What Are the Real Benefits of CBD?
Now that CBD can be found in almost anything, one question that most skeptics have before giving it a shot is, “What actually are the real benefits of CBD?” To answer this question, we have five ways that you might benefit from CBD yourself.
- Pain Management
Thanks to the athletes and fitness enthusiasts who swear by it, CBD has become wildly popular for its potential to ease pain and reduce inflammation. And for good reason since the body’s inability to shut off its pain management system can lead to major health issues, many of them stemming from inflammation.
How does CBD help reduce pain? Our body already produces endogenous molecules known as endocannabinoids, which function in a variety of different ways - from digestive aid, to helping with sleep - depending on the receptors they adhere to. CBD (Cannabidiol) is classified as a phytocannabinoid (think of it as the plant’s version of an endocannabinoid), but can also impact our receptors when taken. Studies have shown that CBD’s interactions with these receptors can lead to a decrease in pain perception by both a direct and indirect mechanism.
- Anxiety
CBD’s effects are most felt when you are not feeling like your best self. In otherwords, when you feel “off” it can help recalibrate your body and bring you back to your baseline. For those who experience mild anxiety, CBD has shown to be very effective in alleviating symptoms and helping you return to your calmer self. A 2011 study looking at patients with anxiety surrounding public speaking, found that cannabidiol at varying dosages significantly reduced anxious feelings and cognitive impairment.
More recently, researchers from a 2019 study saw a decrease in anxiety symptoms in the majority of the participants who were given 25MG of CBD each day. This is because CBD leads to low dose accumulation - a phenomena in which a steady amount of CBD can accumulate in your blood (when taken consistently over time) to help address any irregularities that may arise. If you’re looking into CBD as a treatment for your anxiety, it might be worth giving it a shot to see if it helps you.
- Sleeplessness
What goes hand in hand with CBD’s ability to reduce symptoms of anxiousness, is its ability to create an excessive feeling of calmness that helps you not only fall asleep faster, but experience a higher quality of sleep. The same researchers from the 2019 anxiety study also found CBD to help patients stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed. Within the first month of taking CBD, 66.7% of patients had higher sleep scores.
- Improved Mood
As a result of better pain management, more focus and concentration, less anxiety, and quality sleep, you’ll probably notice that you’re in a better mood after implementing CBD into your lifestyle!
Once common mood disruptors like exhaustion aren’t as present in our everyday lives, our cortisol levels see an overall decrease, and our body has a better time maintaining homeostasis. :)