One of the many reasons folks turn to marijuana, is to help them relax. Weed has generally been seen as a substance that causes you to be more mellow and its users are often thought of as usually “chill” people. While it is true that marijuana can help you relax and relieve stress, it would be incorrect to assume that all cannabis strains have the same effect.
For example, sativas and sativa dominant hybrids often provide enthusiasts with a burst of energy and a generally uplifting high. Pretty much the exact opposite effect that those trying to use weed in order to help them relax are looking for. On the other hand, indicas and their dominant hybrids are well known for their strong body highs as well as their ability to help you calm down, relieve stress, and get some sleep.
That being said, selecting the right cannabis strain to allow you to relax isn’t quite as simple as choosing an indica over a sativa.The delicate balance between a particular strain’s CBD to THC ratio is a key factor to consider. Although THC is typically a relaxing agent, ingesting too much of it could leave you in worse shape than before. Most enthusiasts have at one time or another experienced, or at least seen someone, have a “freak out” after smoking too much or taking too many edibles. That’s an excess of THC at work!
Ultimately, if you want to relieve stress without being stuck on your couch all day you’ll want to use strains that have a relatively close CBD to THC ratio. The non psychoactive cannabinoid, CBD, will help lessen the effects of the THC so you’ll be able to feel relaxed and chill while still having the energy to get through the day.
Another factor to consider is knowing how much weed is enough. Enthusiasts are looking for what they call the “Goldilocks” zone with regards to their cannabis intake. They want to consume just enough to experience the relaxing effects of marijuana and avoid the troubles that come along with taking too much. However, knowing how much is too much can be difficult and requires both experience and research on the part of the user as not all strains are created equal and folks may react in different ways to different strains.
Also, since the amount of weed that’s needed to turn someone from relaxed and mellow to a nervous wreck is rather small, correct dosing is key to being able to use cannabis to relax and relieve stress. To that end, the popularity of edibles, vaporizers and tinctures which allow for much greater control over the amount of marijuana being consumed has steadily risen in recent years. As opposed to marijuana flower, these alternative methods of getting high are pretty much tailor made for those enthusiasts who want to be able to know exactly how much weed they are consuming at any given time. This goes a long way to help folks understand how much cannabis they need to reach their personal “Goldilocks” zones.
