One too many on a night of drinking? Alcohol hangovers happen. We know you feel like you are never drinking again…but you still have to get through the morning after a big night of excessive alcohol consumption. Many people have their go-to hangover cures and they can range from simple to elaborate remedies. Sometimes drinking water or an extra serving of carbs won’t cut it. Even weird hangover cures like a glass of pickle juice or chocolate milk, may not be the way you want to cure your hangover. What if there was an easy, natural hangover cure that could help you bounce back and move on? Today we are going to explore the question- Does weed help with hangovers?
Why Do We Get Hangovers and Symptoms
We all know the misery of a hangover after a night of heavy drinking. As we get older, it seems to take less and less alcohol to make us feel bad the next day. But what actually causes a hangover? Primarily, a hangover is caused by the direct effects of drinking alcohol, like dehydration, but other symptoms can result from alcohol withdrawal, certain chemicals your body produces when you drink alcohol, and your personal characteristics.
- Dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you pee more often. That means it’s easier to become dehydrated both during and after drinking. Dehydration is one of the main causes of headaches, dizziness, and, of course, thirst.
- Gastrointestinal effects. Alcohol causes irritation and increases acid production in your digestive system. Depending on how much you drink, alcohol can also speed up or slow down the passage of food through your gastrointestinal tract. These effects can cause severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Electrolyte imbalance. Alcohol intake affects your body’s electrolyte levels. Electrolyte imbalances may contribute to hangover headaches, irritability, and weakness.
- Immune system effects. Drinking alcohol may impair your immune system. A wide range of alcohol hangover symptoms, including nausea, decreased appetite, and inability to concentrate may be related to temporary changes in immune system function caused by alcohol.
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Drinking limits the production of sugar in the body. Low blood sugar is associated with fatigue, dizziness, and irritability.
- Dilated blood vessels (vasodilation). When you drink, your blood vessels widen. This effect, known as vasodilation, is associated with headaches.
- Difficulty sleeping. Although drinking too much can leave you feeling sleepy, it also prevents high-quality sleep and may cause you to wake up at night. The next day, you might feel drowsier than usual.
Can Marijuana Really Help My Hangover?
There are many ways people use cannabis to help reduce symptoms of a hangover and feel better quicker. Here, we’ve compiled seven common hangover symptoms and how cannabis may best help with them.
Cannabis and nausea
There’s evidence that smoking cannabis can decrease anxiety and reduce mild nausea. Those effects may help you better cope with the day after a night of hard drinking. Many experts acknowledge that there are cannabis receptors in both the gut and the areas of the brain that are involved with appetite, nausea, and vomiting so cannabis might help out in those symptoms. There are many studies and anecdotal evidence that show the capacity of THC to reduce an upset stomach and vomiting.
Cannabis and pain relief
Since cannabis is a natural vasodilator, meaning it expands the blood vessels, it can help clear up headaches and other minor pain that much faster. Right now, there’s anecdotal evidence to suggest it can help with headache disorders, as well, but not enough clinical study to prove it, according to a 2017 review article in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. CBD is also a great option for hangovers, too, since it’s anti-inflammatory. We also looked at if THC has anti-inflammatory properties.
Cannabis and sleep
Bad hangovers can often mean late-nights and very little sleep. Many of the problems related to hangovers are caused by lack of sleep. First of all, it’s difficult to enjoy a good quality of sleep when a large amount of alcohol is involved. You might fall asleep quickly, but typically sleep after a big night out is not restful or rejuvenating. Even for those who have the opportunity to sleep, a hangover could prevent it from happening. Sleeping can reduce symptoms because it offers the liver a chance to flush the alcohol from the system. A gummie or suppository designed for sleep can give you a head start on fighting a hangover before it begins. When you do not sleep well, everything seems worse the next day.
Tips to avoid a hangover all together
Even if you pride yourself on drinking in moderation and don’t tend to be part of excessive partying, a hangover can sneak up on the best of us.
Do NOt DRINK on an EMpty Stomach
Fill up before going out. Experts recommend eating a meal that leaves you full before a night of partying. Like, really full. When you drink alcohol on an empty stomach, it just passes the alcohol right to your intestines and then it’s absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly.
Hydrate before, During, and After Drinking
Mix in water or a mocktail. Some experts recommend sticking to one drink per hour. That’s easier said than done. So if you find that you tend to down your ranch water too quickly, try to alternate every boozy drink with a non-alcoholic one. A glass of water between drinks is a great way to do this.
Reduce or eliminate alcohol
While there are various ways to alleviate the discomfort of a hangover, the most effective strategy for avoiding one is simple: steer clear of excessive alcohol consumption. Calisober as an alternative has gained popularity over recent years.
AVOID Congeners
Congeners are the compounds that give liquor its flavor and color. Every type of alcohol contains congeners, but dark alcohols, including red wine and whiskey, generally have more of them than lighter ones. These toxic chemicals may set off an inflammatory response that helps bring on hangover symptoms. If possible, drink light-colored, filtered alcohol. Typically, the more expensive the alcohol, the more filtered it is and the fewer congeners there are to cause a hangover. Tequila, anyone?
What are your favorite hangover cures? Do you get them?
-Hallman Ray