Dab sweats are very much a real thing. Whether you are dabbing some CBD wax,  THC shatter or CBG rosin, you might find yourself experiencing a spout of sweating. It’s become almost as overlooked as coughing after taking a bong rip, so today we are going to clear up exactly what causes the dab sweats. 

The Cough That Makes You Sweat

A lot of people assume that the higher the concentration of an extract, the more likely they are to experience the sweats. This isn’t too far from the truth, however there is a more important relationship to look at. The dab sweats often have more to do with your cough reflex than with the dab you hit! The dab sweats come AFTER the cough, not between the dab hit and the cough. Because the severity of a dabbers cough comes from the size of their extract, it isn’t totally incorrect to say that the high concentration extracts will impact the dab sweats. However we feel more certain to say that the actual size of the dab is what will mostly impact a dabber’s sweat reaction. 

Coughing is the body's way of reacting to substances that are foreign to the lungs - if you take a very big CBD dab, it’s likely that the lungs will react to clear the foreign substance via a cough. There seems to be no noticeable difference between taking large amounts of other cannabinoid leaning dabs - THC extracts and CBG extracts similarly will cause a large amount of coughing and coincidentally sweats. 

What is happening when you cough is the lungs are attempting to remove some of the CBD (or any other cannabinoid) from the deeper parts of the lungs. The cough works its way up from the deep parts of the lungs, eventually causing consumers to cough out a lot of mucus. 

Next Comes The Dizzies

Over the course of a cough, the body changes its inhalation and exhalation patterns. This abrupt change impacts the amount of oxygen that is flowing through the body. Therefore, when you take a dab - especially a big one - it will interfere with the flow of oxygen in the body. This is what can cause a light-headed feeling after taking a big dab!

During the process of coughing, when the lungs are trying to clear foreign substances, the body uses a high level of oxygen to remove those compounds from the lower parts of the lungs to the bronchial tube. So foreign substances, regardless of being CBD dabs or CBG rosin, induce the body into expending oxygen. This almost induces a form of exercise and the body sweats!

How To Avoid The Dab Sweats?

The easiest way you can avoid the dab sweats is by reducing the size of your dabs. If you’re a heavy CBD user and are used to taking half gram dabs, perhaps consider turning that into smaller more spaced out dabs. However, for some if not most dab fans, the dab sweats must be accepted as part of the dabbing experience. 

We recommend that first time dabbers start off slowly with their dab portions. A new dabber needs to experience varying sized dab portions to see how 0.1g of CBD wax effects then compared to 0.2g. Hydration is also strongly recommended, if you do start to dab sweat, all that lost water needs to be replaced! 

Interestingly, CBD dabs are noted for inducing less sweats than a THC dab. CBD has effects that complement THC, reducing the intensity and creating the framework for a well-balanced and more enjoyable high. CBD wax and CBD shatter are great options for anyone looking to add a fuller spectrum of cannabinoids to their experience.