The benefits of CBD have been widely recorded since the 1970s—but up until now, it’s been mainly through anecdotes. The good news is there are more and more research studies that are more seriously looking into the effects of CBD on health.
Specifically, its effects on relaxation, pain, and sleep.
There is a whole range of CBD oil that’s marketed for anxiety and depression, and a quick Google search will show that you’re not the only one asking, “How many drops of CBD oil should I use for sleep?”
But first, let’s look into the overall benefits of CBD oil.
CBD Hemp Oil Benefits
First of all, if you’re looking to get stoned, hemp-based CBD is not for you. It’s extracted from industrial hemp plants that contain less than 0.3% THC—which is the cannabinoid that will get you stoned.
Typically, if you’re looking for something to help with anxiety and pain, you’ll be looking for something with extremely low or no THC. In this case, CBD hemp oil is perfect for you. But though it’s sourced from hemp and not cannabis plants, there are still benefits that people have reported from using hemp oil:
- It offers pain relief: based mainly on studies on mice so far, but results pointing to a lowered pain response have been promising
- It can help with acne: CBD is known for being anti-inflammatory, and some studies have shown that it prevents sebaceous gland cells from secreting excessive sebum (which is what causes acne)
- If you have anxiety or depression, it can ease your symptoms: instead of taking medications with side-effects (like benzodiazepines), CBD hemp oil could be a better alternative (check out this study, which found that cannabidiol can reduce anxiety stemming from having to do public speaking)
- It can contribute to a healthy and functioning heart: thanks to essential fatty acids (Omega-3, anyone?) that hemp oil contains
- Cancer relief (???): studies have been pretty preliminary so far, but cannabidiol has been shown to induce cell death in breast cancer cells
Pro-tip: There are many ways of taking CBD oil, but one way is to vape your CBD oil—benefits include super-fast absorption, and it’s a pretty discreet consumption method.
CBD Oil Benefits for Skin
Besides being able to soothe symptoms of anxiety and depression—and help you relax—CBD is also good for the skin!
Not only is CBD anti-inflammatory, it also possesses antioxidant properties—a term that you may recognize from the bottle labels of your favorite everyday moisturizers and facial cleansers. This is the kind of stuff that beauty brands commonly claim makes their products good for older men and women who need “anti-aging” creams because it negates the skin damage caused by free radicals.
Don’t be surprised if you start seeing CBD (or CBD-infused) face creams and toners. These just might the next big thing in skincare that gives your skin a brightening boost while smoothing out fine lines and reducing acne.
Maybe it’s time to switch up your skincare routine?
The Best CBD Oil for Anxiety
Before we get into good CBD oil options to treat anxiety, let’s look how THC and CBD, the two most well-known chemicals in cannabis, work on the body’s anxiety signals. THC is what gets you high—most people know this—and it’s what acts on your body’s CB1 receptors. If there’s too much of it, it can actually have not-so-nice effects like, oh, paranoia and overstimulation.
CBD, or cannabidiol, on the other hand, does the opposite. It can offset that potential anxiety caused by THC, and is completely non-psychoactive. If you’re looking for something that’s more relaxing and soothing, you’ll want to choose a CBD oil that has (way) more CBD than THC. (Don’t just choose any cannabis strain, as some strains are high in THC and low in CBD, or are hybrids with even proportions of both, which might give you the kind of high that feels more unpleasant than anything. Especially if you’re not used to cannabis.)
CBD Oil for Pain Management and Sleep
But that’s not all that CBD can do. CBD is good for pain and sleep too, if you’re having trouble with either.
Remember those CB1 receptors we mentioned earlier? They also affect and regulate your sleep. Convenient, eh? If you’re suffering from insomnia or lack of sleep, a balance between THC and CBD is likely best to help you get more dreamless sleep (especially if you suffer from PTSD). In any case, this is definitely something you should talk to your doctor about first.
The Best CBD Oil for Pain
Here are a few options to try out if you’re looking for CBD pain relief:
- Delush CBD tincture – Just let the oil dissolve under your tongue, or drop it into a drink. Do you have sports-related injuries or general aches and pains? Here’s a life hack: add it to your sports recovery drinks for an extra kick.
- Spark of Life Full Spectrum CBD tincture – This oil contains hemp seed oil—and is both organic and gluten-free.
How CBD Works in the Body to Reduce Pain Signals
Did you know that CBD can impact 65 different targets in your body? This means it’s quite difficult to isolate its impacts to one area, so further research is definitely needed in this area.
What we do know is that CBD communicates with a neurotransmitter in your body called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric corrosive). GABA neurotransmitters’ job is to convey messages between brain cells—specifically, to stop firing. And because GABA is in charge of telling the body, mainly the brain, this, this means that it has a direct effect on reducing symptoms of anxiety and helping you relax. Basically, it’s telling your brain—and body—to relax.
Pro-tip: If you’re wondering when to take CBD oil for sleep, it depends on the way that you’re consuming it. If you’re taking a few drops under your tongue, the effects are pretty fast, so you can take it right before going to bed.
The Best CBD edibles for sleep:
- MEDICATED GUMMY BEARS – Made with Nano CBD Distillate – Give your lungs a break and try out our flavourful gummy bears! Tastes like regular candy!
- CBD Tea by Fleurs -Doze – This relaxing herbal tea will help settle nerves, anxiety, restlessness and relieve aches and pains.
For more CBD related products please click here.
