Having drinks with your friends is one of life’s most joyful moments. However, there is nothing enjoyable about its byproduct: a hangover. It makes you feel drained, with symptoms ranging from prolonged heavy beating to fatigue.
Users try different ways to deal with hangovers, like hydration, sleep, etc. A section of society also uses CBD for hangover relief. But the burning question is, will CBD help my hangover? Some users report that CBD may ease hangover discomfort.
If CBD may help in dealing with hangovers, then you must have asked yourself, Can I mix CBD with Alcohol? The answer is yes. But there is a catch! Taking CBD and alcohol together affects each person differently. It is best to start with a low dosage to avoid the potential downsides like sleepiness and sedation.
In this detailed guide, we will discuss what a hangover is, its major causes, and how CBD may help deal with it.
What is a Hangover?
A hangover is a discomfort that your body experiences because of excessive alcohol consumption. Hangover shares a direct relationship with alcohol; the higher the amount of alcohol consumed, the higher the intensity of the hangover the next day.
Headache, dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth, and nausea are common hangover symptoms you can experience after a heavy drinking session. It can also lead to psychological symptoms like irritation and mood swings. Usually, a hangover lasts for 24 hours.
Studies have shown over 75% of people have reported hangover symptoms after drinking excessively the previous night. Only 20% to 30% of people are resistant to hangovers.
What Causes Hangover?
The main reason for hangover is alcohol consumption. Numerous studies have suggested that congeners, a chemical compound that gives alcohol flavour, might be the reason for severe hangovers. The following are potential hangover symptoms:
- Headaches: After a few drinks, your heart starts pumping faster, while your blood vessels cannot expand enough, resulting in additional pressure that causes headaches.
- Dehydration: Alcohol is considered a diuretic, resulting in a substantial amount of water loss. The water shortage leads to dehydration, which makes you exhausted.
- Stomach Irritation: Alcohol has a high level of acidic content. Consuming it increases the production of stomach acid, which can lead to inflammation or abrasion. This is why you often feel stomach ache after excessive drinking.
- Electrolyte Loss: Sodium and potassium are two prominent electrolytes that help in smooth body function. They are flown out of the body through sweat or urine. Alcohol results in excessive urination, potentially leading to electrolyte loss. Cramps and aches are the repercussions of electrolyte loss.
- Lack of Deep Sleep: Alcohol disturbs your sleep cycle. When you drink, you feel sleepy after a point. However, the sleep is interrupted and restless, leading to incomplete recovery and making you feel tired.
- Nausea & Vomiting: A dual hit is taken by your stomach when you consume alcohol and eat too much. First, the stomach produces more acid; second, it remains full, making you feel heavy, ending in vomiting or nausea.
What is Hangxiety?
Hangxiety is the combination of hangover and anxiety that you may feel after having a heavy drinking session. It is a blend of the physical and mental toll that alcohol can have on you.
Usually, people drink alcohol to relieve anxiety, which it does for some time. But as soon as alcohol is gone from the body, it triggers a rebound effect, instigating nervousness and stressful thoughts.
Hangxiety symptoms range from overthinking about the previous night and feeling embarrassed to persistent sadness. A spiked-up heart rate and inability to focus and concentrate are also symptoms of anxiety.
Glutamate and GABA
GABA and glutamate are the brain’s on and off switches, respectively. They are the primary neurotransmitters whose balance helps the brain function properly.
GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that prevents messages from passing between nerve cells, while glutamate is an exhibitory neurotransmitter responsible for carrying messages between nerve cells.
Alcohol disrupts the balance between GABA and glutamate by increasing GABA activities. That is why we feel relaxed when we drink alcohol. However, when alcohol leaves the body, glutamate activities increase, and GABA drops.
This imbalance leads to anxiety and contributes to hangover symptoms like irritability, nausea, and restlessness.
Is CBD Good for Hangover Anxiety?
CBD holds the potential to help with hangover anxiety. It interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which regulates vital functions such as stress, mood, and sleep.
CBD may help alleviate stress and anxiety by promoting calmness and relaxation. Many users with low spirits after alcohol consumption have experienced mood upliftment with the use of CBD. It instilled a sense of freshness and helped them to regulate hangxiety.
You must know that you cannot wholly avoid hangovers, but with the use of CBD, you may get the support needed to manage it.
How Long Does a Hangover Last?
Usually, the hangover lasts for around 24 hours. However, several factors contribute to the timeline of a hangover. The most prominent factor is how many drinks you had. Drinking more than your tolerance can lead to a prolonged and severe hangover.
Drinking on an empty stomach is also not the brightest idea, as it tends to lead to severe hangovers. Furthermore, your age also plays a crucial role in it. As you get older, your body’s ability to process slows down. That may result in a hangover even after consuming fewer drinks.
How to Prevent a Hangover
If you are having a party and looking forward to having a few drinks, these measures can help you avoid or mitigate the effects of hangover.
Do Not Overconsume
Keeping track of your drinks is easier said than done. Drinking within your body tolerance level prevents you from being intoxicated, resulting in minimal to zero hangover.
Stay Hydrated
Since alcohol is a diuretic, it removes water from the body, leaving you dehydrated. To deal with this, add water to your drink or drink ample water before you sleep to avoid a hangover the following morning.
Avoid Drinking on an Empty Stomach
Drinking on an empty stomach results in faster absorption of alcohol, which intoxicates you in quick succession. Eating before drinking slows down the absorption process and gives your liver rest.
Avoid Wine or Dark Alcohols Drinks
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIC) suggestions, congeners and sulfates found in dark drinks and wines, respectively, should be avoided. They are the potential reason for causing hangover symptoms like headaches.
Is it Safe to Use CBD After Drinking?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers CBD safe to use. Using CBD after drinking is generally regarded as safe.
Taking CBD for a hangover may prove beneficial. It helps promote relaxation and support calmness, which can help to alleviate hangover symptoms like low mood, stress, and nausea.
However, when taking CBD after drinking, you must start with a low dosage. Get yourself to adapt to it, and then gradually increase the dosage accordingly.
How to Choose a Quality CBD Product for Hangover
When using CBD for a hangover, you must choose a quality product. Since the FDA does not regulate CBD, there are no regulations to safeguard its quality. So, checking the factors below becomes all the more important while buying CBD products in Canada.
- Brand Value: Confused about where to buy CBD for hangovers? We have you covered. Always choose a brand with positive reviews, clearly mentioned ingredients, and a COA. CBDNorth checks all the boxes and is trusted by customers across Canada for its high-quality products.
- Ingredient List: The first thing to do is check the ingredient list. Ensure CBD products are made from organic hemp and free of fillers, preservatives, and harmful chemicals.
- Third-Party Lab Tested: A third-party lab helps determine the CBD and THC content. A quality product has zero to minimal THC content (less than 0.3%).
CBD vs. THC for Hangovers
Both CBD and THC are chemical compounds obtained from cannabis plants. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, and THC is the psychoactive one and results in a high.
These compounds play a vital role in your overall well-being. When choosing between CBD and THC for hangover relief, going for CBD can be a smart move. Since THC is a psychoactive compound, it can lead to high causing sedation.
On the other hand, CBD has balanced effects, striking a perfect balance between relaxation and mental clarity, helping alleviate hangover symptoms like headache, nausea, and dizziness.
How Does CBD help with a Hangover?
Hangover leads to psychological changes like dizziness, nausea, dehydration, vomiting, and headaches. CBD may support alleviating hangover symptoms.
A 2011 study, “Regulation of Nausea and Vomiting by Cannabinoids,” showed that CBD may help stop vomiting and alleviate nausea, which are among the prominent symptoms of hangover.
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which maintains body balance by regulating virtual functions like stress, sleep, and appetite. CBD promotes relaxation and calmness and helps alleviate post-drunk stress and anxiety.
Drinking disrupts your sleeping pattern and quality. CBD provides sleep support and may help you get a peaceful and restful sleep, allowing you to sleep that helps wipe off hangovers.
How Much CBD Should be Taken for Hangover?
CBD dosage for hangover depends on the weight, age, and symptom severity. The dosage also depends on CBD form, whether it is an oil, gummies, or topicals.
If you are a beginner to CBD, you must start with a low dosage. Consuming high dosages can lead to downsides. Here is the recommended dosage chart for CBD oil for people of diverse weights and with different symptoms.
Weight | Mild Symptoms | Moderate Symptoms | Strong Symptoms |
Under 45 lbs | 5mg | 7mg | 9mg |
46 to 80 lbs | 7mg | 12mg | 17mg |
81 to 150 lbs | 12mg | 17mg | 25mg |
151 to 240 lbs | 17mg | 25mg | 30mg |
Over 240 lbs | 25mg | 30mg | 50mg |
Methods to Consume CBD to Help Alleviate Hangover
CBD products offer diverse consumption options. If you are a coffee person, you can add CBD oil to it, or if you are into fitness, you can make a CBD-infused protein smoothie.
Sublingual Application
This is the most prominent and quickest way to consume CBD. Put a few drops of CBD oil below your tongue and hold them for 30 to 45 seconds until absorbed.
The sublingual method has the quickest onset time and the highest bioavailability. If consumed sublingually, CBD takes 15 to 20 minutes to kick in and show potential effects.
CBD Smoothies
If you do not like the earthy taste of CBD oil, you can make it palatable by mixing it with your smoothies. Adding it with other ingredients makes it tastier and ensures you enjoy your daily dose of CBD.
CBD-Infused Coffee
Starting a day with coffee is ideal for boosting energy and focus. CBD and caffeine may work as potentiators that enhance each other’s effects. CBD promotes relaxation and calmness and can balance the jitteriness of caffeine.
However, be mindful of the dosage when mixing caffeine and CBD and find a middle ground that meets your needs and tolerance.
Best CBD Products for Hangover
There are plenty of CBD products, often confusing the customers about which one to buy. When buying CBD for hangover relief, go for the quality brands like CBDNorth.
We are a trusted brand and wellness partner of over ten thousand people. Our premium CBD products are made from organic hemp extract and are third-party lab-tested for added preservatives and heavy metals.
We have diverse CBD products, from CBD oil to CBD gummies, to help you deal with hangovers. If you drink regularly and look for natural CBD for alcohol recovery, you can use our Full-spectrum CBD oil or THC-free CBD Oil Isolate.
Our CBD gummies Canada are a perfect fit if you like the combination of taste and quality. You can choose from three flavours: organic gummy bears, organic berries, and mystic sour berries. The icing on the cake is that our gummies are gluten—and gelatin-free.
When to Consult a Doctor
A hangover is a common phenomenon nowadays. Taking CBD for a hangover is considerably safe if taken responsibly. However, if you are on a medication, you must avoid taking CBD. Using CBD along with medication can lead to potential side effects.
Also, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take CBD. In any of these conditions, you should consult your doctor for professional advice before incorporating CBD into your daily routine.
Conclusion – CBD for Hangover
CBD has gained significant recognition for its potential to deal with hangovers. Its users have reported relief with hangover symptoms like headache, nausea, vomiting, and so on.
When choosing CBD products, opt for a brand that users trust and practices transparency. Premium CBD products can be the defining factor in boosting general wellness and helping customers manage discomfort and enhance general wellness.
Seeking quality and transparency, you can trust CBDNorth. Our products are made from pure and potent CBD extract, and the list of ingredients is free from harmful chemicals and preservatives.
Our CBD oil Canada and CBD gummies may provide the natural support you need to manage hangover symptoms. When starting, be mindful of dosage; the ideal way is to kick start with a low dosage.
Frequently Asked Questions
CBD may help with some common hangover symptoms like headaches and nausea. It does not sober you but can alleviate the after-effects of alcohol that take a toll on your body.
CBD holds the ability to mitigate hangover symptoms like headache, sleeplessness, and dehydration if taken responsibly. A high dosage of CBD can result in mild discomfort that may make your hangover worse.
Yes, CBD can be mixed with alcohol as they may potentially complement each other effects. However, if you plan to mix them, start with a low dosage and see how your body reacts to it.
CBD interaction with the endocannabinoid system may help to get rid of hangover symptoms. Its interaction may provide hangover relief by promoting relaxation and reducing discomfort. It is a natural alternative to ease hangover discomfort.
If you are on medication, you should consult your healthcare professional before taking CBD. Moreover, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also not take CBD with healthcare advice.
Several studies have shown that CBD may help to get rid of your alcohol cravings. However, further studies are required to arrive at a conclusion.