How to Set Up an Energizing Cannabis Experience

An energizing cannabis sesh isn’t about chasing a single feeling — it’s about how cannabis fits into your moment. For some, energy shows up as creative focus or motivation. For others, the same sensations may feel overstimulating or distracting.

There’s no universal formula for a rousing cannabis experience. The key is recognizing the variables at play and learning how to adjust them to support the type of energy you’re after.

Can Set and Setting Make Weed More Energizing?

Yes, set and setting are essential to creating your preferred vibe. Research from UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics notes that our intention, emotional state, and surroundings work cohesively to set and shift the tone during consumption sessions. 

Additional research from groups like the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) note that environments can send signals, including feelings of safety as well as tension. By setting the right environment, we are likely to produce positive feelings rather than adverse ones.

That said, no outcome is guaranteed. Even if one sets up the most idyllic sesh, various other factors can influence the outcome. Additionally, the experience can vary from session to session, even if your set and setting are the same as the previous session you participated in. 

This is why it’s always best to start your consumption with a low, manageable doses and go slow as you decide if you want to add additional ones.

How to Create an Energized Mindset

Creating an enlivening mindset isn't tricky. 

While there is no guarantee, considering the following factors can help create the foundation for an uplifting cannabis consumption experience.

Set an Intention

Setting an intention means going into the consumption experience with a plan or goal, and in this case, it’s creating an uplifted and energized mindset. A brief acknowledgment of your goal before consuming is sometimes all it takes to get things in the right direction.

Prepare the Space and Sensory Experience

The environment you're in plays a crucial role in creating any cannabis experience. For a positive, invigorating one, consider elements that support alertness. For example, natural or cool-toned lighting has been known to maintain or support clarity. On the other hand, warmer light tends to promote relaxation. 

Beyond lighting, consider what other elements keep the room feeling lively. Everything from music to visuals can all impact the experience. Consider playing some of your favorite songs to dance to, or put on a movie or show that lifts your spirits.

It's not just what we see that can shape the experience. Smells also play a significant role in creating the ideal vibe. 

Plant compounds, including the terpenes limonene, pinene, and terpinolene, have distinct aromas and have been linked to anxiety relief, which can aid in creating an energizing and uplifting experience.^1,2,3,4 These terpenes are often found in fragrant products like candles and essential oils. Consider adding them to the room before you spark up.

Overall, the environment and sensory cues involved in the sesh can influence how you feel and move. 

Timing and Energy

Timing is everything. Even if the setting and strain are perfectly set up for an energizing experience, our energy levels, or when the effects of the product kick in, may dictate a variety of outcomes. 

That's why it's essential to consider the time of day, personal energy, and the onset time of your product before heading into the experience. 

If you're feeling too tired, no amount of cannabis or proper setup is likely to deliver that energizing uplift. And if you take your edible too soon or smoke a little too close to the activity you're participating in, the onset of the effects can significantly affect how you feel, whether you feel uplifted, relaxed, or on edge. 

Energizing Music to Listen to With Cannabis

Think about how music impacts us throughout the day. From the gym to the store, these locations play music intended to create a specific mood. In many cases, the intended outcome is centered on attention, focus, and a boost of energy. 

The same approach applies to cannabis. In most cases, the same kind of music at those locations that uplift and energize you is going to do the same when consuming cannabis. Strong rhythms and driving baselines may be the key to creating that energizing experience. If so, genres from EDM to pop to hip-hop may do the trick, which is great because everyone has their own musical tastes. 

Conversely, choosing the wrong kind of music can create an unpleasant and possibly even stressful vibe, so select your playlist based on your tastes and how it usually hits you. 

Energizing Activities to Do While Using Cannabis

Some activities are known to produce uplifting, motivating effects. 

Light Movement or Working Out

From walking and hiking to a full-fledged workout, these activities are known to get the heart racing and the mind uplifted. Many cannabis consumers like to integrate the plant into these activities for an additional boost of endorphins and energy.

Creative Tasks and Hobbies

Creative tasks and hobbies, from workplace problem-solving to painting and puzzles in your free time, can all get the mind running positively. 

Social Connection

Social connection and conversation can help to uplift the energy of the room. Turning a sesh into a group activity or keeping it more low-key with a one-on-one hangout can help inspire you to feel more invigorated. 

Snacks, Food, and Drinks for an Energizing Weed Experience

Select foods and beverages are linked to rushes of elation and energy. Cannabis, in some cases, is also known to do the same. When paired together, you may feel that rush of invigoration that they're seeking. Some of the common go-tos include:

Citrus 

Like many cannabis strains, citrus fruits are rich in the terpene limonene. Combining a limonene-rich strain with citrus fruit may increase the likelihood of feeling energized for some individuals.

Water

While water may not seem all that stimulating, it helps to keep us hydrated. The effects of dehydration can include lightheadedness and feelings of sleepiness. So, if you're looking to elevate the energy in the room, consider having a couple of glasses of water on hand.

Coffee

Combining cannabis and coffee has long been a practice with mixed anecdotal results. 

Sometimes referred to as a “hippie speedball,” this cannabis coffee combo has been known to increase energy and mood while producing elevated focus levels. That said, adverse effects have also been reported, ranging from increased feelings of anxiety and paranoia to sleep disruption.

Many other snacks and beverages can help keep people energized and uplifted. That said, avoid mixing alcohol and indulging in any heavy meals or snacks, as those can leave people feeling weighed down and potentially put them into a state of rest.

Dosage Consideration

The dose(s) of cannabis consumed may play a critical role in the outcome and effects felt in consumers. Recent research into cannabis's impact on individuals with insomnia found that lower doses of THC were likely to produce stimulating effects. On the other hand, higher doses were likely to produce feelings of sedation.⁵ 

Recent research suggests that the compounds in substances like psychedelics or cannabis play a crucial role in creating our outcomes. This is why it's important to consider all components of the plant, including non-intoxicating plant compounds and cannabinoids, such as those found in high-CBD varieties.⁶

Strains and Consumption Methods

When attempting to generate an energizing experience with cannabis, consider seeking out strains that are likely to produce focused, chatty, and/or uplifting effects. 

Sativa strains are often associated with uplifting feelings. While the terms indica, sativa and hybrid aren’t entirely accurate, they can help guide you in the right direction of what type of feeling you’re looking for. Consult with your budtender if you have questions. They often have experience with the products themselves or know more about the added ingredients or a plant's terpene profile, which can also influence the experience. 

Additionally, the consumption method you choose can also influence the experience. Products like joints and dabs take effect sooner and fade quicker than those like edibles and tinctures. 

Be sure to consider the onset time and duration of effects for the product you’re consuming.

While it's not a guarantee, considering the setting, mindset, strain, consumption method, and dosage should help set you up for a vitalizing cannabis consumption sesh.

References

1. Spindle TR, Zamarripa CA, Russo E, et al. Vaporized D Limonene Selectively Mitigates the Acute Anxiogenic Effects of THC. Drug and Alcohol Departicularplay music intended to create a certain pendence. 2024;257:111267. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111267 ↩︎
2. Eddin LB, Jha NK, Meeran MFN, et al. Neuroprotective Potential of Limonene. Molecules. 2021;26(15):4535. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26154535 ↩︎
3. Weston-Green K, Clunas H, Naranjo C. Potential Use of Pinene and Linalool. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2021;12:583211. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.583211 ↩︎
4. Lewis M, Russo E, Smith K. Pharmacological Foundations of Cannabis Chemovars. Planta Medica. 2017;84(04):225-233. doi:https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-122240 ↩︎
5. Vaillancourt R, Gallagher S, Cameron JD, Dhalla R. Cannabis Use in Patients With Insomnia. Canadian Pharmacists Journal. 2022;155(3):175 to 180. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/17151635221089617 ↩︎
6. Lewis M, Russo E, Smith K. Pharmacological Foundations of Cannabis Chemovars. Planta Medica. 2017;84(04):225-233. doi:https://doi.org/10.1055/s-00more quickly thanthe product’s effects43-122240 ↩︎

The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.