Getting stoned is not only very enjoyable, but it can be very beneficial for your mental, physical and even spiritual health. People get high to relax, to forget, to focus, to let loose or to ease their aches & pains. Smoking, eating or absorbing cannabis in its myriad forms can be tricky to predict or anticipate how it will impact your senses because each cannabis experience has the potential to be unique from the last. Still, we can do a lot to set ourselves up for success with cannabis by managing our doses, understanding our cannabinoid tolerances, and learning as much about the plant and its compounds.
Being stoned is awesome, but there are also times when you need to sober up, lickity split. Maybe an emergency has happened and you need to snap out of it. Perhaps it’s the next day and you’re still reeling from the overly-potent dope you tried the night before? Whatever your reasons, when it’s time to sober up there usually isn’t enough time to just rest and wait it out.
Do you know how to get ‘unhigh’? How long does it take to sober up from weed anyway? What are some of the fastest ways to sober up? This guide should provide some clarity and inject some much needed energy and focus into your routine. When that “oh sh*t” moment happens and you need to sober up fast from edibles or a few too many bong hits, this guide is for you. Let’s learn how to sober up from weed.
How Long Does It Take to Sober Up From Weed?
First off, let’s get something out of the way. One of the most asked questions about how to sober up from weed has to do with how long you’ll feel high. Many people ask ‘how long does it take to sober up from weed?’, expecting an easily quantifiable number. This is not the case, unfortunately due to the mysteries around cannabinoids, terpenes and our endocannabinoid systems.
We’ve done a lot of research on the active compounds like THC and CBD and mapped out hundreds of their counterparts. In addition to the close studies of terpenes, we’ve discovered a lot about how certain concentrations, consistencies or combinations of these various phytocompounds can influence our brains & bodies.
All of this progress in cannabis science is excellent, but something we can’t quite put our sticky fingers on is accurately predicting how certain cannabis strains or products will impact individuals. Cannabinoids and terpenes affect people very differently, even from crop to crop or person to person. One time ingesting an edible might yield mind-melting effects that last for hours – the next might be far more subdued or a completely different kind of hallucinatory experience, even if it’s the same edible product.
Factors for Sobering Up
So many factors affect how cannabis makes us feel (or doesn’t make us feel). Just to name a few, the following elements can change your cannabis experience:
Genetics, including your ECS, personal health conditions and inherited conditions
Fitness, overall physical wellbeing
Moods, emotional states or stress levels
Nutrition, hydration, blood sugar and blood pressure levels
Other substances including alcohol, other psychedelics, medications, vitamins or supplements
Restfulness (fatigue) vs wakefulness (energetic)
These influencing factors cover a lot of ground, so it seems that a number of things can alter how high you feel, how long it lasts and what kinds of experiences you might encounter while under the influence of cannabis. For these reasons and more, it’s almost impossible for health practitioners and cannabis experts to predict what kind of high you’ll feel with any certainty. This isn’t to say that it’s all one big mystery – there is a lot we can assume about certain kinds of cannabis which helps to paint a broader picture of specific cannabis experiences.
Dope Duration
Generally speaking, someone who smokes a certain percentage or milligrams dose of THC can expect to feel high for several hours. If someone ingests an edible, it’s safe to assume that it won’t take effect for an hour or more, but can last for a bunch of hours to say the least. You can also dose cannabis oils sublingually (under your tongue) to absorb cannabinoids directly as these glands under your tongue provide a fast-track to your endocannabinoid system.
These different examples point to the varying ways in which we can absorb cannabinoids into our blood streams, which will largely impact how quickly we feel high and how long that high lasts. So, while we can’t predict how long a high will last or what kind of high it will be, the more you experiment with different kinds of cannabis profiles the more tolerance & know-how you’ll build up over time. The best way to figure out how long it takes to sober up from weed is to keep trying all the cannabis you can!
What Are The Fastest Ways to Get ‘Unhigh’?
Whether you need to sober up for unexpected work-life reasons, or you’ve just soared way too high and you need to come down a bit to avoid freaking out, there are many ways to get ‘unhigh’ in a short amount of time. What is the fastest way to get unhigh? Before we list them off, let’s review a couple of the factors you need to consider before choosing how to sober up from weed:
What kind(s) of cannabis product did you take? Some of the fastest ways to sober up from weed will work better than others if you’ve smoked, done edibles, taken concentrates, etc.
How long ago did you ingest/absorb cannabis? How long have you felt “high”? It’s good to keep mental timestamps of the who/what/when and how to make it easier to plan how to get unhigh.
These questions are important to answer before you go about trying to sober up from a solid weed high. It’s also a good idea to have any of the upcoming fastest ways to sober up pre-planned, ready and available before you get high in the first place. There’s almost nothing more difficult than trying to put something together spontaneously when you’re high as a kite.
With that out of the way, let’s look into some of the fastest ways to get unhigh, in order of effectiveness from least to most:
Showers
A hot bath or shower can shake you out of a pre-coffee stupor and it certainly helps right your ship when you’re hungover, so it stands to reason that some hot water & steam can help you get unhigh. Focusing on the running water and the soothing warmth that washes over you can take your mind off itself while hydrating your body. If you’re up for it, cold water works great too by the way.
Ibuprofen
A little headache medication doesn’t seem like it would help you to get less high but this anti-inflammatory can reduce the mind-buzz. Cannabis is certainly a good enough anti-inflammatory and pain remedy on its own, but for whatever reason some ibuprofen has been shown to relax a stoned person’s overactive brain and help them to find their footing again.
Music
Anything that can focus your mind while relaxing it can be effective at sobering you up from weed. Painting, drawing, writing and other arts are great, but sharpening your pencil crayons while you’re high isn’t the greatest idea ever. This is why music is the perfect “come down” for when you’re way too high or when you need to get sober. No one type of music is better than others, it really just depends on your favorite styles. Even if you’re headbanging or dancing to some bomb ass beats it’s taking your mind off how high you are, which is often the first step towards sobering up.
Snacks
Get that metabolism working while triggering those pleasure centers in the brain – dopamine can help to ease the strains of being too high. Snacking or eating a decent sized meal when you’re flying high will force your body to activate your digestive system which will use up some of your body’s processing power and provide a surge of energy, nutrition and comfort that you’ll sorely need to overcome your high-mind.
Some experts have suggested that this could be a subliminal reason why our body’s get the munchies when we’re high – in order to bring the mind-altering effects down to manageable levels, the hunger centers of your brain are triggered to force you to seek sustenance. This is an interesting idea, but it hasn’t been backed up with enough evidence as of yet.
Citrus
A shot of orange, grapefruit, lime or especially lemon juice will not only pucker your face up, it’ll make your stoned brain smarten up too. Just like with black peppercorns, the dominant terpenes in many citrus fruits – limonene – can quell anxiety and works in tandem with other cannabinoids in an ‘entourage effect’.
Black Pepper
Don’t snort this stuff if you want to prevent an uncontrollable sneezing fit (although that might help take your mind off being blitzed). Black peppercorns have proven to help take the zip out of a person’s weed whip, specifically when it comes to feelings of panic, stress or anxiety. Black pepper is so renowned in fact, it is one of the most common how to get unhigh methods used by many would-be stoners. Chewing on some peppercorns or making them into a tea can act fast in sobering you up.
Why pepper? It’s the terpene beta-caryophyllene found in both black pepper and cannabis that helps to block THC. Who’d have thought that stuff your dad puts on all his food was one of the fastest ways to sober up when you were too high to make eye contact at the dinner table?!
Hydration
Drinking water and flushing your body is something that can help with almost any condition – soreness, tiredness, nausea, anxiety and hallucinations included. Not only is hydration important for maintaining a healthy mind & body, but adding fluids in an emergency can stave off shock, it can prevent stress, soothe aches & swelling and even help you to fall asleep. Water truly is the wonder remedy for everything – it’s a major part of our entire being, so of course it can help you to come down from a powerful high.
Exercise Your Body
When you need to sober up fast from edibles or some particularly powerful pot, some physical exertion can really clear your head and purge your body of those pesky cannabinoids. Literally anything that gets your blood pumping can work to get you unhigh – sex, workouts, sports, jogging, cycling, jumping jacks, yoga, twister, crunches, push-ups, did we mention sex?! Obviously some of these are more enjoyable than others, and some are safer to do when your brain is on the roof as your body is in the basement. It’s up to you to decide what’s optimal for your physical exercise, but no matter what you choose just keep at it for 30-60 minutes or more and we’re confident you’ll be feeling more sober.
Engage Your Mind
What’s better for clearing your mind of the haze of cannabis than exercise? How about some mental workouts?! When you’re losing your mind in the swells of a high-tide, sometimes the best anchor is to do some mental exercises. Some like sudoku, others commit to a good old fashioned jigsaw puzzle. Even just counting things in the room or exploring the upside-down landscapes of your ceiling’s gyprock can be enough engagement for your brain to begin processing the flood of cannabinoids & terpenes in your body.
If you’re an artist or musician these can be very rewarding and successful ways to sober up as well. Cooking, cleaning or other such mundane parts of everyday life can be mentally stimulating too – not to mention productive. Basically any activity or pastime that you find mentally engaging can be useful in your quest to sober up from weed.
Naps
Not even mental and physical exercise can contend with one of the champions of getting sober: sleep. Simply put, nothing puts your mind and body at ease better than some shuteye. Sleep is our stasis mode, our reset button and the ultimate sobering process whereby we can overcome any kind of stupor.
Naps are convenient, but they’re not always long enough to allow our minds and bodies to achieve REM cycles, which are very important for sobering up. Still, a nap here and there means you won’t have to miss the entirety of your night while also providing some much needed rest for your overactive mind.
CBD
You could argue that sleep is the best way to get unhigh, and you wouldn’t get an argument from us. Nevertheless, when it comes to countering the effects of a stoned-cold THC high nothing works more directly or effectively than Cannabidiol. CBD is the ultimate “get out of ganja jail” free card. It not only works with other cannabinoids – even THC – to enhance their effects through the entourage effect, but more importantly it counteracts the psychoactive influences of THC.
This is one of the reasons why CBD is so popular, in fact, because it is not only non-psychoactive but is essentially counter-psychoactive. Any savvy stoner worth their cannabis salts knows to have a vial of high-potency CBD oil in their medicine cabinet, for those times when the edibles kick the whole door down and you feel the panic start to settle in.
We’ve all been in green-out situations, but you don’t have to stress or worry about them with CBD – and isn’t that the whole point?! Anxiety, stress and nervousness about being too high are in fact the major reasons why we feel too high. It’s like one of those chick-and-egg theories: we’re anxious because we’re too high, and we’re too high because we’re anxious. Put all these kinds of mental juggling to bed with high doses of CBD whenever your high turns into a low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What actually helps reduce THC effects?
A: CBD is one of the most effective ways to reduce THC effects because it counters the psychoactive buzz and eases anxiety or paranoia. Black pepper works fast too thanks to beta caryophyllene which blocks some THC action in the brain. Staying active eating food and getting fresh air all help your body process THC quicker.
Q: Does hydration shorten the high?
A: Hydration does not directly shorten the high but it makes you feel much better while its happening. Drinking water keeps you from getting dry mouth dizzy or more anxious which can make the high seem worse. It supports your body as it naturally clears THC so you recover smoother and faster.
Q: Can CBD counteract THC intoxication?
A: Yes CBD can counteract THC intoxication by calming the nervous system and reducing the intensity of the high. It works through the endocannabinoid system to balance out THCs stronger effects like racing thoughts or panic. Many people keep high potency CBD on hand for those moments when THC feels overwhelming.
Q: Why don’t detox products work instantly?
A: Detox products do not work instantly because THC stores in fat cells and leaves the body slowly over days or weeks. Most detox drinks or pills only mask symptoms or dilute urine for tests but they do not speed up the actual clearance of THC from your system. Real sobering up takes time hydration rest and metabolism to break it down naturally.
Q: How long does THC naturally last?
A: THC naturally lasts different amounts depending on how you took it. Smoking or vaping usually peaks in minutes and fades in two to four hours. Edibles can take one to two hours to kick in and last six to twelve hours or more. The lingering afterglow or grogginess can stick around a day especially with higher doses.
Q: What mistakes make a high feel stronger?
A: Taking too much too fast is the biggest mistake because it overwhelms your system before you realize it. Mixing with alcohol or other substances ramps up the intensity and confusion. Eating on an empty stomach with edibles makes absorption hit harder and faster. Not knowing your tolerance or redosing too soon before the first dose peaks turns mild into intense quick.
Peter Kilmer
Peter Kilmer is an energetic, unstoppable force in the wide world of weed. With over 12 years experience in the industry, Peter has established himself as a go-to source for all things organic ganja. As an avid grower himself and aficionado for all things plant genetics, Mr. Kilmer travels around North & South America seeking the best plants that both nature and human cultivation can provide. Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Peter has been a part of the Haute Health team for several years as a content writer and eager member of the ‘product testing team’. Peter specializes in cultivation, cannabis technology, genetics and plant medicine. He also happens to be a fantastic cook, and his homemade cannabis creations are widely renowned amongst his peers. When he’s not adventuring in the open spaces of Canada, the U.S. or Argentina, Mr. Kilmer is involved with a lot of cannabis outreach groups & events. His true passion is to help the plants grow and keep the ganja flowing by sharing all the best growing tips, teaching cultivation techniques and reporting on innovations in cannabis genetics. If you’ve ever visited a Cannabis Cup or tradeshow, you’ve probably run into Peter. Haute Health is proud to have Peter on their team, and his insights into the science of cannabis are a major reason why Haute Health is Canada’s leading online dispensary. If you’d like to get in touch with Peter with regards to cannabis events in your area, please reach out to our customer care team and they’ll be happy to connect you with Mr. Kilmer.
