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Will Smoking Cannabis Lower My Body Temperature?
by JARS | December 10, 2024
Smoking cannabis may make you feel cooler temporarily, but it doesn't actually lower your body temperature.
Do you ever feel like snuggling up in your softest blanket after lighting up some flower from JARS? Well, you’re not alone. When you consume cannabis, goosebumps on your arms or feeling a tad chilly is actually a very common side effect alongside dry mouth, red eyes, and a potentially increased heart rate.
Based on this, we can hypothesize that cannabis does affect us physically beyond its psychoactive effects — but is cannabis actively making you feel cold temperature, or could there be another element behind this phenomenon? To answer the question, will smoking cannabis lower your body temperature, read on for our essential guide on your cozy conundrum.
Does cannabis lower your body temperature?
The short answer? Yes, cannabis actually does reduce your body temperature—temporarily, that is.
A phenomenon dubbed THC-induced hypothermia, it is not as serious as the name might make it sound. It simply means that when you’re exposed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), your skin and muscles feel slightly cooler for a short period of time.
It appears that cannabis cools us down and reacts similarly to:
Wasabi
Hot mustard
Red chili flakes
Although these foods might feel hot and spicy on your tongue, they can also help cool you down. It’s an ancient trick that has long been used in culinary cultures across the world. For example, if you’ve ever had super spicy food at a Thai restaurant, that’s because Thailand can be notoriously hot and humid. Locals eat this spicy food in order to help them stay comfortable when it’s hot AF outside.
This reaction is thought to be controlled by a specific cell receptor called the TRPA-1 receptor. Tiny but mighty, this receptor may be responsible for other reactions like:
Dealing with pain
Reducing inflammation
Regulating body temperature
Many believe that when you consume something spicy or enjoy some freshly ground cannabis, this receptor activates and causes a cool-down effect and pain-shielding reaction. So if you’re feeling a little chilly after smoking a bowl, it’s a perfectly normal side effect.
How to deal with the cannabis cooling effect.
We know that you might feel a little cold after you smoke cannabis so we want to share some of our favorite ways to handle that chilly feeling.
Snuggle up with your favorite movie or show.
Binge-watching and cannabis go hand-in-hand so take this as a sign to kick back and catch up on the latest trending series. By the time you finish watching, you’ll feel right as rain.
Make a cup of tea.
Nothing warms the soul quite like a steaming hot mug of tea (or hot cocoa if you have a sweet tooth). We suggest trying an herbal tea that may have some added therapeutic benefits. For example, ginger tea may help settle the stomach and chamomile tea may improve sleep and relaxation.
Lounge in the sun.
Soaking in some Vitamin D is a surefire way to reduce those goosebumps on your arms. Take a quick walk outside to get your body moving and reap the benefits of some daily sunshine.
Take a bubble bath.
You don’t have to be cold to indulge in a hot bubble bath but it’s certainly a great excuse. Treat yourself to a self-care moment in the bath to warm your skin and soothe your muscles.
Stay cozy.
Next time you’re feeling slightly cooler after smoking cannabis, just know that you are not alone. Use our tips to cuddle up and get cozy, and you’ll be back to normal in no time. For more tips, tricks, and insider information make sure to stay tuned for more on the blog.
