You've just had a night of ultimate awesomeness. You toked, vaped, or ate some of the best cannabis you've ever tasted, and it was strong. You may have had a movie night, an adventure with friends, or a romantic evening with your special someone. But the morning after is a whole different experience. Your eyes are sticky, your feet barely leave the floor, and you're stuck in a golden half-asleep haze that is notquite pleasant. Maybe you feel parched, maybe a little nauseous. It might feel like you have a light flu coming on.

This is the weed hangover. Not everybody gets them, and not all night-before toking results in them, but weed hangovers are common enough that it's important to have a game plan when you're stuck in the post-weed haze. That's exactly what we're here to give you, now: Understanding what a weed hangover is and how to fix it before your whole day is gone in a shuffle.

What Is a Weed Hangover?

A weed hangover is when you wake up from a night of cannabis carousing, and you're still feeling the effects. It's when you haven't quite managed to sleep off your high and your body is still depleted from a night of partying. The good news is that a weed hangover is nothing like an alcohol hangover. You probably won't have a headache, light sensitivity is more glowy than painful, and any nausea is more like mild unease.

In most cases, a weed hangover comes from only two causes: dehydration and/or still being high. 

Causes of a Weed Hangover

The causes of weed hangovers are unsurprising for anyone experienced with the cannabis arc. If you go to sleep dehydrated, you'll wake up dehydrated and feeling that deficit. And if you take long-lasting cannabis, you may still be high when you wake up.

1. Serious Dehydration

Smoking and vaping will leave you dehydrated if you don't rehydrate before bed. The symptoms of dehydration include waking up thirsty or with dry mouth, fatigue, aches and pains, and mild queasiness. Sound familiar? You may also feel that your eyes or throat are scratchy from dryness, as well.

2. You're Still High in the Morning

Waking up high is most common for people who take edibles, especially substantial edibles or edibles with other food. The intoxication arc for edibles can be longer than six hours, so you might still be high and experiencing those effects like feeling spacy and unfocused when you wake up.

3. You Never Quite Wake Up

Lastly, cannabis has interesting effects on sleep. Getting really high and going to sleep can sometimes result in not fully waking up after getting out of bed.

Tips to Get Rid of a Weed Hangover

Fortunately, because weed hangovers are usually the result of dehydration and lingering cannabis, it's also pretty easy to deal with them. If you know what's up, you can get yourself to process the last of that THC and fully wake up so you can tackle the rest of the day without shuffling through life in a slightly uncomfortable dream state.

Drink Plenty of Water & Hydrating Liquids

Step One: Rehydrate. The vast majority of your weed hangover symptoms are from going to sleep more dehydrated then you realize, then waking up even more dehydrated. Drink water. Drink a big glass of water when you wake up. Skim milk and orange juice are also good picks. After two glasses of water, add a sports drink to help replenish your electrolytes and aid in absorbing all that water.

Once your cells start absorbing water, you'll start to feel better pretty quickly.

Take a Hot, Refreshing Shower

Hot showers are the tried-and-true method for helping yourself wake up when your brain is not cooperating. Just like you might use a hot shower to sober up in the middle of a party, you can shower in the morning to help clear your head, even if you're still a bit high. Washing your face will help clear away that sticky-gritty feeling, and washing your skin will clear away THC night sweats and improve your cleansing process.

Eat Balanced, Healthy Foods

Now, it's time to get your stomach back online. You may feel a little queasy, but the water should be helping. Eat a balanced meal of healthy foods that help you feel grounded and replenish your body's nutrients. Start with oatmeal if you're a breakfast person, soup, or even a good sandwich. Avoid things like ramen or cold pizza which tend to make morning queasiness worse, not better, by providing salt instead of substance.

Exercise and Take Showers

If you're still high, exercise is one of the secret tricks to help you sober up faster. Exercise will speed up your body's metabolism so that you process THC more efficiently out of your system. You can also sweat out THC, so work up that cardio and step in-and-out of the shower if your sweat feels sticky or oily. 

You'll start feeling clear-headed in no time.

Take an Afternoon Nap

Lastly, if you're still feeling off after rehydrating, showering, and working out - catch a nap. Now that your body is replenished, you can actually sleep off that night of cannabis-fueled fun and wake up in a proper headspace with even a short nap in between.

Caffeinate

Of course, if you're in a hurry, you can always chase away the last of the cobwebs with the help of caffeine. Add caffeine after you rehydrate and eat good food. In fact, a little caffeine for your workout can help turbo-charge your cleanse and leave you more clear-eyed if you have an appointment to keep.

How to Avoid Weed Hangovers in the Future

Fortunately, avoiding weed hangovers can be easily done for most people. Here are the essential tips to avoid getting a weed hangover next time you party and toke into the night.

Hydrate As You Party

Remember to stay hydrated. Drink water, juice, and sports drinks between your sugary sodas throughout the night. This will keep you from getting critically dehydrated without noticing.

Drink Water Before Bed

Make a habit of drinking a big glass of water before going to bed. This is a valuable health tip even if you haven't been toking, as it will help your body rehydrate in your sleep instead of waking up dehydrated.

Clean Your Bong

Resin can leave you with a more janky high than clean cannabis oil or green leaf. If you're toking with a dirty device that's coated in old resin and have a weed hangover problem, try cleaning your devices. Dirty bongs are among the worst. Be sure to salt-scrub the basin and scrape out the stem.

Stop Toking 1-3 Hours Before Sleeping

If you have a recurring weed hangover problem, give yourself a buffer-zone. Stop toking a few hours before you go to sleep. Drink water during your cool-down time and consider a nighttime workout session to help you process the THC more effectively so you don't wake up still stoned.

 

Achieve the Perfect Before-Bed Clouds with VESSEL

If you're looking for a vape or dry herb pipe that's beautifully balanced and easy to clean, VESSEL has a science-honed collection of perfectly balanced cannabis devices to choose from. Check out our blog for more cool cannabis tips, and check out our shop for devices that can create a clean high the night before to help you avoid weed hangovers in the morning.

FAQ

Why do I feel so fuzzy the morning after smoking weed?

• If you wake up fuzzy and unable to really wake up smoking/vaping cannabis, it's a weed hangover. Rehydrate and exercise to help clear the last of the THC from your system.

What causes a weed hangover?

• Weed hangovers are 90% dehydration, 10% lingering THC in your body. Rehydrating will solve most of your symptoms.

Does everyone get weed hangovers?

• No. Not everyone processes cannabis the same way, and many people remember to hydrate before bed.

How can I avoid a weed hangover the next day?

• Drink plenty of water during your weed partying and drink a large glass of water before bed.