What is stress?

Stress is the reaction of the body to any change that requires an adjustment or response. Often times we think of the fight or flight response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of life and CBD can help balance it.

You can experience stress from your environment, body, or thoughts. Stress is neither good nor bad. Moderate amounts can be useful for productivity. However, anything that begins to affect your daily life can signal a problem.

Symptoms of stress include dizziness, aches, and pains, headaches, indigestion, changes in appetite, muscle tension, trouble sleeping, racing heart, cold and sweaty palms, tiredness, shaking, weight gain or less, jaw clenching, upset stomach, lack of concentration, and changes in sex drive. These are very similar to those experienced with anxiety.

Stress and anxiety are also very closely linked. Stress is the result of demands on the brain and body. Stress can result from an event or activity that promotes worry or nervousness. Anxiety is that same worry, fear, or unease. Anxiety can be a reaction to stress and CBD can help with both for an increased sense of well-being.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the natural response of the body to stress. It can manifest in the form of feeling apprehension and fear regarding particular events. That being said, if these feelings last for longer than six months and begin to interfere with your life, this could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

The majority of people will experience some level of anxiety on the first day of school, a job interview, giving a speech, taking a test, moving to a new place, traveling, etc. Anxiety can come and go depending on the things going on in your life.

However, an anxiety disorder can prevent you from doing the things you enjoy. It can affect anybody at any age and women are more likely than men to suffer from anxiety. The good news is that CBD can greatly help lower anxiety and help bring you back to being yourself.

Different types of anxiety disorders include panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), separation anxiety disorder, illness anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Different people will experience anxiety in different ways. Symptoms of general anxiety include increased heart rate, rapid breathing, restlessness, trouble concentrating, difficulty sleeping, and constant worrying. Some people can also experience anxiety attacks with overwhelming feelings of apprehension, fear, worry, and distress.

How does CBD work in the body?

The endocannabinoid system is located within every human body. It plays a role in regulating a number of different functions and processes including sleep, mood, appetite, memory, and reproduction. It’s important to remember that this system exists and is active within the body even without cannabis consumption of any kind.

Endocannabinoids are endogenous cannabinoids and are molecules that are produced within the body and help keep internal functions running properly. The body produces them when needed.

Receptors are found throughout the body for endocannabinoids to bind to in order to signal an action. CB1 receptors are found mostly in the central nervous system and CB2 receptors are found mostly in the peripheral nervous system. 

Endocannabinoids can bind to either of these receptors depending on where they are in the body. Enzymes are responsible for breaking down cannabinoids once they complete their purpose. 

The endocannabinoid system is also linked to digestion, metabolism, chronic pain, inflammation, mood, learning, memory, liver function, muscle formation, bone growth, and heart function. These functions contribute to homeostasis which refers to the stability of your internal environment. Therefore, CBD can help bring your body back into balance.

How does CBD help with stress and anxiety?

The main way that CBD oil helps with stress is that it lowers the stress hormone cortisol which is elevated when we are under high stress. This effect works to relieve the physical symptoms of anxiety-like increased heart rate, rapid breathing, constant worrying, etc.

As a result, when we deal with the physical symptoms, this can also help with the mental and emotional responses. Therefore, you can more easily achieve a calmer mental state when your body is not constantly overreacting. CBD oil helps to slow down your thoughts so that you can prevent a racing mind, improve relaxation, and get better sleep too. 

CBD oil has also been shown by one study to work on bringing balance back to serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in mental health. Low serotonin levels are often linked to people suffering from depression. 

Sometimes not having enough serotonin can also contribute to anxiety. The conventional treatments for low serotonin are prescription medications in the form of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). However, some people with anxiety can manage their condition naturally with CBD oil getting greater effectiveness and fewer side effects.

In addition, brain scans of people with anxiety and depression show a reduced size of the hippocampus which is a region of the brain responsible for memory and cognition. Successful treatment for anxiety and depression results in neurogenesis or the birth of new neurons in the hippocampus.

One study showed that consistent use of CBD oil could help the hippocampus regenerate neurons similar to SSRIs which is important since this can help prevent suicidal actions.

For generalized anxiety, CBD oil has been shown to reduce symptoms from both a behavioral and physiological standpoint. CBD oil could also benefit people with other forms of anxiety-like social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) per one study. It can even help with insomnia attributed to anxiety.