CBD For Hangovers: Does it Help?

The search for the holy grail of hangover cures is unending. Even Prohibition couldn't stop alcohol consumption, and the occasional hangover is just as persistent. But could CBD be the answer?

Let's be frank: CBD is not a miracle hangover cure. Hangovers result from a complex of factors that CBD just doesn't address.

But that's not to say that CBD can't play a part. CBD for hangovers can, in fact, address several of the worst symptoms of your hangover, making your recovery smoother and more enjoyable — or, at least, less miserable.

Common Hangover Symptoms

The hangover: the miserable, joy-sapping follow-up to a night of drunken debauchery. Anyone who's been there before knows, the hangover is not a pleasant experience.

Moreover, it comes with a heap of different symptoms, all of which make your day just that much less pleasant. The most common hangover symptoms are:

• Dry mouth
• Head and muscle aches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Anxiety and irritability

How CBD Helps Hangover Symptoms

To get back on your feet after a hangover, you've got to address these symptoms and more. And while CBD won't cure all of them, it can help with some of the worst hangover symptoms!

• CBD for nausea: studies show that CBD can reduce nausea by interacting with serotonin receptors. If you can use CBD to cut down on your urge to vomit, that's a huge improvement on your hangover experience!
• CBD for head and body pain: CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which helps users to manage many forms of pain throughout the body. Reduce the severity of your hangover aches and pains, and you're well on your way to recovery.
• CBD for anxiety and mood: CBD has been shown to dramatically reduce anxiety and improve mood in many users, which could help cut down on the psychological effects of a hangover.

But of course, CBD can't address all of your hangover symptoms. Notably absent: dry mouth, light sensitivity, and many of the less common but equally unpleasant hangover symptoms you might experience.

As such, you absolutely shouldn't expect CBD to be a miracle hangover cure.

But it can make for a powerful hangover fighting tool. Combined with a few other such tools, and you'll be back on your feet in no time.

Other Hangover Remedies to Combine With CBD

CBD alone won't miraculously cure your hangover, but it can help. Here are some other powerful tips for getting back on your feet after a night out.

Drink Lots of (Non-Alcoholic) Fluids

Both during your drinking and the morning after, getting enough fluids is the key to avoiding the worst of your hangover.

Much of your hangover is caused by dehydration. That's because alcohol is a diuretic, and it both makes you urinate more frequently and otherwise saps you of water.

Re-upping on liquids isn't going to turn off a hangover you've already got, but hydrating early may prevent it in the first place and rehydrating is key to taking the worst edge off the morning after.

Eat a Hearty Breakfast

Hangovers are often associated with low blood sugar, so boosting your body's fuel source can definitely help.

What's the key element? Some say carbs, some say good, healthy fats. So why not both?

Toast and juice is a classic recommendation, but others swear by avocado (for fats), eggs (for proteins) or something similar.

Whatever you choose, don't push it! Your body may rebel against the idea of food (especially if you're nauseous), but try to get a few bites in, then continue once you're feeling a bit better.

Hair of the Dog

Prevailing wisdom insists that the hangover is, in part, a symptom of alcohol withdrawal. As such, drinking a little more alcohol the next morning could reduce your hangover symptoms.

But of course the last thing you want is to make your hangover worse a couple hours down the line. As such, be sure to moderate your morning-after intake, and don't overdo it!

Could CBD Make a Hangover Worse?

Breathe a sigh of relief because, generally speaking, no: CBD isn't going to make your hangover worse.

CBD is safe, effective, and has virtually no noticeable side effects for the vast majority of users.

However, some users may experience mild side effects, especially when taking large doses of CBD. These can include:

• Low Blood Pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Dry Mouth
• Fatigue

Note that those last two, dry mouth and fatigue, are also common hangover symptoms! So if you experience these side effects, CBD could theoretically heighten certain parts of your hangover.

That said, dry mouth is hardly the worst hangover symptom and is easily addressed by hydrating. Even here, the benefit of CBD may far outweigh the (small) possibility of worsening your hangover dry mouth.

You could even try a CBD beverage to get your hydration and CBD all at once! Who doesn't love getting two birds with one stone?

The Bottom Line

CBD isn't going to magically cure your hangover, but it absolutely can help take the edge off some of the hangover's worst symptoms.

• As an anti-inflammatory, CBD works much like a traditional over-the-counter painkiller, naturally relieving aches and pains.
• By helping to relieve anxiety and improve mood, it can improve some of the psychological impacts that prevent you from greeting the day.
• By mildly improving nausea symptoms, it can keep you focused on the task at hand rather than running back and forth to the bathroom.

Still, the best plan is prevention. Be sure to drink in moderation, properly hydrate, and respect your body's needs.

But when the morning after strikes with a vengeance, CBD has your back. Check out our extensive collection of the industry's best CBD products to find the hangover tool that's best for you.