How Did Medieval People Get High?

Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorian

Tonight, you’re not chasing glory, or even survival. You’re just trying to make it through the Middle Ages without accidentally hallucinating yourself into sainthood.

From moldy rye to poppy syrup, flying ointments to incense smoke, this journey through historical intoxication isn’t about rebellion—it’s about ritual. Poor harvest? Have some psychedelic bread. Sick child? Try opium tea. Feeling holy? That might be the incense talking.

This isn’t a party. It’s prayer, fever, fermentation, and the desperate need to feel something other than cold.

Lie back. Get comfortable. And if the walls start breathing halfway through… well, that’s historically accurate.

🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep Tools

Looking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend:

• Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/4pVFoJy

• Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f

• Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE

• Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn

• Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu

• White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTw

These are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy.

#MedievalHistory #SleepStory #DrowsyHistorian #Ergotism #HistoricalDrugs #DarkHistory #WeirdHistory #PsychedelicHistory #FlyingOintment #AncientMedicine #Opium #MadHoney #HistoryForSleep