Should you take a tolerance break? You may be wondering when to take a tolerance break from delta-8. No matter what kind of cannabis user you may be, over time, you build up a tolerance to what you’re smoking or consuming. A cannabis, CBD, or delta-8 tolerance buildup is inevitable with frequent use, and it leads to some less-than-desirable effects.
A buildup means a lessened high and, in CBD’s case, lessened effects in general. It also ends up requiring increasingly higher doses to achieve even a semblance of the desired benefits.
Not only can it be frustrating – it can get expensive. A tolerance that’s too high isn’t something to brag home about; it just means you require infinitely more product than those that aren’t frequent users, which can be a drag.
We want to focus on the effects and frequent use of delta-8, as well as both when and how you might benefit from a tolerance break. Let’s dive into the biggest reasons for when to take a tolerance break from delta-8, how long of a break is needed, how it can be used to be in full control of your smoking habits, and so much more.
Pros and Cons of Habitual Use of D8 Products
Frequent use of any cannabis product comes with pros and cons – even legal products like the delta-8 we derive from industrial hemp. We want to show both the advantages and disadvantages of using delta-8 as part of your habitual routine.
Pros
Ideal for social gatherings and social activities, delta-8 does what many marijuana strains can’t. D8 products have a trend of providing a boost in energy levels and mood, with the high being much more energizing and alert.
Even though it has a habit of making one feel alert and energized, it’s also well-known to not cause the anxiety and paranoia that some experience from marijuana. Though it depends on the person, those negative symptoms are why some people have to quit consuming the plant. That makes delta-8 a good alternative and solution.
The lethargy when coming down from a delta-9 high is palpable, and something most of us cannabis users can probably resonate with. Fortunately, delta-8 users report that the end of their high doesn’t often come with an energy-zapping crash. The end of the high is much smoother, so you don’t have to plan your day around it.
Cons
No matter how many benefits delta-8 has, it does get outshined by cannabis in just a few areas. It always comes down to preference, because the cons for some may be the biggest benefit to others.
For example, the lower potency is the biggest complaint among some, as delta-8 products are obviously less potent than the delta-9 in marijuana. This is a benefit to some, however, as the less-intense high helps you stay focused and not get cloudy-headed.
Likewise, some people have to quit smoking marijuana because of the intensity of their high, so this is an ideal alternative.
How to Successfully Take a Cannabis Tolerance Break
There are some tips and tricks to surviving a delta-8 or cannabis break. For the frequent users and everyday smokers among us, it’s not always the easiest feat. It is rewarding, though, and while it may be easier said than done, follow the advice below to better get through your T-break.
You are in Control
While it may not be a simple walk in the park, you are fully capable of taking this tolerance break – and that’s what you must keep reminding yourself.
If you’re ready for a T-break, you’ve likely been using delta-8 for so long that you’ve built up a tolerance you can’t keep up with anymore. Consuming more d8 might provide that quick relief you’re looking for in the moment, but it won’t be nearly as intense as it can be.
Test Your Willpower
Look at taking any tolerance break as what it truly is: a test of your willpower. Stand strong as you pass through 24 hours, the first week, and even as you go one month without it. We’ll talk about how long you should take your T-break a little later on, but you get the idea.
You can do this, especially when it comes to delta-8 and CBD products that you know will benefit you more if you hold off for a long enough period of time.
Make a Strategy
Have a plan of action for how you’re going to take a break, what you’re going to do – and stick with it. If you need to, use the buddy system, and have someone help you stay on track.
Remind yourself why you’re taking a tolerance break and how valuable waiting will be.
Keep Yourself Busy
Keeping yourself occupied is the easiest way to unlearn old habits and routines. Part of your plan of action should include the slices in time you would otherwise spend smoking or using delta-8 to get high.
Reading, watching a movie or new show, learning a martial art or a sport or an instrument, you name it – there are countless ways to fill up your time, so make sure you keep yourself busy.
Rely on Friends
If the cravings are particularly intense, it may not hurt to lean on friends to help you through this. Whatever you’re doing, you need to stay busy, so interact with more of your colleagues and acquaintances to make that a more likely option.
Keep a social calendar with events and gatherings with your friends that don’t partake to make it even easier on yourself. Surrounding yourself with a positive support system can be the make or break for many trying to successfully complete a tolerance break.
Get Some Exercise
Exercise releases endorphins throughout the body that help to improve the mood. For regular cannabis users, this might come in especially handy during a T-break. If you’ve ever taken one before, you know it’s easy to get grumpy when you don’t have your delta-8.
Try exercising to improve your mood and exhaust yourself. This is also an excellent remedy for those that have trouble going to sleep without their serving of delta 8. Exercise can tire you out and make you feel happy all at the same time.
When to Take a Tolerance Break from Delta-8
3 Key Signs to Pay Attention to:
- The effects just don’t hit the same way. This reveals when to take a tolerance break from delta-8 because it’s not doing as much for you anymore.
- You’re using far more product to get the same exact results – or maybe even results that are more lackluster than you recall.
- The effects fade faster, with the duration of your high or the effects lasting half or even less than the duration you used to experience.
How Long Should the Break Last?
How long your delta-8 break should last is mostly determined by your tolerance level as it currently is. What you’re looking for when you take a break from any cannabis product is for your cannabinoid receptors to repair to where they’re reproducing on their own again.
The surge of phytocannabinoids can put a damper on your body’s natural ability to produce endocannabinoids, so the tolerance break helps your body naturally start producing those endocannabinoids again.
Let’s look at various tolerance levels and see how long each person of that level should wait during their T-break.
Beginner or Low Tolerance Level
1-week Delta-8 Break
You know the ones with low tolerance – heck, you might even be one of the ones with a low tolerance. Typically, this is where beginners and very casual smokers usually fit. And, while they’re rare, there are even the daily smokers that still manage to have an incredibly low tolerance (which they can probably just thank their endocannabinoid system for).
If you’re in this category, it’s best to hold off on using any delta-8 products for at least a week. The reward means such a better delta 8 experience once you’re back to taking advantage of its properties again.
Intermediate Tolerance Level
2-week (or 10-day) Delta-8 Break
The mid-tolerance level delta-8 user may enjoy it a few times a week, but not daily. Maybe you like to get high as a stress reliever or just something to pass the time when you get off work.
Intermediate users usually reserve their time using the product in the evenings to help stimulate better sleep or in the mornings to help them kickstart their day. D8 and cannabis, in general, have been shown to help with both depending on what time of the day you take the product. It makes sense that someone could build up a routine for this without having to use the product every day.
If your tolerance is in this area, give it a minimum of 10 days for your break. If you can swing it, try to go for 2 weeks. The high and added benefits when you come back make it so worth it.
Advanced or High Tolerance Level
3-week Delta-8 Break
Finally, for the heavy hitters – you know who you are. These are our daily smokers, our regular delta-8 users that have built up such a high tolerance that they can barely even feel the products anymore.
Not only is it a shame, but it also gets expensive. If you’re in this category, it’s best to take at least a 3-week break, or longer if you can handle it. Your wallet and cannabinoid receptors will thank you, and you’ll be rewarded with a more powerful high when you do return to d8.
So, how long should you wait?
In the end, though, it’ll come down to your preference. How long do you want the break to be? Regardless of how long you wait, your CB receptors will have at least started to repair and reproduce at the rate they were before you started smoking frequently.
While it’s always best to wait as long as possible, you’re likely to feel effects from your T-break even if you don’t complete the full cycle.
Why Does the Body Need a Tolerance Break?
As we mentioned, consuming cannabis and any of its derivatives means the natural cannabinoid receptors in your body start to dampen over time. Part of our endocannabinoid system, these receptors are what naturally produce endocannabinoids. This system is responsible for a large spectrum of biological and physiological functions.
The body requires tolerance breaks from any substance from time to time. Just like with caffeine or sugar, a break from delta-8 or other hemp derivatives does the body good. It also makes the product so much more enjoyable when you do come back to it, and you have to use significantly less of it to get your desired results.
Taking a break from delta-8 will give your body’s cannabinoid receptors time to become sensitive to the compound again.
How to Prevent a Tolerance Buildup Moving Forward
In reality, it’s hard to prevent a tolerance buildup if you use delta-8 products every day. Lessening the frequency of use is always an option, but not one that everyone will favor. That’s why tolerance breaks come in so handy. You can get the most out of your delta-8 items by spacing them out periodically or taking short T-breaks to give your body time to recharge.
When to Take a Tolerance Break from Delta-8: When Your Break is Over
When you’ve reached the finish line and you’re done with your tolerance break, make sure you’re looking through all the delta-8 products we have to offer to decide what you’ll try next. Between Delta-8 brownies, dark chocolate, gummies, oils, and more, there’s something special waiting for you at the end of your T-break!
In this guide, we were able to tackle when to take a tolerance break with delta-8. Do you still have questions about the trending cannabinoid? Fortunately, we have answers to your inquiries. We have a blog dedicated to spreading knowledge about the industry we’re in. Even better, we have a narrowed-down delta-8 THC section for you to browse through at your convenience.
Make sure to check out the next blog, too: How to Celebrate 4/20 with Delta-8 THC: 6 Different Ways