If, like so many of us, you experience trouble sleeping, discomfort, stress, or the whole package, then cannabidiol (CBD) can absolutely help improve your lifestyle under the right circumstances.
By “the right circumstances,” we’re referring to the cannabinoid profile of any CBD products you take, the absorption potential and concentration, your own physiology and medical history, and a whole litany of factors that can affect the potency of CBD.
For today’s purposes, the overall point is that the potential for positive lifestyle change with CBD supplementation is there, as proven by a growing body of research and many anecdotal accounts.
But first, what exactly is CBD?
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol is a non-intoxicating compound found in the hemp (low-THC cannabis) plant, and is classified as a “cannabinoid” alongside more than 200 other compounds, including THC.
Today, you (or your pet) can take CBD supplements in many forms, including CBD oil tinctures, capsules, gummies, topical products, flower, vape oil, dog treats, and more.
To learn more about CBD or to find a product in your area, we invite you to check out our CBD Stores Near Me page.
Research into the recently popularized cannabinoid is still being refined, but research efforts like this cross-sectional study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research show that CBD can help with stress, sleep, general health, and more.
Sounds a tiny bit relevant in 2022, does it not?
Here’s a closer look at how CBD can safely and sustainably improve your lifestyle.
Step One: Manage Your Discomfort
Our bodies can’t help it, but they’re drama queens.
Whether it’s an acute stressor (WHAM – stubbed your toe) or a stubborn injury you’ve been dealing with for years, the body uses inflammation to help out with the healing process.
Indeed, inflammation is helpful to an extent, but too much leads to more pain and a ton of other issues, which is where CBD comes in.
CBD has been proven in various cases to slow down the production and spread of pro-inflammatory compounds in the body (cytokines), but not to the point where it significantly hampers tissue healing.
Stymie the Stress
Along with their more diverse “cousins,” essential oils, CBD and partnering cannabinoids (like cannabinol, cannabigerol, and more) have proven themselves as stress-fighting agents in case after case.
Opinions as to how the anti-stress effect of CBD works vary among researchers, but the general consensus is that CBD can interact with several types of receptors in the brain that regulate mood, including the highly important 5-HT1A receptor that pumps out serotonin.
Bolster Your Immunity?
As implied by the cheeky question mark, the relationship between CBD and general immunity isn’t conventionally helpful; CBD may strengthen one or two components of immunity, but actually weakens it in a few subtle ways as well.
If you’re now wondering why on earth you would want to take an immunosuppressant like CBD, it’s because the nature and extent of these immunity-modifying effects are not harmful, but actually helpful, depending on the situation.
For example, people who suffer from autoimmune disorders can see very significant improvements in their symptoms with CBD, which makes sense because the immune system is causing the damage in that case.
The Great Tie-In: Sleep
We call it the great tie-in because sleep is so inextricably tied to all of the issues mentioned above: discomfort, stress, and immunity.
Moreover, it’s a bi-directional connection: improving these elements improves your sleep and vice versa.
Thankfully, and especially when sleep-promoting CBN (cannabinol) is thrown in with the CBD, this compound can help calm you down before bed.
A Final Note on Expectation Management
If we may so boldly warp former President Kennedy’s words, the best way to approach CBD is not to ask what it can do for you, but to ask what you can do for it.
In other words, if you’re looking to improve your lifestyle and overall health, then you need a holistic approach—CBD won’t miraculously cure all that ails you.
If you can stretch, exercise, hydrate, nourish, and de-stress yourself even one percent more effectively each day, then you can let CBD do its thing more effectively.
