How You Can Use CBD Oil to Manage Stress
Stress is a critical adaptive response, however, stress is good only for short periods of time. In our society, we are constantly in a state of stress and this has become very detrimental to our health.
Here are a few negative effects that stress has on our system:
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Aging
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Cardiovascular Disease
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Hormonal Imbalances
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Aches and Pains
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Insomnia
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Low Immunity
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Low Energy Levels
The latest research into telomeres shows us that stress is literally killing us by shortening our lifespan and making our cells age faster.
Can CBD Oil Help Us Manage Stress?
The answer is yes!
As mentioned in previous blog posts, CBD is a natural chemical that is widely present in our body. CBD is one of the components in our endocannabinoid system (endo means internal) and studies show that endocannabinoids are essential for the stress response and regulation of stress hormones (1)
The main goal of CBD is to bring homeostasis back into our system, so it does exactly that when it comes to the stress response: it balances our cortisol levels (2). Your body naturally has cannabinoids to help regulate the stress response, however, if we are in a constant state of stress over a long period of time, having additional help in the form of supplemental CBD oil can really help.
“ This is my first time using CBD oil and I love the sense of calm it gives me. I feel anxiety free, stress free, and emotionally non-reactive to negative situations. I’ve shared it with my mom and sister – both of them loved it too! ”
The Basics of Stress
Before we give any recommendations about when and how to take CBD oil for stress, we want to go over the cortisol basics.
Cortisol is a hormone that gets produced by the adrenal glands and has a number of different tasks in the body: it helps regulate mood, energy levels, fat storage/usage, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, inflammation, wake-sleep cycle, and much more. Hormones are chemical messengers in our body and they are very complex, so we want to make sure we take care of our hormonal health or hormones can quickly turn on us; anyone who has experienced PMS would know what we mean. PMS is actually a symptom of hormonal imbalances, but it is just so prevalent in our society that it has become normal.
Cortisol is at peak levels one hour after we wake up and it gradually goes down throughout the day so that at night it is at the lowest point which allows us to sleep. Due to the stress that we experience throughout the day, the following vicious cycle starts:
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High cortisol levels up until the very evening
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High cortisol prevents you from falling asleep or sleeping well
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In the morning cortisol does not spike because you did not get a proper full night sleep
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You drink coffee and eat sugar which raises cortisol to give you energy
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You experience more stress because you are stressed and now also sleep-deprived
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Cortisol is high before going to bed so you do not get a good night of sleep again
This is basically how most of us live; with lots of stress, caffeine, sugar, and little sleep and relaxation. And this is where a lot of hormonal imbalances start.
How Does CBD Oil Help?
It simply helps your body regulate the cortisol response. CBD balances our stress response so you don’t experience spikes of cortisol and thus avoid burnout.
“I was diagnosed with severe depression and severe anxiety, my doctor insisted that medication was the only resolution. […] Well for the first time I years, I feel “normal”. I’m not crying every day, I don’t feel an impending sense of dread and hopelessness, I am able to deal with difficult situations……I can live my life. There is no hazy feeling, no numbness, nothing…just me. I cannot think of a better word for this oil than “miracle”. This oil has literally given me my life back and I am so incredibly grateful to you. ”
How to Take CBD Oil for the Best Results?
This can depend since everyone is different.
However, we find that if you don’t allow your body to get stressed out by taking CBD oil in anticipation of stress then you can manage stress much better and not feel the burnout or tiredness later. By taking CBD oil before stress hits, you basically keep your body in a natural state without going through the cortisol roller coaster.
CBD also works if you take it during or following stress too; it will help bring cortisol back into balance. Sometimes that will make you feel tired in the short run or help you sleep at night if you take it before bed. For example, if you take CBD oil after you come home from a stressful day, you might feel like taking a nap, which would be exactly what your body needs, but might not be what your plans are. However, if you respect your body’s wishes and let your body rest, you will feel rejuvenated and rested in no time.
Now that you know you can use CBD oil to manage stress you want to figure out the correct dosage. It takes some trial and error, but soon enough you will know exactly how much to take for the best results.
You can also check out what other happy customers are saying here.
