How to Inhale Hookah Smoke

Smoking the hookah is an age-old Turkish tradition that is still virtually the same as it was over 500 years ago. Proper inhalation gets the most out of the hookah and takes a little practice to master the technique completely.

Take the mouthpiece of the hookah to your lips and hold it in place. If this is your first time inhaling, sit down, to limit the amount of smoke you can inhale and steady yourself if you experience a head rush. As you become more used to smoking you can inhale standing up to get a deeper pull.

Inhale slowly and gradually until you can't pull anymore. Don't overdo it and constrict your lungs, inhale only to where it feels comfortable. Hold the smoke deep inside your chest to get the full effect of the aroma and flavor of the tobacco.

Exhale through your mouth or nose in a slow steady stream. Exhaling is just as crucial as the inhaling in the hookah experience and creates a lot of the relaxants that your body feels.

Break for a moment to catch your breath before you inhale again. It is important to take rests in between inhalations or you may feel dizzy or shaky from the combination of smoke hitting your lungs and lack of fresh air getting to your blood stream. Smoking slowly also gives you more time to savor the flavor and experience.

Repeat the process another 2 times before you finish. Avoid smoking the same tobacco repeatedly, because the leaves will burn and cause you to cough. Change the tobacco frequently and experiment with different varieties to experience different tastes and sensations.