Nicotine Buzz and Nicotine Headaches

What is a Nicotine Buzz?

When nicotine is inhaled, the buzz you feel is the result of adrenaline stimulating your body and raising your blood pressure and heart rate, making you breathe harder.¹Treloar, Hayley R., et al. “Relations Among Caffeine Consumption, Smoking, Smoking Urge, and Subjective Smoking Reinforcement in Daily Life – PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158991. Accessed 11 Oct. 2022. Nicotine also activates certain parts of the brain that make you happy by stimulating the release of the hormone dopamine. As soon as dopamine and serotonin levels fall again, as with nicotine, one goes through a phase of fatigue and energy deficiency.

Why Does Nicotine Give You a Buzz?

Nicotine can be consumed by smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or inhaling nicotine vapor (vapor, juice, liquid or e-cigarette). Within seconds, nicotine enters the brain and when it arrives there, it binds to the so-called acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system.

These receptors control dopamine levels in the body and dopamine is released into the body, which is the beginning of the nicotine rush. Serotonin is another pleasant chemical that releases nicotine into our bodies and can cause a rush of dopamine.²Audrain-McGovern, J., and NL Benowitz. “Cigarette Smoking, Nicotine, and Body Weight – PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), 1 June 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195407.

How do you calm a Nicotine Buzz?

The 4 ways to calm a Nicotine Buzz

1. Stay calm yourself, lay down, breathe slowly, just try to relax.
2. Drink water, a couple of glasses of water can really help
3. Oxygen, breathe deeply and go out side – a short walk can make a difference.
4. Eat – have something filling to eat.  This can put your body to work on digestion rather than holding the energy in other parts of your nervous system.

Is a Nicotine Buzz another name for a Nicotine High?

Yes it is.  You can use the two term interchangeably.

How long does a Nicotine High Last?

The nicotine buzz or high is most intense for new smokers, and then it drops away quickly.  This often leaves smokers “chasing the buzz”, within months of starting smoking.

Once over the initial stage a nicotine buzz might only last a few minutes or up to an hour in someone taking much more nicotine than they normally do.

Nicotine high feeling

1. It is a combination of clam and adrenaline.
2. Nicotine affects the nervous system in your body and it affects all the natural chemicals that the body uses to enable your nerves to communicate with each other. If you continue to consume nicotine, your body becomes more dependent on nicotine and produces fewer and fewer of these natural chemicals, so the nicotine instead causes the “high”.
3. After the feelings of calm the feelings of the high can turn to the form of headaches, dizziness, nausea, headaches and other symptoms.

Nicotine Headache

Nicotine causes blood vessels in the body to narrow when you smoke, and in some people this stimulation can cause headaches. These headaches are usually relieved by removing the nicotine stimulus.

Why does Nicotine give you a headache?

Headaches are one of the most common side effects of vaping and can cause headaches because they reduce blood flow to the brain. It is thought that this reduction in blood flow could trigger migraines.  Headaches are among the most common side effects of vapour and nicotine users.³University of Michigan Health System. “If Your First Cigarette Gave You a Buzz and You Now Smoke, a Gene May Be to Blame.” If Your First Cigarette Gave You a Buzz and You Now Smoke, a Gene May Be to Blame, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080808123144.htm. Accessed 11 Oct. 2022.

How to stop a Nicotine Headache

The 3 ways to stop a nicotine headache

1. Increase Oxygen – inhale fresh air deeply. When you inhale oxygen deep into your blood, you feel more comfortable and relaxed
2. Drink water –  it’s an easy way to avoid nicotine headaches or reduce any that have started.
3. Exercise – use up some of your nervous energy.

Of course to avoid Nicotine Headaches in the future it’s best not to be taking nicotine.

Caffeine and Nicotine

Like drugs such as coffee and tea, nicotine is a mild stimulant that slightly alters the mental state. It can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting and can cause insomnia.⁴Ware, Jennifer J., et al. “Does Coffee Consumption Impact on Heaviness of Smoking? – PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), 12 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5600104.

Does Nicotine Keep You Awake

Yes it does.

Smoking before bedtime has a relaxing effect and also stimulates blood circulation, so that the effect of nicotine is similar to that of caffeine. Like caffeine, chasing a buzz can make you want jittery and awake.

Nicotine and Blood Pressure

Does Nicotine Raise Blood Pressure

Yes Nicotine raises blood pressure.

It puts strain on the heart, increases blood pressure and heart rate and increases the likelihood of blood clotting. It hardens the arterial walls, narrows the arteries, puts pressure on the heart and blood vessels.  These are the attributes that lead to heart attack or stroke.

Does Nicotine Increase Your Heart Rate?

Yes, Nicotine increases your Heart Rate

How long Does Nicotine stay in your system?

In general, nicotine leaves the blood after 1-3 days and no appears in the urine after 3-4 days. After 1 to 10 days, after nicotine consumption it will be undetectable in your body however can still be detected through hair tests.

How long does nicotine stay in your pee

• 3-4 days

Nicotine Test Kit

How to use a nicotine test:

There are a number of ways to test, but there are three main types: blood, hair follicle and urine tests.

Blood tests can show traces of nicotine within two hours of consumption, and a urine test is good if a parent believes that their child has consumed nicotine in the last few days. Hair follicle test can show that someone has consumed nicotine for up to three months.

How to use a Nicotine Test Kit?

Each type of test will have it’s own instructions.  Some tests need to be conducted by a physician.

How accurate is a nicotine Test Kit?

How accurate is your nicotine test kit? Some tests are considered more accurate than others because they are performed using advanced laboratory techniques.

12 Step Program for Nicotine Addiction

The same Twelve Step principles that can help individuals recover from alcohol and drug addiction can help people recover from nicotine addiction.

Admit powerlessness

People addicted to nicotine behave like other addicts: They continue to consume quantities of nicotine in various forms despite the obvious adverse consequences, and they fail to quit through willpower alone.

Individuals using the 12 step program for Smoking Addiction face their failure to manage nicotine by asking key questions such as

• How many times have I actually tried to quit or reduce my nicotine intake and failed?
• Have I gone out at odd hours to buy or use nicotine?
• Do I smoke first thing in the morning
• Do I prioritize smoking over food
• Do I combine smoking with other drugs

Ask for help

Individuals who successfully use the principles of a 12 step program for smoking addiction open up to a source of help outside ourselves. For some nicotine addicts, a Higher Power is spiritual and for others it can be friends, family or a Smoking addiction support group.

The Twelve Steps for Smoking Addiction involve taking personal inventory to see the consequences that nicotine addiction has in their lives such as:

• mood swings affecting other family members
• Lung and artery health
• insomnia
• Cancer risk
• feelings of hopelessness

Quit Nicotine one day at a time

“One day at a time.” is the slogan of twelve step programs and a 12 step program for smoking and vaping addiction should focus recovery into 24-hour segments which make recovery from nicotine addiction manageable and achievable.

Previous: How to Stop Smoking Weed

Next: Quit Vaping Without Withdrawal