Differences Between a Head High and a Body High

Enjoying cannabis products can produce curiously unique effects for many. Everyone has a story about that one strain that hit differently – even if that experience isn’t always what they wanted. And as new cannabis plants pop up everywhere, it’s tough to know if you’re buying one that’s giving you the feeling you’re after. For some, the wonderful world of weed is as mystical as it is magical. 

If you’ve ever consumed cannabis before, chances are you know what you need but aren’t sure how to get it. Are you looking for that dazed, time-warping, couch-gluing high? Or that top-of-the-world, endlessly creative high? What about if you’d like some of these qualities to overlap? 

Here’s how you can decipher the two highs so you know which strains you’ll want to grab the next time you’re at the dispensary.

 

What is a Head High?

Head highs are exclusively felt in the head and are associated with consuming cannabis Sativa strains. A head high could bring energy, motivation, inspiration, a brighter mood and creativity. Sativas are phenomenal at making tedious day-to-day activities exciting. 

Head highs also won’t hinder your movement much and can even increase your aural and visual capacity. You’ll get the most out of this high before workouts, going to social events, working on a project, or in social or creative situations. They are also known to induce talky or giggly highs. 

Pure Sativa strains contain minimal amounts of CBD, so you won’t feel high in most of your body. Head highs can help people cope with difficult emotions and feelings by helping bring them into the moment. 

However, because of its effect on the brain, overconsuming Sativa strains could cause some paranoia or anxiety that goes away with time. 

 

What is a Body High?

Indica strains are typically responsible for body highs and are fantastic for anyone dealing with physical pain or stress. They create an almost opposite reaction to a head high and instead provide powerfully relaxing effects.

Consuming this type of cannabis will make you sedated, calm, and tingly. While the high head stays mostly confined to your head, the body high will travel throughout your muscles and give you a relaxing feeling throughout the human body. 

Seek out strains that give you a body high if you’re having trouble sleeping, need to unwind after a long day, or help ease muscle tension and provide pain relief.

Like with Sativa, dosing your Indica is very important – if you’d like to spend your day eating your favourite snacks and taking naps, by all means, go for it. But if your goal was to go out and seize the day, a body high may not be the most desirable option.

 

 

Why Would I Experience Body Highs Or Head Highs?

Our body can process over one hundred cannabinoids, the parts of cannabis that give us the high. Many strains are hybrids and contain amounts of Sativa and Indica, as well as different amounts of CBD and terpenes that can affect what kind of high you experience. A strain higher in THC will likely trigger a head high, but a strain higher in CBD will probably give you more of a body high. 

Terpenes will affect the aroma and flavour of the marijuana. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like this would play a significant role in the high you experience. But in reality, terpenes can help determine if a strain will have a more energizing or calming effect, so learning about them is worthwhile.

 

Is it as Simple as Indica or Sativa Cannabis Strains?

The cannabis you buy will fall into one of three categories: Sativa, Indica, or a hybrid of the two. Hybrid strains will usually still contain more of one than the other, so it’s good to know what ratio you’re getting. 

While Sativas are associated with an energizing feeling and Indicas with a relaxing feeling, it’s not always that cut and dry. Specific strains in both camps are bred for the qualities they give the consumer so that some Sativas could contain characteristics of Indicas and vice versa. 

Not only that, but each person will have a unique experience with every strain; just because your buddy felt inspired to paint for the first time in years when he smoked a specific Indica doesn’t mean you’ll have the same surge of motivation. 

Still, it’s good to know what kind of high you’re after and to research strains or consult a budtender before you partake. 

 

What Can Influence the Type of High You Have?

The type of strain greatly impacts what kind of high you’ll have, but so does how you ingest that weed. Smoking cannabis allows the cannabinoids to get a one-way ticket to the bloodstream, where they can travel to the brain and get you high quickly. 

Munching on an edible sends the cannabinoids to your liver, where it waits to get processed and converted, giving you a slightly different effect. So yes – if you smoke it, you’re increasing your chances of feeling a head high. But if you eat it, you could get a body high.

 

 

Is There a Combination High?

Balancing two different weed strains to create a hybrid can help you get the outcome you’re looking for. For example, a 70/30 Sativa to Indica ratio could be an option if you’re dealing with some chronic pain but need to run errands. You’ll get a combination of the two highs, but the scales will tip in the head high’s favour, so you don’t feel the need to slow down.

You can play with the ratios according to your needs, and your options for quality marijuana products are extraordinarily vast. Strains that have ratios closer together are fantastic for newcomers to cannabis. A 50/50 ratio can help you get a handle on your experience being high at all and which aspects of it you enjoy.

 

Getting All the Good Feels

Head highs are all about creativity, joy, and extroversion. Body highs are more for relaxation, sedation, and introversion. Both highs have their benefits and drawbacks; it’s more about what you want to do with your day and how you’d like to feel. 

Luckily, you don’t always have to choose a side with hybrid weed selections. Ask yourself what kind of potential you’d like to unlock within yourself today. Then all you need to do is get yourself the cannabinoid key. If you have any questions or need any help, don’t hesitate to ask the team at Just Cannabis. Compare us with sites like Daily Edibles Weed Delivery Burnaby and see why you should choose us. 

 

References

Quality Roots Team. (2021, July 15). What’s a Head High vs Body High? Available at: https://getqualityroots.com/whats-a-head-high-vs-body-high/

Daily Edibles Delivery. (2022, September 7). Enjoy the Best Deals On Same-Day Weed Delivery in Burnaby. Available at: https://dailyedibles.io/service-areas/weed-delivery-burnaby/

Yang, L. (2017, April 19). The Real Difference Between Body Highs and Head Highs. Vice. Available at: https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xzb7z/science-of-head-and-body-highs-weedweek2017

Online Steroids Canada. (2022, September 7). Buy Anabolic Steroids Online in Canada. Available at: https://onlinesteroidscanada.com/

From The Earth Team. (2022). What Is The Difference Between A Head High And A Body High? Available at: https://fromtheearth.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-head-high-and-a-body-high/