We all know the feeling. You’re hanging out with friends and everybody feels good. Then you smoke a joint and all of a sudden, the party is over and everybody wants to go to sleep. Not all strains of cannabis were created equal. Some are well tailored for night time use and others for daytime use. You’ll never make the mistake of confusing the two if you read this article.
We all know the feeling: blazing up in the middle of the afternoon and all of a sudden feeling like you just want to sleep. Forget all those things you had to do later, or even cooking dinner. You just want to veg out in front of the TV and eat potato chips.
Now that’s the thing about weed these days. There’s something for everyone and their every need. If you’re smoking weed to help you catch some sleep, that’s one thing – although you probably aren’t using it in the middle of the day. But sometimes you want to medicate while still being able to get all of your work done. Yes – we have strains for that!
So, it’s time to get energized from smoking weed so you can actually be productive. Save those heavy sleepy strains for the night time, so they can nudge you into a blissful sleep. This list of strains is perfect for someone who needs a daytime smoke that energizes rather than induces sleep.
Picking a daytime strain
There are certain qualities you should look for when you are choosing a strain for daytime use. As we mentioned, there are so many different kinds of cannabis that are grown with a specific purpose in mind. Some of them are made to be sedating while others have the quality of giving energy. There are some general rules for going for an energizing high.
1. Choose sativa dominant strains
The general – although definitely not comprehensive – rule with cannabis is that sativa is energizing while indica is sedating. This is not a hard and fast rule, and the biology of cannabis is a little more complicated than that. But here we go anyway.
Stay away from pure indica strains. They have the tendency to be heavy sedatives that can leave you couch-locked. They are great for relaxation and before sleep, but they are not ideal for giving you the energy to get business done.
Hybrid strains that have sativa dominant expressions are usually good strains for daytime use. They are balanced between energizing you and giving you a body high. Hybrids that are indica dominant should probably be avoided.
And of course, pure sativa strains generally have the energizing quality. Now, they can also be kind of psychedelic, which can make getting work done kind of hard. But if you choose the right strain and dose yourself correctly, you can avoid any psychedelic space outs.
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2. Experiment with microdosing
Whether you’re using sativa strains or even indica dominant strains, a daytime ritual shouldn’t involve getting yourself completely blown. Even if the smoke itself energizes you, you might start to feel lazy and lethargic when the high starts wearing off.
The best way to mitigate this for daytime use is to microdose. You might not feel the effects as intensely as you usually would, but the more subtle effects will take their course. Plus, it’s much less likely that you’ll experience that “couch locked” feeling or the super sleepy comedown.
8 Energizing strains to try
The following list is full of strains that we suggest trying for daytime use. You can always ask dispensary staff for an energizing strain if you want to try something different, too!
1. Blue Dream
Blue Dream is a sativa dominant hybrid that invigorates the brain and the body. It is a great strain if you need to deal with some pain without being completely knocked out. It’s also a great strain for creativity if you need some inspiration for the next project.
Very uplifting, this strain can help to deal with stress, depression and help you fight fatigue.
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2. Durban Poison
Durban Poison is a powerful sativa strain of cannabis coming from South Africa. It can reach 25% THC levels sometimes, so it’s definitely a potent dose of cannabinoids. It’s a well-known strain for daytime use because of its uplifting and energizing effects.
It’s unusual to feel sleepy after smoking Durban Poison, even when it starts to wear off. Great for getting active outdoors, getting some work done or getting creative.
3. Harlequin
Or basically any high CBD strain. THC is the cannabinoid that usually lends sleepiness, so a high CBD strain such as Harlequin is a good way to get some energy. You might not feel “high” as you usually would, but still a great daytime smoke for getting energized. Plus, CBD doesn’t really interfere with sleeping patterns at all.
CBD can give the feeling of being weightless, full of vigour and energy without being completely bowled over by psychoactive effects. No Harlequin on hand? Try some CBD oil.
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4. Acapulco Gold
This strain comes from the areas surrounding Acapulco, Mexico, and is probably one of the most loved strains that was ever smoked. Of course, it has the sativa qualities that are characteristic of strains coming from around the Equator.
The user can feel happy, uplifted, energized and euphoric after the use of Acapulco Gold – everything necessary for getting active.
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5. Ice
Ah, this strain gets its name from how heavily coated it is in white trichomes. This strain is pretty balanced when it comes to indica and sativa, but many report an uplifting sativa effect from using it.
Ice provides the user with enough focus to get things done while staying light and in a happy mood. The trick to using Ice is not to smoke too much, lest the indica effects take over!
6. California Orange
This less well-known strain has been around since the 80s, and is basically a 50/50 indica/sativa. It gives a very clear headed high with plenty of bounce to hang out with friends, work or exercise – but only when consumed in moderate amounts. As soon as you smoke too much, the indica side of California Orange’s genetics take over, and it can be sedating.
Use this strain in the daytime moderately to put a spring in your step.
7. Sour Diesel
Sour Diesel is a sativa strain with powerful cerebral effects. This strain is usually really potent, so it can give you the boost you need to finish up with your day’s tasks. Having said that, it could also give you the kind of boost that just throws your brain into a THC induced confusion, so if you’re sensitive to THC, be careful with this strain. Just a puff or two of Sour Diesel is enough to do the trick for daytime smoking.
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8. Jack Herer
Jack Here is a slightly sativa dominant hybrid, but overall gives quite a balanced effect. It is a great medicine for pain or nausea, so those who need to medicate in the afternoons could highly benefit from this strain. A very well-balanced strain, Jack Herer doesn’t make you feel really drowsy.
The trick to daytime smoking is to stay away from strains that were grown to have the specific effect of being sedatives. It’s hard to get any work done after you’ve smoked a really heavy sativa strain. So heed our advice about choosing strains or go for one of the strains that we’ve recommended!
