Delta 8 Tolerance Break: Know How To Reset Your Body

Delta-8 THC tolerance builds up over time by consistently consuming the compound. This tolerance build-up may cause your body to resist its effects and have you reach a plateau when using delta-8 THC products. To receive the same feeling you would initially experience, you would have to increase your dosage or take a tolerance break. 

This break can prevent your body from getting attached to delta-8 THC such that it begins to resist it. In this guide, we’ll break down the concept for you and teach you how to go about it. 

Why Do You Need A Tolerance Break?

Before going into detail about how you should take your tolerance break, you must understand why you need it in the first place. If you’re in a hurry, you might be satisfied simply knowing that you need a tolerance break because delta-8 THC isn’t working for you anymore. That is, your body has grown accustomed to it, and now you need to “make your body forget” about the compound so that you can enjoy it like you used to.

Although the above explanation is straightforward, it doesn’t cover all the information you should know. Allow us to explain the details further for your knowledge. 

Now, while you may seem to believe that your body developed a tolerance only to popular drugs such as delta-8 THC, you wouldn’t be right to think so. It is something the human body is evolved to do. For example, after consuming sugar for a while, you would need to start intaking more to feel the initial effects you received from it. If that is not relatable to you, caffeine is another great example. Many use caffeine to help us stay active and alert; however, once your body gets used to a certain amount, it commonly increases to feel the effects more. 

The reason this happens is that the sensors in your system have become desensitized after repeatedly interacting with the compound in several binding processes. So, the only way you’d get your body to respond the same way is to give it a higher dose of the compound. The same thing applies to the pleasure points in your brain. Your serotonin-induced pleasure drops significantly after consuming the mixture long enough, and consumption becomes a complete drag.  

It’s a little bit like a thrill-seeking adventurer who starts with high-speed roller coasters. Eventually, they’d get bored of that and would need to “increase their dosage of thrill” by doing something that pumps even more adrenaline through their veins, like skydiving or bungee jumping.

This is why you need a tolerance break. It helps your body “forget” how the compound used to feel. That way, the next time you take it, you will be able to feel the buzz you’re looking for.

How Often Should You Take A Tolerance Break?

Delta-8 THC and CBD products are remarkably different as far as tolerance is concerned. The reason is that in the latter, delta-9 THC (or regular THC, if you will) is the primary ingredient, and it is significantly more potent than delta-8.

This means that it can lead to a much higher level of intoxication, translating automatically to a more substantial buildup of tolerance in your system. What’s more, the molecules in delta-9 THC only bind to the CB1 receptors in your body. For clarity, CB1 is one out of two receptors in your endocannabinoid system. Additionally, your endocannabinoid system is a complex nerve signaling system that helps you balance different bodily functions, like your immune response, among other things.

Now, because delta-9 THC only works with one set of your two endocannabinoid receptors, you give it more responsibility when you consume the compound for prolonged periods. As such, it will become desensitized, and you might need to take a break lasting up to four or five weeks before you can start to feel the effects again.

However, the same doesn’t quite apply to delta-8 THC. This compound doesn’t bind with just one but two of the receptors in your endocannabinoid system – CB1 and CB2. In a way, this spreads out the responsibility between the two. Besides, the delta-8 compound has a unique way of connecting itself and these two receptors. As such, your tolerance break for delta-8 THC doesn’t need to last longer than seven or eight days under normal circumstances. 

Delta-8 Vs. Delta-9: How Long Does It Take To Build A Tolerance?

The time it takes to build a tolerance for both compounds varies for every individual. One of the major factors that it hinges upon is the frequency of consumption. Due to how wildly different people’s consumption patterns are, it’s a bit difficult to say how long it takes to build a tolerance.

However, it is easier to say from reports that delta-8 THC leads to a faster tolerance buildup than delta-9 THC. If you were to draw a graph to study how the two compounds operate in their tolerance buildup periods, you’d find these differences. In delta-8 THC, for starters, you’ll notice it looks a bit like a triangle or a thin upside-down bell. That is, the tolerance buildup increases rapidly once consumption begins. Regardless, it begins to drop almost as quickly as it builds.

With delta-9 THC, on the other hand, the inverse is the case, with the graph looking a bit flatter at the top. This indicates that tolerance buildup happens slowly and takes much longer to get over or dissipate.

Now, the instant you see this, you may be inclined to think that it’s an entirely negative development. Technically speaking, some parts of it are negative. After all, where’s the fun in losing all your interest in your favorite product after you buy it? However, that is just one way to look at it. Another way to see it is that the quick tolerance buildup avoids overconsumption of delta-8 THC.

It’s a bit like the delta-8 compound created a unique defense mechanism to prevent people from taking too much at a time and over extended periods. So, if you have issues moderating your consumption, delta-8 THC automatically helps you moderate your use by reducing the amount of pleasure you get much quicker.

What Are The Signs That You Need A Tolerance Break?

Some people take a tolerance break when they can no longer access their products. This could happen for many reasons, from lack of finances to a change of location to someplace delta-8 isn’t legal within or outside the United States. However, for most people, a tolerance break is voluntary. With that being the case, here are a few signs that you might need to take a momentary break from delta-8 THC:

• Reduced Effects

The very first time you consume delta-8 THC will likely be the most intense for you. After that, depending on how you consume it, you may not necessarily feel discomfort. The times after that might not provide the same level of intensity, but they’ll come pretty close, all things being equal.

However, after consistent consumption, you might notice that this is no longer the case. This could happen if you have a consumption pattern that directly or indirectly translates to a gummy a day or its equivalent. Regardless, once you notice that you’re not feeling the effects like you used to, you’ve likely built a tolerance to the compound.

• Rapidly Dissipating Effects

As a cannabis enthusiast, you probably already know this, but delta-8 THC comes in different forms. Similarly, there are many ways you can consume the compound. Each consumption method comes with its own duration, depending on individual factors and the quantity consumed. The effects of smoking delta-8 THC, for example, dissipate very quickly. In contrast, the impact of eating delta-8 THC gummies are more significantly drawn out, sometimes over several hours.

When you first start consuming, things move along with relative smoothness. But, later on, you might notice that you don’t feel the buzz for nearly as long as you used to. Even the gummies that used to leave you knocked out barely leave an effect on you anymore. If you notice any of these signs that you’re shaking off delta-8 THC faster, it could mean that you’ve built up a tolerance.

Of course, we can also credit it to other factors. For example, if your metabolic rate drastically increases, you might find yourself “burning through” the compound much faster. However, barring that, you’ve likely developed a tolerance, and you likely need a break.

• Increased Need for Delta-8 THC

In the early stages of your delta-8 THC consumption, you might have noticed that one delta-8 cigarette or gummy sufficed. You’d simply have that one and move along with the rest of your evening.

However, as you build up a tolerance, you may notice that you have a higher need for delta-8 THC. Usually, this isn’t just a regular craving. Instead, there is an actual need for more delta-8 to achieve the same effects you used to have before. Suppose you notice this, and you’re constantly taking more doses to match what a single dose would’ve performed. In that case, you’ve built a tolerance, and it’s time for a much-needed break.

How To Take A Delta-8 Tolerance Break?

Even though delta-8 tolerance dissipates much faster than delta-9, it is still challenging for some people to take a break. As such, if you hope to succeed at it, you should pay attention to the following tips:

• Is 3 Days Enough For Tolerance Break?

If you’re a frequent user of delta-8 THC, you might find the 7-day break too tedious to complete. As such, you need nothing less than total commitment to the process. 

If possible or necessary, you could start gearing yourself up for it beforehand. It should help you ease into the process better with the self-discipline required to complete the tolerance break.

• No Consumption in Between

This part might seem like a no-brainer. However, you will be shocked to find that certain people consume delta-8 THC even when they’re meant to be taking a break. These people usually justify this action by telling themselves that they aren’t taking so much. Some might say it wouldn’t hurt to have just a little bit. 

However, that statement couldn’t be more incorrect. You could further desensitize the cannabinoid receptors if you take even a little delta-8 THC. When you do, you’ll lose all the progress you had made earlier. So, if you’re taking a tolerance break, you need to make sure that you fully put a stop to it. 

• Get An Accountability Partner

For many, it may be challenging to go through this journey alone. If you find yourself struggling to stick with a tolerance break, you could get an accountability partner. This would allow the both of you to keep each other on track. 

• Create A Schedule

To continue enjoying the effects of delta-8 THC, you’ll have to get used to tolerance breaks. To aid the process, you could create a schedule that will help you do it more efficiently. Once you do, it’ll likely become a habit, and you won’t have much trouble doing it next time.

Conclusion: Can I take Delta 8 Everyday?

Delta-8 THC can bring a ton of pleasurable effects. But, if you consume too much, it can also take away those effects without much hassle. To continue enjoying it, you need to ensure that you know when and how to stop. After properly taking a tolerance break, you will be able to feel the desired effects that you initially felt.