Staying Energized While Using Medical Marijuana: It’s All in the Strain

One of the most frustrating symptoms of living with a health condition is fatigue.  Fatigue is generally described as a state of mental and physical tiredness that can inhibit your ability to go about your daily life. With physical fatigue, a person finds it physically hard to do the things they normally do or used to do, for example, climbing stairs. With mental fatigue, a person finds it harder to concentrate on things and stay on task. The person may feel sleepy, or have difficulty staying awake while working. Common symptoms of fatigue include:

• Difficulty remembering things or being able to concentrate
• Extreme exhaustion after relatively little physical or mental exertion
• Getting a lot of sleep, but not feeling refreshed
• Feeling like your muscles are heavy
• Body aches and pains all over
• Sore throat and lymph nodes
• Being dizzy, fainting or having trouble keeping your balance
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Abnormal amounts of sweating and body temperature
• Visual disturbances
• Depression, anxiety or other mood problems

Cannabis is widely used to treat insomnia by helping patients get to sleep faster and maintain sleep for longer. It’s also been shown to help alleviate fatigue in some people with cancer and other conditions, and to promote wakefulness.

Many people wrongfully associate marijuana use with a lack of motivation and the destruction of dopamine — your body’s happiness receptors — over time. When used responsibly, marijuana can be an extremely helpful aid for you to either rest or stay awake.

So, how does cannabis aid patients in both sleeping and fighting fatigue? Experts say it depends on the strain.

Choose Your Strain Wisely

Not all strains of marijuana are created equal. Some strains of marijuana are known to be uplifting or euphoric, while others are better-known for their calming and sedative effects. You might think that if you’re tired, choosing a strain with a sedative effect would be the right option — but that’s not always true for everyone.

Uplifting varieties are best suited for people who are expected to get up and do something right away, while calming strains are more helpful for people who need a boost in energy levels.

Strains To Fight Fatigue

Generally, if you want to boost your energy, it would serve you well to consider one that’s sativa-dominant. Strains with higher levels of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) act more like a sedative, which can of course help you get much-needed sleep, while strains with higher levels of cannabidiol (CBD) seem to have alerting properties. There are many strains of marijuana that anecdotally boost energy and productivity. Here’s are some to consider and ask your practitioner about.

1. Amnesia Haze. With a THC range of up to 22%, the CBD range in this strain is slightly less than 1%. Users have described the effects as creative, giggly, happy and euphoric, and the aroma is described as citrusy, earthy, sweet and tangy.
2. Jack Herer. The THC range for Jack Herer is between 17% and 24%, and users have described the effects of the strain as cerebral, creative, energized, happy and euphoric. Users also report experiencing a body buzz. The aroma is earthy and herbal lemon.
3. Sour Diesel. With a THC range of 12% to 24%, users have described the effects as energized, creative, happy and euphoric. The aroma is described as candy-like, musky and sweet.
4. Cannatonic. This strain is bred to have lower THC levels, which fall between 7% and 14% or even lower, to reduce the psychoactive effect. The CBD range, on the other hand, falls between 17% and 23.4%. Users have described the effects as calming, happy, focused and euphoric.
5. Green Candy. The THC range is about 18%, and people who use green candy describe the effects as calming, cerebral and happy. The aromas associated with this strain include earthy, minty, pine and sweet candy.
6. Raspberry Cough. The THC range of raspberry cough is between 15% and 24%, and users report feeling alert, energized, clear-headed and even introspective after using this strain. The aromas associated with this strain include nutty, sweet, berry and earthy.
7. Blue Dream. The THC range for Blue Dream is between 17% and 24%, and users describe the effects of this strain as creative, calming, happy and euphoric. As for aroma, it’s described as berry, earthy, sweet and vanilla.
8. Purple Trainwreck. The THC range for purple trainwreck is approximately 18%, and users describe the effects of this strain as creative, relaxed, happy and euphoric.
9. Lemon Haze. The THC range for this strain is about 17%, and users describe their experience with lemon haze as uplifting, relaxed, euphoric and happy. The aroma is unsurprisingly lemony.

Want to Learn More?

Remember: Although one marijuana product can help you feel alert, others can make you feel sleepier. Make sure to use a new product in a safe space before you go out and do anything that requires attention and concentration, like driving or operating any machinery.

MarijuanaDoctors.com is a trusted gateway for patients like you who are searching for medical marijuana treatment in legal medical marijuana states. This amazing resource provides patients visibility and transparency in selecting a doctor and setting an appointment for a medical marijuana evaluation, including detailed profile information, scheduling information and ratings and reviews.