How To Sober Up From Weed
28 Nov 2022
While cannabis can be great fun at the time, there is a point when you could realise that you are too high, or that you are still high when you really don’t want to be. It could be that you were using weed the night before, accidentally used too much, and need to sober up for something important like a family gathering and need to get it out of your system. Maybe you tried concentrating for the first time, had too many edibles, or just inhaled a bit too much. It is easy to happen, but not so easy to undo. When you have overdone it, the feelings you get are not nice. You can feel nauseous, paranoid, anxious and jittery and these are just a few of the more common symptoms that you are likely to go through. If you are looking to sober up from weed, here are some top tips to help get you back to your normal self.
Try some black peppercorn
While many might think that this is an old wives tale, it has actually been found to lessen the effects of weed. Black peppercorn was researched in 2011 by the British Journal of Pharmacology as a way of helping reduce the after-effects of weed and was found to positively reduce the impact. The main reason for this is that the terpenes in black peppercorn tame the effects of THS which is the main thing within weed that can cause the psychoactive effects on your brain. The ways you can use black peppercorn to help is both by chewing on the pods or smelling it. It might not be the most pleasant, but can help you to get almost instant relief.
Don’t Panic
One of the most common things that people tend to do when they realise they have had a bit too much weed is to panic. This doesn’t help with sobering up and the anxiety you feel from this can exacerbate your symptoms. Instead, take some deep breaths, do something relaxing such as take a bath or a nap and soon you will find yourself feeling much better.
Keep yourself hydrated
When you have been smoking weed you could have dehydrated yourself which can make your symptoms worse – much like with a hangover. To try and combat this, ensure you drink plenty of water or other non-caffeinated beverages. This will help to dissipate the dry mouth you are probably feeling and lessen any feelings you might have such as a headache or dry mouth. It is a good idea to stay away from anything alcoholic as this can increase your THC blood concentrations, and just stick to water. The best way to keep hydrated is to sip slowly throughout the day rather than to chug a lot of water down at once. It is also a good idea to try and eat some light food to help settle your stomach.
Take some ibuprofen
When you are on a weed hangover, it can be a good idea to take some ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory which has been found to slow down the effects of weed. It has also been found to counteract the symptoms such as a headache which you might experience. Other anti-inflammatory medications which you can try include Advil, Motrin or acetaminophen (Tylenol). A study in 2013 was conducted by researchers from the University of Louisiana’s School of Medicine. The results found that when anti-inflammatory drugs were taken, they seemed to counteract the stoned feeling which is derived from weed and helped to lessen the negative effects on the brain.
Sleep it off
While this one might seem obvious, it is one of the best ways to sober up from weed. It is a good idea to find a room that is calm, quiet and well ventilated so that you can breathe in deeply. By taking deep breaths you will help to ground yourself and also focus your brain to not panic. If you find that your brain is too buzzing to actually fall asleep, stay in the position and just rest for as long as you can. You might find that you fall asleep, but if not, your body will feel better just for having rested for a while.
Get some gentle exercise
While exercise is the last thing you probably feel like doing, we’re not suggesting you go and run a marathon. Gentle exercise such as yoga, or going for a brisk walk can be great for helping your weed hangover. Not only will it give you a change of scenery, but the fresh air will do you the world of good. Be sure not to stray too far from your normal route as you don’t want to get lost or end up somewhere new if you are feeling paranoid or anxious. If you find that you feel dizzy or disorientated wait a while before heading out.
Use CBD
While it might seem counteractive to use CBD to fight the effects of weed, the opposite is in fact correct. One of the main symptoms of too much weed is that you are likely to feel anxious and CBD can help you with this. Cannabidiol (or CBD) is not a psychoactive like THC in weed and has been found to instead interact with THC in interesting ways. When they work together it can diminish things such as sleepiness, the high and the munchies. It can also help to stop the weed induced paranoia that it can bring and make you feel much less anxious. There are many forms of CBD, but edibles and oil are two of the most popular.
These are just a few ways of how to sober up from weed. If you try these next time you have had a little too much, it should help you feel more your normal self. While none of these are going to completely make you feel better, they are worth trying. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to try and not have too much weed, and to keep yourself well rested and hydrated the next day.