Here’s how to give your body a weed break:

We’ve all been there. Maybe you’ve been smoking weed for a long time and it just isn’t getting you as high anymore. Maybe you’ve got a new job interview coming up and you’re not sure if you’ll have to take a drug test. For various reasons including court orders, traveling, or money troubles, you might feel you need a tiny (or large) cannabis tolerance break.

Taking a weed break isn’t a bad thing, actually. Plus, if you’re looking to get more from your experiences consuming marijuana later on, taking break will reduce your tolerance and reset your body’s endocannabinoid system.

That’s right, cannabis interacts with an entire network in your body called the endocannabinoid system. Through cannabinoid receptors, this system responds to external stimuli (like weed), and sends signals throughout your body. By giving this system a break, you can lower your tolerance and clear your head. Ever wondered what to do when you can’t get high anymore? A little cannabis detox will fix that.

But if you’ve been smoking weed for a long time, there are a few things you should know about taking a cannabis tolerance break.

How Long it Takes to Detox from Cannabis

The general wisdom for fully detoxing from cannabis is to give it 1-3 months. But even if you don’t plan on quitting for that long, just taking two weeks off will help you feel some of the effects of a weed break. Everyone is different, so how long it takes for those cannabinoids you’ve been consuming to clear is completely dependent on your body. When consuming cannabinoids, they become stored in your body’s fat cells, which is why it takes some time for them to move out. So if you’re really going for it, plan for at least a month.

To get the full effects, it’s best to quit marijuana completely. Just reducing your intake won’t work. Be aware, though, marijuana can be a numbing agent, which means you might feel emotions more strongly once you start your cannabis tolerance break. There are also other withdrawal symptoms that are commonly felt when quitting cannabis.

A weed tolerance break might cause you to experience insomnia. Depression is another a likely symptom, as are nightmares and vivid dreams. If you’ve been consuming THC for awhile now, you might not have been dreaming very much. Those are likely to come back in a very real way. It’s possible you’ll experience more emotional ups and downs as your body re-regulates itself.

How to Have a Successful Cannabis Tolerance Break

So, as you can see, taking a cannabis tolerance break isn’t easy for everyone. And after the first couple of days, you might find yourself thinking about weed a lot. Here are a few tips you can follow to make it as easy as possible on yourself.

Don’t go on a diet

When taking a weed tolerance break, you don’t want to plan going on a diet at the same time — unless you’ve been on one for a while and you’re already accustomed to it. You’ll be using all of your willpower to not consume cannabis, so expecting yourself to swear off cookies or a cheeseburger might be too much.

Get rid of all your weed

You might experience some weak moments while taking your cannabis break — moments where you’ll really want to take a toke off of a vape pen or light up a joint. It’s important to resist those temptations. While you might feel cravings, they probably won’t be as bad as if you were quitting cigarettes. But it’s good to be aware that you might have them, and be prepared. Give your weed to friends, ask someone to keep it out of reach for you. Do what you have to do, just get it out of the house.

Give yourself something to do

Taking a weed break can be illuminating, showing you just how much time you spend consuming cannabis. When you remove that ritual from your life, you may find that you have an excess amount of time. In turn, without the high of cannabis, it’s also common to feel the effects of boredom more easily. This is a good time to lean into your hobbies, pick up a new sport or take an art class. Trust us, staying busy will help.

Drink lots of water

To help your body clear the cannabinoids from your system, be sure to drink plenty of water. Taking a cannabis detox can often cause excessive sweating, so drinking lots of water will help your body replenish.