache. Cannabis may help.

A recent study found that cannabis can be helpful in alleviating headaches and migraines. The study found that cannabis could be effective in decreasing the intensity of headaches and reducing the intake of pain relievers in those who consumed cannabis.2

3. Improve Mood

Have you ever felt mood swings, depression, or anxiety after a heavy night of drinking?

Since alcohol is a depressant it can impact the levels of “feel good” chemicals in our brains.

The way it usually works is that the night you drink, alcohol boosts the levels of serotonin and dopamine. Then the next day we are left with lower levels of these chemicals - which can leave us feeling anxious or depressed.

So can cannabis help?

The short answer is that cannabis may help. And it’s not just because of THC which is known to provide an uplifting effect. Sure, the THC helps but other cannabinoids found in weed, along with our body’s own endocannabinoids, may also play a role in our mood after a long night of drinking.

One of these endocannabinoids is anandamide. Anandamide was named after the Sanskrit word meaning bliss or joy, due to it being a mood enhancer that provides a calming effect.

Anandamide is also naturally produced in our bodies. Usually, FAAH enzymes break down the anandamide in our system. However, Cannabidiol (CBD) can inhibit those enzymes from breaking it down.

By doing so, CBD allows more of the body’s own anandamide to attach to the receptors in our brains - which results in the calming effect commonly attributed to CBD.

This is just one example of how enjoying the many different cannabinoids found in cannabis together - can lead to an enhanced cannabis experience known as the Entourage Effect.

It was previously thought that the euphoric feeling runners can sometimes experience - known as “runner’s high” - was caused by the release of endorphins.

Well, in April of 2021, the results of a study were published in the journal, Psychoneuroendocrinology indicating that runner’s high may be caused by anandamide.3

Read more: Working Out High: Gym Weed Tips

4. Boost Metabolism & Energy Levels

Did you know that cannabis may actually help to stimulate your metabolism and boost energy levels?

Contrary to the myth that cannabis users are all fat and lazy, some studies have found that cannabis use can help to increase metabolism - which can help to boost energy levels and reduce fatigue.4

So, for those days when you may need an extra boost - why not try a strain high in the terpene known as limonene!

Learn more: What Are Terpenes in Cannabis?

5. Improve Quality of Sleep

Alcohol can disrupt our sleep cycle and can lead to insomnia or restless sleep - only making your hangover worse. Cannabis strains high in myrcene or caryophyllene tend to have sedative properties and may help you get more restful sleep.

6. Ease Inflammation

Alcohol is a toxin that can cause inflammation in the body. And as we mentioned earlier, inflammation can lead to a wide range of other health issues.

Cannabis, on the other hand, contains cannabinoids with potential anti-inflammatory properties. Using cannabis may help ease some of that inflammation and help you feel better, but time, water and rest are still the main factors in recovering from a hangover.

7. Stimulate Appetite

One way to get relief from the symptoms of a hangover is to get some food in your stomach. But, if you are feeling nauseous from your hangover, you may lack an appetite.

Well, as we mentioned earlier, weed can help to relieve nausea. Not only that but cannabis is well known to stimulate the appetite. And once you get some good food in your belly, you should be on your way to enjoying higher levels of energy and less fatigue.

Does Weed Give You a Hangover?

Yes, it is possible to experience a sort of “hangover” from consuming too much cannabis, often referred to as a “weed hangover.” While it’s not exactly the same as the typical hangover from alcohol, the symptoms can be somewhat similar. This can happen with high doses of THC, including Delta-8 THC, and typically includes feelings of grogginess, brain fog, headache, and dry mouth. Cannabis may have therapeutic effects, but it’s important to monitor and measure your consumption when dealing with a hangover. If you overdo it, our guide on how to sober up from weed can help.

Best Way to Avoid a Hangover

While cannabis can help to treat some of the symptoms of your hangover, it will not cure your hangover. It can only help to alleviate the symptoms related to your overindulgence.

The best way to avoid a hangover is to drink responsibly or avoid drinking altogether.

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Sources

1. http://news.unm.edu/news/cannabis-offers-mmediate-relief-from-symptoms-of-nausea-but-product-use-matters
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8459575/
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453021000470?via%3Dihub
4. https://www.healthline.com/health/does-smoking-weed-make-you-skinny#theories