Cannabis is not just a psychoactive substance anymore. It has attained a cultural status globally. However, the cannabis-consuming world is often plagued with one very important question of head high vs body high. I am here to put a rest to this debate once and for all.
How Does Cannabis Affect You?
Cannabis is one of the most versatile and oldest psychoactive substances on this planet. Archeological findings have deduced that substances like ayahuasca, cannabis, tobacco, peyote, and ephedra are the oldest psychoactive substances. It can be used for medicinal as well as recreational purposes. As a result, cannabis is often found in the midst of several discussions like the sativa vs indica, effects vs side effects, and head high vs body high.
Today, we will deal with one such debate between head high vs body high. But before we start discussing the two forms of high, we need to get the basics of cannabis right. This will help you understand how and what cannabis does to your body.
Every human body contains two cannabinoid receptors. These cannabinoid receptors are called CB1 and CB2 receptors and make up the whole of the endocannabinoid system or ECS.
The ECS is responsible for several crucial functions, such as maintaining homeostasis, regulating libido, determining sleep patterns, etc. These receptors interact with the cannabinoids and terpenes of cannabis. As a result, the whole of ECS reacts differently after consumption.
Two of the most prominent cannabinoids that interact with ECS include THC or tetrahydrocannabinol and CBD or cannabidiol. These two cannabinoids bind best with ECS. As a result, these chemicals are termed the most potent cannabinoids.
Even though different classes of cannabis react differently, some of the general effects remain the same. These include a feeling of highness, a sense of relaxation, pain relief, etc.
Sativa vs. Indica
The general effects between the two have been discussed. I think that it is only appropriate to look at the two prominent forms of cannabis variants that exist. These variants are called sativa and indica, respectively. Make no mistake, both are powerful variants of cannabis and must be approached with caution. Here are two of the most prominent variants of cannabis that you must know in order to properly take part in the head high vs body high.
Sativa
Sativa, is one of the two most prominent forms of cannabis. This class of cannabis plantscan be primarily found in places with hot and dry climates that get a lot of sun. Hence, Sativa primarily grows in places like Central Africa, Africa, Asia, and some parts of western Asia.
These plants are usually tall and thin and boast long finger-like leaves. A single sativa plant can grow up to 6 feet or 2 meters in length. Sativa plants usually take a longer time to bloom than Indica plants. These plants are the primary source of mind-high or cerebral-high.
Indica
The next cannabis variant on our list is the Indica variant. Indica or Cannabis Indica is native to locations like Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Turkey. Cannabis Indica is very adaptable and can thrive in harsh climates quite easily. Sources suggest that Indica can even be found in the harsh climate of the Hindu Kush mountains.
Indica plants are short and stocky. Unlike Sativa, Indica variants do not grow vertically. In fact, they grow in a bush-like manner. Indica plants also grow much faster than sativa. As a result, Indica plants are better suited for commercial agriculture. Indica plants often have a higher source of CBD than Sativa. As a result, these plants offer body high.
Indica-Sativa Hybrid
Apart from Indica and Sativa plants, cannabis can also be classified into another special variant called the Hybrid variant. Nowadays, hybrid variants have saturated the market. This is primarily because commercial greenhouses and farms want to come up with something unique and revolutionary for their customer base.
A hybrid variant of cannabis does not have a fixed set of appearances. Appearance and other aspects of the plant primarily depend on its genetic makeup. If a plant is sativa dominant, it will show or demonstrate more sativa characteristics. Meanwhile, if a plant is more Indica dominant, it will demonstrate indica properties.
What Is Head High?
With the basics of sativa and indica out of the way, I think you are better suited to actually delve deeper into the head high vs body high debate. In this section, we will look at the phenomenon of head-high and how it affects the human body.
A sudden increase in the energy levels of the mind usually characterizes head high. This sudden increase in the energy levels of the mind aids individuals in the creative processes. Individuals have gone on record stating that head high really helped them create art and translate their thoughts into words, pictures, etc.
Another aspect of head high is that it increases spatial awareness manifolds. I have been an avid user of cannabis. I personally felt that it made me more alert about my surroundings. It also helps me to become more social. Head high makes me feel like a chatterbox and helps me socialize better than before.
Effects & Side-Effects
Effects of a head high usually include enhanced cerebral activity, better clarity of ideas, enhanced creative process, and loss of general inhibition. Even though some effects might differ from individual to individual, the general essence remains the same.
Meanwhile, side effects of head highs include increased paranoia due to increased brain activity, migraine, heightened anxiety, loss of sleep, dependency, etc. So, be careful about the dosage and other aspects of it. Overindulgence can often lead to detrimental effects. Hence, be very careful.
What Is Body High?
The next piece of the puzzle is the body high. Body high is usually associated with the Indica variant of cannabis. Even though the differentiation between the two forms of high is not that stark, there are certain markers that do set them apart from one another. However, most of the time, the general effects of mind high and body high are not very different from each other, except in one aspect.
Unlike mind high, body high can be felt strongly throughout the body. A body high feels more like a sedation. As soon as you consume indica, you will feel your muscles relaxing. However, for me, it was more like a physical trip where my whole body felt looser, and I was struggling to keep my head upright. One small similarity I found between the two forms of high is the sense of relaxation. Mind high relaxes the mind, body high relaxes the body.
Unlike mind high, body high made me an absolute sloth. I feel that indica high is perfect for staying put and enjoying the trip. All I did was enjoy the trip and not move for the next couple of hours. It also helped me fall asleep better. Another small thing I noticed about body high is that food tastes a lot better. This could be because Indica induces hunger better than sativa.
Effects & Side-Effects
Some of the primary or potent effects of body high are the feeling of relaxation, better sleep, better hunger, mood alteration, and pain relief. Again, some effects might differ from individual to individual, but the general essence of the effects remains the same. This means individuals will mostly feel the same while consuming the indica variant of cannabis.
The indica variant of cannabis dials it up to an 11 when it comes to side effects. Trust me on this: managing a sativa green-out episode is much easier than handling an indica green-out episode. Overdosing on the indica variant of cannabis will dial the couch lock effects up to a 20. In my own experience, I felt extremely dizzy and was struggling to keep my head straight. In fact, people with low tolerance even claimed that they temporarily lost motor function while being high on the Indica variant of cannabis. Another common side-effect of body high is loss of orientation and temporary memory loss. Even though these are very rare, still, you should stay wary of these effects.
Combination High
Currently, the cannabis market is full of hybrid strains that offer a myriad of effects. Even though these effects cannot be classified into the head high vs body high, they are very much integral in understanding how cannabis works and the whole head high vs body high debate.
High from a hybrid strain can not be classified into any of the markers. While consuming a 50-50 strain like Girl Scout Cookies, OG Kush, etc. I felt that my experience was a mixture of everything.
I was feeling the sedative effects of indica as well as the uplifting effects of sativa. As a result, my experience was oscillating between two distinct worlds. However, I never felt any sort of discomfort, maybe because of my tolerance level. However, some users explained that the feeling was a little too much to handle in one go.
One of the most common side effects is greening out. Greening out is usually characterized by increased heartbeat, loss of motor functions, overwhelming feeling of fatigue, etc. Therefore, always consume cannabis in moderation.
How To Choose The Right High
Choosing the right high is as important as choosing the right strain. If you are new to this whole game of cannabis, I am here to help you understand which high you need and how to decide upon it. Here are some of the questions that you need to answer in order to decide the right kind of high for you. So, let us not waste a second more and dive right into the thick of things.
Know What You Want
Before you start consuming cannabis, you need to understand and decide the kind of experience that you want. This primarily depends upon the mood and the context of your environment. For example, if you are at a gathering and want something that will make you feel jovial and social, you should go for strains that work on your mind. Similarly, if you need to feel relaxed, you need to go for strains that make your body high.
Understand The Tolerance
I personally know people who have been consuming cannabis for years and still have low tolerance. So, tolerance is not about the amount you consume. So do not make the mistake of going overboard. Always know that cannabis can really mess up your system. So, do not go overboard. Start slow and then build upon it. Also, never start your cannabis journey with a bong. Trust me, it is not the brightest idea. Secondly, edibles kick in late. Hence, wait for about an hour after microdosing. This will allow your body to feel the effects.
Decide The Right Method Of Consumption
In relation to the previous point, the right method of consumption is a very important thing. It is probably one of the most seminal points that you need to understand. Some methods of consumption are way more potent than others. So, understand the proponents of moderation. If you take my word for it, start with a spliff or a joint. If you are a beginner, then I would suggest that you start the cannabis journey with sativa. In my experience, handling the high of sativa is still easier than handling the high of Indica.
CBD vs. THC Content
The final factor that you need to understand is the THC vs CBD content. This is one of the most important factors of the head high vs body high debate. Never approach a strain blindly. Always do your research and look for a detailed breakdown of the THC and CBD content of a strain. This will help you assess whether a strain is the right choice for you or the amount that you can consume before feeling the detrimental effects of the strain.
Conclusion
With that, we have reached the very end of our article about head high vs body high. While both variations of high are palatable and cannot be compared in any way, I personally feel that head high or cerebral high is the better experience in my books. I would suggest that you go for hybrid strains if you want to get the best of both worlds. Keep following our page for more cannabis-related content.
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