Discover Why Does Cannabis Make You Dizzy?
Studies show that seasoned marijuana smokers know that taking marijuana can make them feel dizzy. However, beginners or those taking marijuana for the first will be prone to dizziness. The dizziness results due to overindulgence in cannabis products.
Most individuals or cannabis users will probably say that cannabis has few side effects. Research shows that most side effects occurring alongside getting ‘high’ are short-term, making it easy for consumers to manage them. Despite the fewer side effects being excellent news, it’ll be vital to prepare yourself on how to tackle them.
Thus, before enjoying your marijuana, read through this informative article. It provides comprehensive details on cannabis and marijuana to help you find out whether smoking might result in dizziness and how to control or avoid dizziness.
Relationship Between Dizziness and Marijuana
Experts reveal that it’s usually common to have dizziness after consuming marijuana. In 1992, a group of researchers carried out a study on the relationship between dizziness and marijuana. The results showed that approximately 60% of the participants recorded mild to severe dizziness after taking cannabis. However, experts consider the study small, involving only 10 participants.
While taking this study, the researchers chose ten men or participants who had not used marijuana or been exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke for the past three months. Before the study, the researchers measured the participant’s heart rate, blood pressure, and cerebral blood flow in standing and reclining positions. After measuring these aspects, the researcher allows the participants to smoke either a placebo or high-potency joint before repeated tests later. Remember, the researchers or scientists conducted the study on two lab visits. The finding showed that six of the ten participants reported mild to severe dizziness after consuming marijuana or smoking the joint.
Besides reporting dizziness, these participants also presented a lower cerebral blood flow. Further analysis shows that individuals with severe dizziness also reported a significant drop in their blood pressure. These effects kicked in a few moments after smoking the marijuana joint. However, no participant reported dizziness after using the placebo joint.
These findings concluded that cerebral blood flow and blood pressure are the primary factors that make you feel dizzy after smoking a cannabis joint. Remember, you can experience more dizziness, as high potency cannabis products adversely affect the factors. Experts also warn against various things, like standing up very fast, as it can trigger blood pressure changes and affect blood circulation. Standing up too fast can result in an abnormal blood pressure drop or postural hypotension, which can trigger dizziness.
What is Postural Hypotension and Its Relevance?
Many individuals have at one point experienced dizziness and start seeing spots after standing up too fast. So, what is the reason for feeling dizzy and seeing spots after standing up too fast? Postural hypotension resembles this feeling when getting up very fast.
We’ve various activities that take place when you stand up very quickly. For instance, as you get up, gravity pulls blood downwards into your blood vessels under your diaphragm from the chest. The movement results in a rapid shift that affects the blood pressure or flow. It results in a drastic drop in circulatory system blood pressure due to the sudden reduction of blood getting back and filling your heart chambers.
Studies show that drastic changes in your body’s blood pressure trigger baroreceptors. It’s a special receptor controlling the blood pressure in the body. These receptors detect slight changes before initiating responses, allowing your body to return to a balanced nature or homeostasis. The baroreceptors will trigger the increase in heart rates after the blood pressure decreases. With the blood vessels, constricting and the blood causing more resistance while flowing in the veins results in an increased heart rate. Importantly, the process returns your increased blood pressure to stability after some time. Experts refer to returning the blood pressure to optimal baroreflex, enhancing health circulation.
Studies show suffering postural hypotension. The condition is more prevalent in some individuals, especially the elderly, due to their compromised circulatory system. It’s a unique case where your blood pressure from the heart or circulatory system will drop drastically after you stand up very fast. Some experts also term the drastic drop in blood pressure after standing up very fast as orthostatic hypertension. This type of hypertension results from the baroreflex system or organ dysfunctions. Furthermore, dehydration and certain medication can also result in this type of hypertension.
Unsurprisingly, consuming marijuana can also result in Orthostatic hypertension or a drastic drop in blood pressure. After consuming marijuana, this condition occurs due to the inability of your blood pressure to stabilize while standing. Besides orthostatic hypertension, standing up quickly can result in various symptoms. These symptoms include:
● Dizziness
● Light-headedness
● Weakness
● Fainting
● Confusion
● Headaches
These symptoms are generally due to the reduction of oxygen supply and poor blood flow to the brain. Some individuals may experience tremors when the brain lacks adequate oxygen supply and blood flow. The body will tremble as it tries to reach the correct or balanced state.
Despite sounding scary, postural hypotension isn’t an adverse effect you should worry about. Your body has various parts and systems with appropriate features to help you deal with these issues. Thus, as the body system adjusts, the issue or problem will correct itself, and you’ll return to normal. Nevertheless, avoiding overindulging in cannabis products is appropriate when you have anxiety. Furthermore, don’t mix smoking cannabis and alcohol, as it may lead to more consequences.
The relationship between cannabis and blood pressure is a vital and interesting topic. Let’s dig deeper into how marijuana results in a drastic drop in blood pressure.
Cannabis and Blood Pressure
Studies show that the body uses various or numerous ways to regulate blood pressure. Baroreflex is one of the common mechanisms the body uses to regulate your blood pressure. Besides baroreflex, the kidney also releases some hormones that are integral in maintaining your heart rate and blood pressure. Thus, a section of scientists concluded that the body’s endocannabinoid system is vital in regulating your blood pressure.
In 2005, ‘Neuropharmacology’ published a finding from a certain study that showed the complex role endocannabinoids play in enhancing and maintaining blood pressure. The researchers conducted this study on Vivo subjects. Besides getting the result from this study, the researchers still believe that there is a need for more research on endocannabinoids to help get more understanding of the relationship with blood pressure.
Endocannabinoid is an essential system that works with a wide range of receptors. Commonly, the system works with receptors CB1 and CB2 to achieve its purposes or functionality. During normal functioning, the body will create endocannabinoids after it detects some changes. This system allows passing messages or communications with the receptors by binding. The process of binding triggers different processes throughout the body.
Anandamide is the most and best-studied endocannabinoid. Finding from the studies shows that anandamide offers the body the vasodilator effect. Vasodilation enhances the expansion of the blood vessels to reduce blood pressure. This endocannabinoid works the same way as THC, which means taking THC products can produce the same effects.
Remember, THC works with a specific affinity for CB1 receptors like anandamide. THC binds to the CB1 receptors, resulting in various effects resembling endocannabinoids. These effects include reduced blood pressure in the body's circulatory system.
Findings from several researchers show that regular marijuana users may develop tolerance. Remember that they must take more diseases after developing tolerance to feel the effects. Besides requiring more doses to feel ‘high,’ these users get used to dizziness. This concept explains why new users or beginners will be more likely to feel dizzy after taking marijuana than seasoned smokers who smoke cannabis regularly.
Things to Do If Consuming Cannabis Makes You Dizzy
Experts reveal that as long as you’re in a safe or secure location, not driving or operating any machine, dizziness after taking marijuana isn’t an adverse effect. The effect doesn’t have long-term consequences and usually subsides after a short time. Besides subsiding after a short while, dizziness can be disorienting and unpleasant. Therefore, after taking or when taking marijuana, you can do numerous things when you feel dizzy. These things include:
Choose your dose carefully
Research shows that the prevalence or risk of developing dizziness is high among new marijuana smokers. Furthermore, the possibility of dizziness increases when you’ve got a lower THC tolerance or occasionally smoke. Remember, if you don’t understand your limit or maximum, you might experience dizziness due to overindulging in the smoking joint.
Therefore, if you’re taking marijuana for the first time, following the appropriate safety techniques will be vital. These techniques include smoking from a safe location and preferably in the company of an experienced friend or a regular smoker. Additionally, start low and low, preferably with one or two moderate puffs before building for an increase.
Experts recommend that you become more cautious when using marijuana edibles. Remember, edibles, like weed brownies, may take several hours to feel the effects. The long time they take for you to feel the effect may tempt you to add more doses thinking that the little doses aren’t working for your system. It may lead to overindulging, which can hit you up and feel more dizzy, even resulting in a fallout. Therefore, it’ll be vital to start slow before you get going.
Stand up slowly
Standing up very fast has been one of the common causes of dizziness, even for non-smokers. Thus, after taking your marijuana, it’ll be wise to take time to get from the seat to prevent dizziness. Alternatively, you can try stretching your body, especially your arms, before getting up to ensure proper blood flow in the body parts.
Hydrate your body
Inadequate water to vital body organs may lead to dizziness. Studies show dehydration is a common adverse effect of taking or smoking weed. For instance, most researchers have linked pot use to cottonmouth cases. Furthermore, lacking or having inadequate water in your body and blood system causes lower volumes which trigger high blood pressure.
Therefore, taking more fluids or water will help your body stay hydrated. Taking at least two liters of water or fluids daily offers the best opportunity to hydrate your body. Remember that taking even more water or fluids will help hydrate the body before, during, and after the smoking session.
Boosting your blood sugars
Studies show that blood sugar is another key factor influencing your blood pressure. Due to the ability to affect your blood pressure, maintaining optimal blood sugar will be appropriate. You enhance your blood sugars by getting snacks or food after taking marijuana. Nevertheless, be cautious of the snacks you’re consuming, as salty ones like chips tend to increase your blood pressure.
Stay calm
Feeling disoriented and dizzy can be very troubling. With the troubling nature of these symptoms, it'll be vital to take the marijuana in the company of a trusted friend to help out in case you feel troubled. However, despite everything, you must not panic after feeling the symptoms.
Sitting down and taking deep breaths offers the best remedy when feeling dizzy. When getting up, ensure that you stand gently and slowly. You can also take a few sips of water to calm down. You can consider supporting yourself on stable furniture or walls if the need arises.
Consider a different strain
Different marijuana strains have varying cannabinoid components. THC is responsible for most cases of dizziness. Thus, check the strain’s THC content when you feel dizzy after taking marijuana products. Preferably, switch to a better alternative with a lower THC content and higher CBD to reduce the ‘high’ feeling and dizziness.
Wrapping Up on Dizziness and Marijuana
Studies reveal that marijuana doesn’t come with severe side effects. Provided you’re in a safe location and take your marijuana carefully, you can indulge in cannabis without having any negative effects. Nonetheless, beginners and users who don’t know their optimal limits sometimes overindulge, leading to effects like dizziness.
Despite the troubling and uncomfortable nature of dizziness, we’ve got numerous things to do to help you out. The above tips will help you get fine when feeling dizzy after smoking or enjoying your marijuana. You can connect with a medical marijuana doctor online today.
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