Anxiety and daily stress are feelings that we experience from time to time. However, these conditions can consistently occur frequently and eventually affect our wellness and productivity. Stress is the body’s natural response to pressure. On the other hand, anxiety is a condition that’s characterized by constant feelings of worry and fear. While you can manage them with clinical prescription drugs, you can also use cannabidiol (CBD). But how can CBD help reduce daily stress and anxiety? Well, this article offers a comprehensive review of how CBD works to reduce daily stress and anxiety. Besides that, it offers an overview of the dosage and the potential side effects that a consumer is likely to experience.
How CBD Helps Reducing Daily Stress
Stress response is an automatic instinctive reaction to a perceived or real danger in the environment. In most cases, this response is to an event that appears suddenly and you either have to fight or escape from it. Physical symptoms of stress include:
- Sweating
- Loss of appetite
- Heavy breathing
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased heart rate to get blood to vital organs and muscles
It should be noted that stress response usually jumpstarts all your mental faculties. It makes you alert and can also lead to fear that’s associated with anxiety. The physical changes induced by stress are usually triggered by hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
CBD has anti-stress benefits that may help reduce symptoms related to stress. It works by reducing the production of cortisol and adrenaline hormones. CBD affects cortisol release by possibly acting as a sedative. Overall, CBD for stress may induce a sense of calmness in people who take it, lowering their stress levels. It can help enhance your appetite, reduce sweating, and help lower blood pressure.
How Can CBD Help with Anxiety?
How does CBD help with anxiety? CBD works by indirectly influencing the endocannabinoid system, an extensive system of regulators and receptors. Intake of CBD can enhance the levels of anandamide, the joy neurotransmitter. This not only helps to elevate your moods by also changes the body chemicals which normally soothe your muscles and nerves. Consequentially, this will allow the user to feel more relaxed rather than anxious.
Evidence suggests that CBD particularly helps to ease anxiety symptoms like paranoia, nervousness, and fear. Besides that, it can help prevent prevalent anxiety symptoms such as insomnia, nausea, and increased heart palpitations.
Many CBD consumer feedbacks suggest using CBD for anxiety have helped them curb the symptoms. However, scientific research is currently limited. This is because until recently, there were strict federal regulations regarding the use of CBD, and this made research quite difficult to carry out. So, there is still a need for more research studies to fully establish the effectiveness of CBD for anxiety. Besides that, studies should analyze the comparable effects of CBD to those anti-anxiety and anti-stress medications.
What the Research Says
A 2020 article reviewed eight studies to find the effectiveness of CBD in various types of anxiety. The authors found out CBD can be effectively used by patients as a complementary therapy or monotherapy treatment option for conditions like social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and generalized anxiety disorders.
Before that, a 2015 review found that CBD could help reduce anxiety by regulating anxiety-induced behaviors. Through this review, researchers found that CBD works by interacting with the cannabinoid type 1(CB1) receptor, serotonin receptors, and other types of receptors responsible for regulating fear and behaviors that induce anxiety.
Furthermore, the studies found that there is a significant dosage variation. The CBD doses used ranged between 6 mg and 400 mg per dose. From this information, it’s evident that there is a need for large-scale clinical trials to establish a universal dosage. This would also help with the clinical use of CBD for anxiety as an alternative form of therapeutics. Preclinical and clinical evidence from this study indicates that CBD is an effective therapy option for various types of anxiety, including:
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
How to Use CBD for Anxiety and Stress
Knowing how to use CBD for anxiety and stress will allow you to experience the benefits more effectively. For instance, how much should you take and when should you do this? A lot of people with chronic anxiety and stress prefer to take it in the morning. CBD becomes even more helpful when you incorporate it into your daily routine. It allows you to experience a greater sense of well-being, allowing you to be more focused and productive during the day.
You can also take CBD before a stressful event. There are some moments when we anticipate stress or anxiety. For instance, when you are about to do an exam, carry out a presentation, interact with a large group of people, etc. Taking the recommended dose of CBD in such instances can help bring a sense of calmness and more focus.
Some people take CBD in the evening before bed. This is often ideal for those people with chronic stress or anxiety that makes it impossible to sleep well. Note that consistently having a poor sleep routine can lead to more anxiety and stress during the day. And if you are stressed during the day, you will have trouble falling asleep and the cycle continues.
You can use CBD in the form of gummies, oil, and tinctures. They are the most effective in providing faster and lasting benefits. However, there are also other alternatives such as CBD vape oil, capsules, and topical products. the ideal product for use depends on the affects you desire and when you plan to use CBD.
CBD Dosage Guide for Anxiety and Stress
There are many factors that usually influence CBD dosage. The severity of the condition is critical in determining how to take CBD oil for anxiety and stress. Besides that, factors such as metabolism, age, sex, and weight are also important. That’s why heavier individuals will need more CBD than their lighter counterparts.
It’s generally advisable for consumers to start with a lower dosage and then gradually work their way up. This will give their bodies time to adapt to the new changes. Besides that, the user will have time to analyze how their body responds to each dosage and then make the appropriate adjustments.
You can start by taking a 5mg CBD serving twice a day. As you gradually increase your intake, you might end up taking 10 mg CBD twice a day. note that there are people who need 50 mg daily or even 200 mg.
Are There Any Side Effects?
CBD has a good safety profile and that’s why it’s quite popular for managing stress and anxiety. However, this doesn’t eliminate the fact that it can still result in unwanted side effects. Due to different chemical responses in consumers, it’s possible for users to feel different types of reactions. Potential side effects of CBD include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Change in sleep patterns
- Change in weight
Besides that, CBD can also interact with prescription drugs and certain supplements. This can heighten or reduce their effectiveness, resulting in harmful side effects. It’s therefore important for users to exercise caution while using CBD for stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
It’s common to experience stress and anxiety. Life, in general, has its ups and downs, and sometimes these conditions can turn out to be chronic. CBD is a powerful organic type of alternative treatment. You can use it as a complementary therapy or monotherapy. CBD works by regulating hormonal response and brain function, reducing the possible behavioral triggers and fear that lead to anxiety and stress. The dosage usually varies depending on your weight, age, sex, and severity of your condition. But ensure that you start with a smaller dose and then gradually work your way up.
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