CBD can do many amazing things in our bodies, but, more than other ailments, people dealing with chronic stress gravitate towards CBD for relief. CBD is well known for its calming properties, which on their own can help improve stress, so it makes sense that adding CBD to your daily regimen can help manage stress. Let’s take a look at the relationship between stress and CBD to better understand their interactions and how it can affect us.
What is CBD?
Let’s start with the basics: CBD is a cannabinoid called cannabidiol that is found naturally in both cannabis and hemp plants. Both plants belong to the species cannabis sativa, though hemp is generally considered to be hemp when it has less than 0.3% THC. When it does contain over 0.3% THC, the plant is considered cannabis or marijuana.
CBD is one of many cannabinoids found in both cannabis and hemp plants with some of the other cannabinoids including THC, CBN, and CBG. These compounds interact with our body’s endocannabinoid system through endocannabinoid receptors that bond with the CBD once it’s in our bodies. The endocannabinoid system helps to influence neural synaptic communication in our brain and can affect several important functions in our bodies including eating, learning, memory, reproduction, anxiety, metabolism, and growth & development.
Types of CBD
Now that we know what CBD actually is, we can talk about the different types of CBD available to consumers. There are three types of CBD you will encounter if you decide to give this magic cannabinoid a try:
- Full Spectrum CBD
- Broad Spectrum CBD
- CBD Isolate
CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD as it is refined until there is nothing left except the cannabidiol. Isolate is most commonly used in CBD infusions such as edibles, drinks, and topicals. Of the three types of CBD, isolate tends to have the most gentle of effects because the CBD can not create the entourage effect – a phenomena where cannabis is made stronger by its compounds interacting together as opposed to each individual compound acting alone.
Full Spectrum and Broad Spectrum CBD are almost identical, with the only difference being the lack of Delta-9 THC present in a broad spectrum extract. Both are created in a different process from CBD isolate that enables manufacturers to capture and preserve more of the whole plant profile and all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other important chemical compounds that make hemp so special. These additional compounds help both full and broad spectrum is known for its intense relief, without the head high, while full spectrum is known to provide the highest level of relief, because of the way THC and CBD interact with one another.
What is Stress and How Does It Affect Our Bodies?
Now that we understand CBD and the different types of it used in infusions and formulations alike, we can talk about the real root of the problem: STRESS.
Stress is unavoidable, and can even be good for us in small doses, working like an adrenaline shot to help us complete a task or keep ourselves and others safe.
Stress is a psychological or physiological response to a situation or event that is either threatening or challenging. There are three types of stress: acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress.
Acute stress is the stress that results from a new threatening or challenging situation, similar to what you feel after narrowly avoiding a car accident or when a big deadline is approaching. Episodic acute stress occurs when acute stress occurs frequently. This type of stress is associated with people who work high stress jobs such as healthcare workers, first responders, and members of the armed forces. Finally, there is chronic stress, the most devastating type of stress to your health. Chronic stress occurs when stressors continue for a long period of time.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, several people experienced chronic stress first-hand, as the world struggled to understand and deal with what was happening. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your body and even kill you if it isn’t addressed. Stress can cause digestive issues, hormone dysregulation, poor sleep, emotion dysregulation, headaches, and a ton more nasty health issues. With such serious consequences, it’s no wonder why so many people are on a quest to quell their stress, or at least bring it back down to a manageable level.
Best CBD Products for Stress
When it comes time to picking CBD infusions to help you manage your stress, there are literally thousands of options out there. From edibles to topicals to suppositories, CBD helps cater to everyone from from the chronically stressed to the terminally ill. CBD Tincture Oils are popular because they’re easy to take and come in higher concentrations. And if oils aren’t your thing, eating edibles in the form of gummies is an excellent second option, particularly if you are going to dose discreetly. CBD Topicals are great as well, especially if you deal with stress-induced muscle tightness and fatigue, though for directly managing stress, it’s not the most effective deliver method.
Developing a CBD Regimen for Managing Stress
As with any change we want to make in our wellness routine, it’s consistency that really matters. The best way to use CBD to manage your stress is to develop a wellness regimen that you can stick to no matter what else might be going on.
CBD Tinctures are great for people who don’t have a ton of time, but may need a significant dose of CBD. The Envy CBD Tincture Oils are available in three flavors across three CBD concentrations: 500mg, 1000mg, and 1500mg. CBD Edibles, such as the Envy CBD Gummies are another great option for when you need a quick and discreet dose of CBD.
A solid regimen could involve serving a tincture in the morning or night, and gummies throughout the day to help you maintain your CBD levels throughout your day. The amount of CBD you would need depends on how severe your stress is and how long stressors stay present in your life. Someone dealing with chronic stress will obviously need more CBD than someone with acute stress, but that really depends on your symptoms and how much the stress is affecting your body and day-to-day life.
The good thing about CBD is that you can experiment with your dosage without worrying about greening out, or getting too high, since both Broad Spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate do not contain THC. Even Full Spectrum CBD that contains trace amounts of the Delta-9 still wouldn’t be enough to experience that psychoactive buzz.
