Wake and bake refers to taking a hit of weed as soon as you wake up. Some stoners swear by it like a cup of coffee. While other stoners aren’t such big fans. So is wake and bake bad for you? Here’s what we know.
Photo: Stoners Rotation
Is it Bad to Wake and Bake?
According to the Global Drug Survey, Americans are far more likely to wake and bake than people in other countries. We don’t know why Americans are such huge fans of wake and bake. It may be due to the perception of a more intense high.
Cannigma says, you may feel higher because you’re still groggy from sleep. It may also have to do with the endocannabinoid system and the presence of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, right after waking up. However, more research is required to really understand the science between wake and bake.
Winston Peki, owner of Herbonaut, thinks it’s just perception. Peki told us, “If you inhale your cannabis (smoking or vaping) an empty stomach vs a full stomach, it has no objective measurable effect. But the subjective effect can be that the effects will be felt stronger, simply because the effects of the THC can be perceived as stronger if you feel physically weak.”
It is absolutely true that taking an edible on an empty stomach will lead to stronger effects. However, you would feel the effects quicker if you smoked a bong or hit a blunt.
While it’s safe to wake and bake, you may face some problems.
Dependence
While there aren’t many scientific studies on wake and bake, we found one in 2016 that doesn’t think it’s such a great idea. The study says, “morning use of marijuana may indicate dependence and increased cannabis-related impairment.”
The study also compared daily stoners who use weed in the morning and other daily stoners who use weed after noon. They found that those who use weed in the morning self-reported more problems than those who didn’t.
Therefore, the study concluded that the timing of cannabis use is important when examining cannabis-associated problems.
Unproductivity
Besides the problems highlighted in the study, wake and bake may not be great for beginners. Peki said, “For experienced users, it’s safe to wake and bake. But for beginners who might still have duties that day, I don’t recommend waking and baking. Cannabis can make you feel ‘out of it’ and if you [still] need to meet important people, work, or need to do other things that are better done sober. It’s best to finish those things before start using cannabis.”
Some stoners on Reddit can attest to that. One stoner said they’ll be sleepy unless they smoke the rest of the day. Another said, “when the high wears off you will be really really tired. Regardless of if you smoke indica or sativa.” In the same thread, someone says, “I can’t smoke before 11am or I’m just burnt out all day; and even then it needs to be a strong sativa.”
Cannigma also said that smoking in the morning could make you tired or sleepy later. Therefore, if you have a full day of important activities to do, waking and baking may cause a problem. At the same time, this is not true for everyone. In addition to that, the type of weed you use could make all the difference.
Cannigma says you don’t have to avoid waking and baking if your goal is productivity, a lower dose of THC may be optimal for you. As a matter of fact, they said you could opt for type II (balanced CBD: THC) or type III (CBD-dominant) cannabis.
You’ll also want to opt for Sativa strains since they’re known to give energizing and uplifting highs. That way, you could reduce your chances of getting tired and sleepy too early in the day, and you’ll be able to be productive.
Benefits of Wake and Bake
Are there any benefits of wake and bake? Yes! Many stoners swear by the benefits of wake and bake.
First of all, if you have difficulty eating breakfast due to a lack of appetite, using weed can increase your appetite. As a matter of fact, you may find that your breakfast tastes even better after a smoke sesh. Men’s Health says that weed enhances your smell, and since taste and smell are linked, that’s why the pancakes taste much better after a bong hit.
Another benefit of waking and baking is that you may have a stronger higher than if you smoked later in the day. As mentioned before, we’re not exactly sure why that is. However, stoners swear the high is more intense. If you want a stronger high but don’t want to wake and bake, you can do many other things, such as opt for weed higher in THC or eating food that may boost your high.
Finally, opting for weed first thing in the morning can make your mornings easier. If you’re not a morning person or struggle to get out of bed, Cannigma says wake and bake can help you.
One Reddit user said, “It allows me to leave the house and get to work nice and early without feeling anxious about the morning rush/commute. I wake up with ample time to get ready and I factor in a little bit extra time each morning for breakfast and a bowl.”
Another stoner in the same thread said, “I love to wake n bake. I usually work evenings so I’ll smoke in the morning before work instead of after. I’m absolutely still productive and in fact I started working out regularly in March and smoking in the morning really motivates me to get to it.”
Tips for Waking and Baking
If you’re interested in wake and bake, you should:
- Experiment with various strains and THC concentrations. Weed affects everyone differently. Therefore you’ll have to know which strains increase your productivity and which ones hamper it. If you’re a beginner, you may not want to wake and bake on a day when you have a lot of things to do. Try it on a lazy day with a low-THC strain and see how you feel.
- Pay attention. If you notice that no matter what, you’re tired after your high wears off, schedule tasks that require the most energy earlier in the day.
- Pair your wake and bake sesh with other activities. Cannigma says, “You could put on your favorite music, stretch, do yoga or light exercise, or even go outside to get some fresh air.”
Takeaway
Is wake and bake bad for you? It depends on the individual! For some people, wake and bake make them productive and motivated. While others may not have the same experience and can even develop dependency. It’s up to you to figure out how wake and bake can fit into your life, what strains work for you, and the type of day you want to have.
