Let me preface this by stating that what I'm about to share is solely based on my personal experience, and whether it works for you remains uncertain. Although I don't recommend a hangover, it's different from the one resulting from alcohol, and dare I say, useful.
Typically, I indulge in a brief session of cannabis flower or concentrate using my Davinci Vaporizer by taking three to four hits before bedtime, usually in the late evenings.

I hit the vaporizer, through one of my many water pipes like the ones you see below.
From left to right, The UFO Pipe from Sneaky Pete's Vaporizers, The Hammer Bubbler from FreezePipe, and MJ Arsenal's limited edition Hotbox Cabin Mini Dab Rig.
I've observed that when I take hits and go to bed within an hour of reaching the peak of my high, I often feel groggy and high throughout the night. The next morning, I still feel a bit foggy, but not as high as the night before. My theory for this is as follows:
When cannabis vapor is inhaled, it enters the bronchial tubes and alveoli of the lungs, where THC and CBD are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Alveoli are tiny, balloon-shaped air sacs in the lungs that play an important role in the respiratory system. They take up the oxygen you breathe in and keep your body going by exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide at the blood–air barrier between alveolar and pulmonary capillaries
Have you ever noticed that after taking a few hits from a vaporizer, joint, or bong during a smoke session with friends, you start to feel the effects of cannabis in your lungs within minutes? If you take about four hits during the session, the high will last for a while. The duration of the high varies based on your tolerance level, but on average, it lasts for about 2 to 4 hours before you start to come down. This is because you're active and talking, and your lungs are working to keep up with the demand for oxygen. As a result, new fresh air is constantly being circulated into your system, which clears the smoke in your lungs and reduces the effects of the THC/CBD that your body absorbed.
Regarding THC/CBD, the residual amounts circulating in your bloodstream are gradually diminishing over time. The potency of these cannabinoids is decreasing as your body has metabolized and utilized what it required. Despite the short time frame of your smoke session mentioned earlier, by the 4-hour mark, you're mostly free of the high. It may not be completely gone at this point, but I estimate it to be in the range of 65-85%.
Now when you're asleep, you’re looking at a different path of actions. The cannabinoid composition as before affects either the CB1 or CB2 receptors in your endocannabinoid system, with CB1 targeting the brain and CB2 targeting the body. But in this case, we'll focus on the CB2 receptors, particularly those in the lungs. During sleep, your breathing changes, becoming shallower and less frequent than when you're awake. This is part of the body's regenerative process and is necessary for a good night's sleep. However, as your lungs are working at a reduced capacity during sleep, the elimination of cannabis vapor may be slowed or even halted compared to when you're awake and upright.
During sleep, this process continues well into the morning as you awaken. Upon emerging from REM sleep, the first thing you do is yawn, taking a deep breath and exhaling a significant amount of air from your lungs. Then, as you swing your legs over the edge of the bed and stand up, your body activates all the necessary systems to keep you upright. This requires effort and, of course, oxygen! Your lungs, having gone from a horizontal to a vertical position, kick into high gear, providing fresh oxygen to your entire body. In doing so, they flush out the remaining air that had resided in your lungs throughout the night, including any tainted air from the smoke/vapor that sat there overnight.
To test this theory, I opted to conduct a personal experiment. Having knowledge of my body's reaction to consuming cannabis flower and sleeping shortly after, wherein I would remain high throughout the night and feel somewhat groggy the following morning, I decided to take action. The next evening, I indulged in a similar session, but this time, I went for a half-hour walk before returning home and promptly going to bed. As a result, I woke up feeling well-rested and clear-headed, without any haziness. This was due to my efforts to expel most, if not all, of the vapor from my lungs, ensuring it was replaced with fresh oxygen. Despite being under the influence that evening and at bedtime, the vapor and levels of THC/CBD I had at bedtime, differed from the previous experiment.
So there you have it. A cannabis hangover is very possible depending on your level of activity after your sesh. Remaining stationary, without clearing your lungs of smoke/vapor will allow the residual of that to continue working, while being active, pumping fresh air in to your lungs will decrease the chances of the active cannabinoids working as long when you're eventually at rest.
Surprisingly, there are benefits to this approach. Although the term "hangover" typically carries negative connotations, it takes on a more positive meaning when you consider that it allows you to maximize the use of your cannabis flower. This is especially important for those who experience chronic pain and rely on the extended effects of cannabis. Taking a few hits of a relaxing strain and then taking a nap can be beneficial in allowing THC/CBD to better interact with your endocannabinoid system, as it has fewer distractions during these "maintenance checks."
It's worth noting that this experiment wouldn't work the same with edibles as THC is processed in to the liver creating 11-hydroxy THC, and the only thing that aids in passing the effects of this through your system is time. Now granted, this is a hangover in itself, but is also unavoidable even if you used the methods noted above.
So that's my theory, which provided a real world test to prove it. Granted, I'm no Doctor, but I'm very confident about what I've discovered at least about myself, should work for most people. What are your thoughts?. Feel free to comment below. I'd love to know your thoughts on Cannabis Hangovers overall.
LaMott Jackson (CG)
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