The Lost Art of the Wake and Bake

I remember the first time I ever waked and baked… or… woke and boked…? However you say it, it was glorious. As the July sun shone through my window onto my bed, I melted into my duvet as the smoke moved around me. I didn’t know it at the time but this was the standard I would hold all future wake and bakes too. As a result, I take the art of waking and baking very seriously. If done wrong, you can end up way too high before you’ve eaten breakfast and/or napping before noon. However, if done right, a wake and bake can be the perfect start to a day where nothing can bring you down!

The Varying Wake and Bake Ideologies

There’s more than one way to crack an egg just as there’s more than one way to wake and bake. Some believe that for a wake and bake to be worthwhile you have to anticipate the whole day, not just the morning. There are others who believe that if you’re going to wake and bake you have to fully commit to the session. I come from the former line of thinking, as there’s nothing that I hate more than being burned out at 10AM.

Knowing what kind of wake and bake to anticipate can make or break the experience. Say that 10 times.

The Long Game

Sometimes I wake up and think “This morning would be vastly improved by smoking a bit of weed first”. And by sometimes I mean most mornings. I also, despite my best efforts, am an adult with responsibilities which means I need to make sure I don’t get too stoned.

If you plan on going all out, taking dabs, eating edibles and smoking blunts, you will likely not make it too long.

Pack a small bowl or roll a small joint. If you feel extra generous you could even prepare it for yourself the night before. Rolling a joint first thing in the morning can be strangely challenging.

I suggest a not-too-indica-heavy hybrid or a nice sativa. I personally prefer indicas overall, but they are not the best choice first thing in the morning if you plan on getting a lot done later without the help of a nap.

Some of my go-to strains when I still want to get the most out of my day after are:

Blueberry Cheesecake
My partner always tells me that ‘cake doesn’t count as breakfast’ but this delicious flower says otherwise.

Mimosa
This beautiful bud lives up to its classic breakfast drink name. All the zesty goodness without a hangover!

Super Lemon Haze
This citrusy yet sweet sativa is one of my favourite strains to start the day with.

The Go Hard and Nap Harder Method

This is one for special occasions. Or, on weekends. Whatever floats your boat.

I really only recommend this one if you don’t have any real responsibilities for the rest of the day and you’re cool with an inevitable nap. And don’t get me wrong. I love to nap. But the GHNH method doesn’t leave much of a choice.

The beauty of this method is accepting the sleepiness and basking in it. Allow yourself to drift in and out of sleep. Put on your favourite show or album and enjoy the experience.

Some of my favourite strains for a lazy wake and bake are:

Death Bubba
My go-to strain no matter what time of day, Death Bubba will keep you cozy in bed for hours.

 

Pink Bubba
A slightly more balanced Bubba than the death, this sweet bud will keep you dreaming.

Pink Death Star
A wild take on both the Pink and Death strains with a Sensi Star twist.

Things to Know to Get the Most Out of Your Session

• Make sure you have snacks on hand. You’ll likely be hungry for breakfast so have a plan for that. Thankfully we live in 2020 and you can order breakfast to your door all on your phone. Your hunger will be more intense than if you had not smoked so be sure to have something tasty around.
• Water is important at any time of the day, but if you’re going to start with smoking then you want to make sure you stay hydrated.
• The first smoke of the day always hits me the strongest and I don’t think I’m alone there. When I have to sample or review a new strain I make sure its the first one I smoke in the day as I can get the most accurate feel for its effects. Be aware it may hit you harder than you’d expect if you try and smoke as you would after a long day at work. Go slow and see what works best for you. Nobody likes feeling too stoned and that applies tenfold before 10 AM.
• Don’t fight the nap. Hopefully, you planned it but if you find yourself falling asleep, let yourself take a 20-minute snooze to reset.
• Make sure you still live your life. This seems obvious but I’ve lost entire weeks when I was in University on summer break just waking and baking and then sleeping all day. That kind of behavior can lead to depression and you don’t want cannabis to become detrimental to your life in any way. As always, if you find that it is starting to negatively affect your life; give yourself some time off to recalibrate so that you can get the most out of cannabis

 

What are some of YOUR favourite strains for waking and baking?!