Kratom has a great number of benefits and positive effects. Because of them, an estimated 3-5 million people in the United States use kratom to feel better.
Some of the most popular kratom benefits include pain, stress, and anxiety relief, as well as increased energy and focus. Yet, the list of kratom effects and benefits is actually much longer.
Despite these, it is also possible to experience kratom side effects although they are relatively rare and can be easily avoided. One of them is kratom hangover.
Wait…what?
Yes, you read that right. It is possible to have kratom hangover. However, it’s generally very rare.
So, if you wake up feeling like you’ve had a wild night but didn’t actually have one, it’s possible that you are experiencing kratom hangover. The good news is that just like the other kratom side effects kratom hangover can also be easily prevented.
What Is Kratom Hangover and What Causes It?
Kratom hangover is a state caused by symptoms that are hangover-like. Users normally experience it a few hours after taking kratom.
Note that the symptoms are hangover-like. Kratom hangover is not the same as the hangover that you would experience after taking alcohol. It’s also milder than and not as unpleasant as alcohol hangover.
Alcohol-induced hangover is caused by inflammation, a drop in blood sugar, and dehydration. However, kratom does have the same effect on the body. It can dehydrate you, but it does not cause inflammation and blood sugar drop.
In most cases, kratom hangover happens if you take an excess dose of if your body is very sensitive to kratom. The latter may happen if you are a novice user and/or have very low body fat percentage.
It can also happen accidentally, for example, if you switch sellers and start taking kratom that is more potent without adjusting your dose accordingly.
Users are also more likely to experience kratom hangover after taking slow or sedative strains such as Red Bali.
This is because kratom in smaller doses causes stimulating effects and in larger doses – sedating effects. If you go straight for the higher doses or suddenly up your dose without letting your body adjust properly, it can be easy to misjudge how much kratom you actually need.
Sometimes, you may also experience kratom withdrawal if you abruptly stop taking it. You may experience something akin to what you may feel after abruptly stopping drinking coffee.
What Are the Symptoms of Kratom Hangover?
Users usually experience kratom hangover symptoms in the morning after taking a larger dose the night before. Note though that it’s not actually that common.
Nausea and Stomachache
In the majority of cases, nausea that one may experience during a kratom hangover is rather mild. Yet, its strength will depend on the dose taken. It doesn’t normally last long.
Some users may experience kratom stomachache if they are sensitive to kratom and/or take it on an empty stomach.
Headache
Another symptom you may experience is kratom headache. It is usually even rarer than nausea and mild rather than pounding as it may be after an alcohol hangover.
You may experience it if you are not hydrating yourself properly.
Sleep Issues
Similarly to alcohol, kratom can cause sleep issues. While there is little scientific proof to back this up, these most likely happen because it disturbs REM sleep.
REM sleep and deep sleep are the most restorative parts of your sleep. Therefore, disturbing it could mean that your body isn’t getting as much rest as it normally would. The same effect can happen if you take too much coffee or certain medications. Alcohol too can affect it.
Fatigue
Because of insufficient rest, you may also feel fatigued or lethargic. This is more typical after taking the slow strains and typically lasts for a few hours. But, you should be able to easily fix it by taking a cup of coffee or the fast strains of kratom.
However, we do advise you to stick with coffee as trying to cure kratom hangover with more kratom can cause alkaloid buildup in your system and contribute to you developing tolerance.
Depression
If you suffer from depression, it is possible that you may feel even more depressed the next morning after taking an excess dose of the sedating kratom strains. For instance, you may be feeling apathetic or have an extremely hard time finding the motivation to get up or do anything.
If that happens, remind yourself that you are OK. That it’s simply your body responding to an excess dose of kratom.
It may also be a good idea for you to use the faster stains such as green, yellow, or white vein instead. They are less likely to enhance the symptoms of depression that the slow strains.
How to Avoid Kratom Hangover?
1. Start Small
If you are a novice kratom user, start with small doses. Even if you go for the sedating strains like Red Bali.
If you are looking for sedating effects, start with a lower dose. Then, keep adding half a gram or a gram every 30 to 60 minutes until you start feeling the desired effects. Keep note of how much you have added so that you can calculate the exact amount that you should be taking next time.
2. Measure Your Dosage Properly
We’ve emphasized it before that eyeing your kratom dose is never a good idea. You can easily scoop a larger dose if you do not accurately measure it. Make sure you use a sensitive scale instead of regular kitchen scale to do so.
3. Keep a Kratom Log
Another useful idea is to keep a kratom log. It can help you keep track of the dosage that you are taking. By doing so you can notice if you start developing kratom tolerance or what is causing side effects and kratom hangover if you experience them.
4. Hydrate Yourself Well and Eat Regularly
Kratom can cause dehydration which may contribute to you experiencing kratom hangover. Therefore, it is important to drink plenty of water to avoid that. Not to mention that drinking plenty of water is beneficial for optimal health either way.
You should also keep eating regular meals and healthy snacks. These can help you metabolize kratom better.
5. Take Quality Kratom
Make sure that you buy quality kratom. Don’t automatically go for the lowest price to save a couple of dollars. You may end up getting low-quality, adulterated, or even fake product if you opt for cheap kratom. So, you may be experiencing hangover-like symptoms, but it may not actually be kratom that’s causing them.
6. Don’t Mix Kratom and Alcohol
Kratom and alcohol don’t go well together. So, it’s best to avoid mixing them. Alcohol is a depressant. Taken together with kratom, it can intensify kratom’s sedative effects. As a result, you are likely to feel nauseous and lethargic the day after.
How To Get Rid of Kratom Hangover?
If you find yourself in a situation when you experience kratom hangover, the best thing you can do is drink plenty of water. You may add a cup of coffee if you are feeling exhausted or lethargic.
Do, however, stay away from soda and make sure to drink an extra glass of water for every cup of coffee that you take. That’s because both soda and caffeine can further dehydrate you.
Have you ever experienced kratom hangover? What were your symptoms and how did you cope with them?
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