Cannabidiol (CBD) is beloved for its ability to help people calm down. Many people swear by CBD products at the end of a long day. When you need time to chill and recenter yourself, CBD can be a useful part of that ritual. But how does it work?
If you’re interested in using CBD oil to alleviate stress, here’s what you need to know about timing, dosage, and frequency.
What Is Stress?
Almost everyone is familiar with the feeling of stress. Stress is a generally unpleasant feeling that can affect both your physical and mental health.
Physically, stress can manifest as difficulty sleeping, stomach upset, muscle tightness, and even unhealthy blood pressure levels. Mentally, stress can manifest as brain fog, trouble focusing, fading memory, and racing thoughts. Stress can even affect your emotions, sometimes leading to irritability, feelings of depression, and a sense of dread. While these signs of stress are normal, prolonged stress can lead to poor health and even physical damage.
But what causes stress? There are actually many things that can contribute to stress, and most of the time it depends on individual factors.
Some things that may cause stress are big changes, new responsibilities, heavy external pressure, loss of control, or social unease. Whatever the case, stress is a normal part of life – but it is still important to learn how to properly handle stress when it arises.
How Can You Handle Stress?
Some people handle stress with positive lifestyle changes and better management strategies.
- Sometimes, handling stress can involve leaving a relationship where you’re not adequately appreciated. This could be a romantic relationship, a friendship, or even a career relationship.
- It can involve consolidating your bills and setting up a strict monthly budget that eases your worries about money.
- It could be moving into a new apartment where your neighbors will be less disruptive.
- It might be taking up a hobby that makes you feel fulfilled or adopting a pet that encourages you to lay down and cuddle for a little while every day.
It’s important to remember that, while you can easily cut some stress out of your life, other sources of stress may be necessary parts of your life. Anything that safely soothes completely unnecessary stress or makes necessary stress manageable is usually an excellent way to approach stress relief.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a mixture of CBD and a food-safe carrier oil. It comes in a glass bottle with a little dropper. You place the drops under your tongue, hold them in place for a minute or so, and swallow.
CBD is a cannabinoid – slightly similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD’s psychoactive cousin. Cannabinoids are found in cannabis plants, including hemp plants. A hemp plant is a cannabis plant that only produces a very tiny amount of THC, coming in at a maximum of 0.3 percent THC.
This isn’t enough THC to get you high or produce any other mind-altering side effects. CBD’s effects also won’t cause many of the typical effects seen with THC-containing products. It provides support to your body without changing the way it naturally works.
There are three major types of CBD products: full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate. These products contain varying degrees of THC, phytonutrients, and terpenes, which contribute to the taste and smell of the product.
All of these products can help soothe feelings of stress, so the best CBD product is whichever one you’ll enjoy taking.
CBD works to stimulate a massive network of receptors throughout your body called the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system isn’t like your cardiovascular system. It isn’t a specific process that exists in one area. It’s countless receptors that exist almost everywhere throughout your body.
For instance, you have cannabinoid receptors all over the surface of your skin. There are cannabinoid receptors inside the cells of your immune system. They’re in your brain, your central nervous system, and your digestive system. They’re literally everywhere.
Does CBD Oil Soothe Stress?
CBD provides support to the body’s stress management system. It has naturally soothing properties and it can help to ease feelings of tension as well as interact with your brain’s serotonin signals. Because of this, CBD supplements can be a great help in your stress management strategy, especially when you’re dealing with feelings of overwhelm.
CBD oil can help to ease feelings of stress, but it’s not a magic cure. It won’t eliminate sources of stress in your life and it won’t keep stress from coming back. You need to use CBD in conjunction with good practices for reducing stress, including addressing stress at the source.
When Should I Use CBD Oil for Stress?
The best time to use CBD hemp oil for stress is about 30 minutes before you need it. The best time to use CBD gummies for stress is about an hour before you need it.
CBD comes in many forms, including tinctures, CBD and essential oils topicals, dietary CBD capsules, CBD gummies, and can even be used for vaping. Each form of CBD absorbs into your body differently, and some will take longer than others to show the effects of CBD.
Some stressful situations are predictable, and you can prepare for them. If you know you have to perform a public speaking test or coordinate complicated travel plans tomorrow, you’re probably already a little stressed out just thinking about it. Using your CBD before you get started on the task at hand can help your body soothe feelings of stress.
In many cases, you won’t have any idea when you’re going to feel stressed. You never know when your boss will pile on an extra assignment or you’ll get a surprise bill in the mail. That’s why it’s so important to use CBD daily.
CBD begins to interact with your endocannabinoid system a short while after you use it, but the full effects are most noticeable with consistent use. CBD is intended to be used every day. If you use your CBD or hemp extract every day, your body is consistently receiving the support it provides. You won’t need to wait for it to kick in.
How Much CBD Should I Take for Stress?
A little bit of CBD goes a long way. The human body can safely tolerate doses as large as 1,500 mg in a day, but that’s way too much CBD. You’ll probably never need to use that much to support your body’s stress management system.
CBD isn’t like a vitamin or a nutrient. There is no official daily recommended dose of CBD. A lot of people will experiment until they find a daily dosage that works well for them. Most people find that 25 mg of CBD per day works wonderfully. People who need extra relief may take two daily doses of CBD, one in the morning and one before bed, for a total of 50 mg of CBD per day.
You may want a little more or a little less. The benefits of CBD are subtle, so it may take you a while to dial it in. Start with 25 mg a day for two weeks and see how it makes you feel. If you find that it wears off too early, add a second 25 mg dose. You have plenty of room to explore and see what will work best for you.
How Can I Manage Occasional Stress?
CBD can help support your body through stressful moments, but it won’t stop stress from being a part of your life. If you don’t identify the source of the stress and find effective ways to manage your feelings, your stress will never go away. Let CBD be a part of a much bigger plan to prioritize your wellness.
Identify the Problem
Some sources of stress in our life are necessary. If you’re getting ready to graduate college or if you’re up for a promotion you really want, that’s the kind of stress that propels you forward. You’re working hard to achieve your goals.
If the source of stress you’re dealing with isn’t necessary, cut it out of your life. Switch jobs. Switch friends. Prioritize yourself.
Improve Your Diet
Most people feel generally better when they’re eating a well balanced and high-quality diet. When people are stressed, they have a tendency to overeat or settle for quick meal solutions that are less than nutritious. Set aside some time to prepare healthy meals for yourself, even if you do it in a big batch and portion them out for the week. You’ll be thankful that you did.
Get More Exercise
Aside from having positive effects on your overall well-being, exercise can also improve your mindset. Exercise supports the body in naturally releasing feel-good endorphins that soothe feelings of stress. Getting your heart rate up can also help you utilize some pent up energy, making it easier to relax.
Find a Healthy Outlet
Find something you love to do that takes you out of your stressed mindset. Many people turn to meditation or yoga for their therapeutic effects, but if they don’t work for you, that’s fine. You can find your “zen” space in journaling, gardening, following online craft tutorials, painting Warhammer figurines, or identifying all of the birds that live in your neighborhood. It doesn’t matter what it is, just so long as it’s not unhealthy and it takes your mind off of your stress.
Get Enough Sleep
When people are stressed, they often miss out on sleep. Make sleep a priority in your life. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Give yourself time to get at least seven hours of quality sleep every night. You’ll feel much more prepared to handle your day when you’re well rested, even if your day is stressful.
CBD can work to support the body’s natural process of winding down before bed. Try using CBD at nighttime to help support a good night’s sleep.
Need Some Extra Relief?
Pure Relief’s CBD gummies take the stress out of using CBD. Each gummy contains a perfectly portioned dose of 25 mg of CBD.
Our daytime gummies contain an energizing blend of CBD and CBG to help you take on the day, and our nighttime gummies contain soothing ingredients to help you unwind.
It doesn’t get any easier than chewing up a gummy, finding your zen zone, and meeting the challenges of your day with calm confidence.
Sources:
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety? | American Psychiatric Association
Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress | Mayo Clinic
How stress can affect your sleep | Baylor College of Medicine