What are the side effects of hookah sickness?

Does it give you headaches and nausea to smoke hookah? Maybe it leaves you with a cloudy, lightheaded feeling. This is often referred to as “hookah sickness” or a “hookah headache” and don’t worry, you’re not imagining it. Many people get this feelings, although you could have many more hookah side effects including –

Tightness or feelings of pressure

Cold Sweats

Dizziness

Vomiting

Weak feeling in muscles

In other words, the side effects of hookah smoke can make you feel pretty terrible. But why does smoking hookah make you feel terrible? Well, the answer to this it’s actually pretty simple. It’s not really the hookah that’s making you sick, but the shisha you’re smoking out of the hookah. It shouldn’t be surprising to most people, however I find myself still running into people that tell me how they start feeling sick after smoking hookah. To further understand this cause and effect, we might have to break it down.

Why does shisha give you a headache?

Shisha is known to have higher levels of nicotine than normal tobacco. Nicotine is a stimulant that, when consumed in large amounts, can leave you feeling like crap. That’s why you’ll find people also tend to call this “shisha sickness“.

Often, it’s a good idea to start out with a tobacco that’s more on the lighter side. However, after this, you can try other shisha variations to see which ones are more your speed. You can also try packing lighter bowls. Smoking hookah doesn’t have to be made into a competition. Honestly, nobody is going to care if you don’t smoke the strongest stuff on the block. And feeling sick after smoking? Forget that. I’d much rather pace myself and enjoy my hookah smoke. You should realize that any kind of smoking isn’t healthy. Much like drinking, you should pace yourself and enjoy responsibly.

How to get rid of a hookah headache!

Now, on to the good stuff! You all want to know how to feel better after smoking hookah? Well, look no further! Nobody enjoys the side effects of hookah sessions gone bad. I certainly don’t. For me, nausea after smoking used to be a common occurrence. My neck would also tend to get a tight sensation and become stiffer. Not fun.. All I wanted to do was sit back and enjoy my hookah smoke in peace.

So, after some trouble with hookah sickness, I decided to look more into the topic and ask friends of mine how they’ve managed to have smooth sessions without feeling the effects of hookah sickness. What I have come to learn is some of the most simple stuff, but nevertheless it works! Making some slight changes to how I smoke hookah, I’m now able to enjoy it and smoke with ease. These changes aren’t just great for getting rid of hookah headaches, it will also improve your overall experience as a whole!

1. Hydration

Drink water! If you want to smoke hookah without the side effects of hookah headaches then you should start by staying hydrated. One of the main factors of shisha sickness is dehydration. This being the case, it’s best to drink water before you start smoking, that way your body has time to hydrate. Also, drink a glass of water whenever you’re smoking a hookah to stay hydrated during your sessions.

2. Eating Right

Now, before you relax and start blowing clouds from your hookah, you ought to get something to eat. This will help to settle your stomach and diminish any feelings of nausea that you might feel. Try to eat while you smoke too. You don’t have to eat a full meal, just don’t try to smoke while you’re hungry. When smoking hookah, it’s often a good idea to eat healthier foods that are easier on the stomach. Things like crackers with cheese and avocado, or maybe some chips with some kind of dip. Just don’t overdo it, make something that you can easily manage to eat while you smoke.

3. Limit Your Activity

Now hold on a second, I’m not telling you to halt all physical activity, just hear me out. Whenever you plan on smoking hookah, it’s often not a good idea to do so right after a good workout. Actually, it’s not really a good idea to start smoking before you workout either. What this will do is raise your blood pressure and make you feel the negative effects of hookah sickness that much sooner and more easily. Knowing this, you should take time to chill out before and after you start smoking.

4. Don’t Smoke Burnt Shisha

Anyone who smokes hookah knows that after about an hour or so your shisha will start getting burnt. Once the juices in your shisha have dried, it will start to burn the actual shisha and give you a much harsher and worse hit. Burnt shisha will often turn black and become more crisp. To avoid this, just make sure to change out your bowl after about 1 hour, maybe 1 hour and 30 minutes, when you’re smoking hookah. This should help you to cut back on the headaches.

5. fresh air

Now, if you spend most your hookah time out on the patio or in the backyard, you should be fine without this tip. However, if you spend your time smoking hookah while watching the game or chilling in your bedroom, you listen up. It’s important for you to not cloud up or hot-box an enclosed area with shisha smoke. You want to crack open a window, maybe have a fan going in the background. It’s important that your body gets the oxygen it needs, so remember to have good ventilation wherever you smoke hookah.

6. Use all-natural hookah coals





If you want a smooth and easy hit without the headache, try using all-natural hookah coals. Currently, the best natural coals you can get for you’re hookah are made by Coco Nara. Coco Nara happens to produce some pretty high quality coals. Their hookah charcoal burns super clean, leaving you with little to no smell while it’s lighting. They’re even made from 100% recycled coconut husks and contain no harmful chemicals that might make you feel bad. Once they’re on your bowl, these coals will deliver consistent and even heat to your shisha. To top it all off, these coals don’t add any flavor to your shisha either. This allows for a pure taste and some fine smoke, without any of the negative side effects of hookah . Click here to buy All-Natural Coco Nara Hookah Charcoal.

7. Don’t over-do it

One way to easily find yourself with a hookah headache is if you are continuously sucking on the hose like it’s your source of oxygen. This will get you sick in no time at all, so it’s best to avoid this. If you’re smoking alone then take a break from the hose every once in a while and set it down. Trust me, it won’t go out just because your not taking hits off it. If you’re smoking hookah with friends, try to pass it to your friends and not keep such a tight hold on the hose.

If you ever start feeling sick after smoking a hookah, make sure to give these tips a go. When smoking hookah, your meant to be relaxed so you can enjoy it. If you know anyone that feels sick when they smoke or you have friends over, make sure to provide them with some help. Although there isn’t really a single hookah sickness cure, these tips will help anyone start feeling better after smoking from the hookah. For those that want more information about hookah side effects, I managed to find an article that talks more about the subject. Overall, make sure to take it easy and enjoy yourselves.