One of the most searched terms for CBD is “CBD for stress.” Anecdotal evidence is overwhelmingly positive regarding the mental benefits of CBD.** This is due to its calming effects and interaction with the endocannabinoid system.** But before we get into all of that, let’s have a look at what exactly goes into all of those popular CBD products.
What Is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound that is derived from the cannabis plant. Cannabis can be broken down into two categories: hemp and marijuana. Hemp is cannabis with less than 0.3% THC (the chemical in marijuana that gets you “high”). Marijuana is cannabis with over 0.3% THC — sometimes as much as 30% THC. While CBD exists as a major cannabinoid in both forms of cannabis, we’re going to focus on hemp-derived CBD, as this is the CBD used in all of our products.
CBD is one of a group of chemical compounds found in the hemp plant, called cannabinoids. There are other cannabinoids, as well, including THC, CBN, CBG, and more. In fact, there are at least 120 different cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. As it so happens, CBD and the rest of these cannabinoids are very similar to chemical compounds found in our own bodies, called endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are part of something called the endocannabinoid system, an internal system that interacts with the nervous system and other systems to maintain homeostasis, or balance, in the body for such integral functions as sleep, mood, memory, appetite, pain, stress (yes, stress!), motor control, and other functions. Endocannabinoids are little neurotransmitters that communicate with receptors in the nervous system and tell them to get to work.
How Does CBD Work?
As it turns out, hemp-derived cannabinoids (including CBD) mimic the behavior of our bodies’ endocannabinoids.** Though they don’t bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors, as do the endocannabinoids, these phytocannabinoids (plant-based cannabinoids) do interact with them and bark their own orders at the body regarding these same functions.** Different cannabinoids affect the nervous system in different ways.** For instance, CBN communicates in the same way that sleep-inducing endocannabinoids interact with the receptors.** And so, when you take CBN, your body can feel relaxed, like it’s preparing for sleep.**
CBD is sort of an all-purpose cannabinoid, in this respect.** When cannabidiol signals to the receptors in the nervous system, its effects aren’t limited to just sleep or (minor) pain management.** Instead, CBD seems to positively affect the homeostasis of the body in several of its key functions.** It is for this reason that CBD has become a popular wellness supplement.**
What Is Stress?
Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed, or being unable to cope with emotional and mental pressure. Our body has within it a “fight or flight” response. Most, if not all, creatures have some form of this. It keeps them safe from danger. But when we can’t manage mental or emotional threats, and when we feel like things are spinning out of our control, then we trigger stress.
We exhibit stress in a lot of different ways. If left unchecked, stress can have damaging effects on your long-term health.
How Can I Deal With Stress?
There are plenty of ways to try to manage stress.Sometimes, it helps to step back and examine just what your stressors are and see if, from a 30,000-foot view, there is something you can change in your life to get rid of them. This can be as simple as rearranging your commute to work to avoid a maddening intersection or as difficult as cutting the cord on a stressful relationship. Many stressors aren’t as simple as this, but it helps to identify what your stressors are and see if you can stop the problem at its source.
No man (or woman) is an island. Yes, it’s a dusty, old saying, but there’s some truth to it, as well. When we have supportive relationships, we can lean a bit on a trusted friend for advice or help to get through a stressful time. This works both ways, as sometimes helping others can make you feel better about yourself, as well, and help to build up your inner strength. In the long run, you can build a stronger you and be better equipped to take on stress the next time around.
There’s something to be said about diet and exercise in the fight against stress. Not only does healthy living lead to better self confidence, which can be a big boost against many stressors, but also, our bodies physically (and mentally) handle stress better when we’re in good physical condition. When we exercise, we get our endorphins popping and feel better and more uplifted. Even a little bit of exercise can help ease stress in our lives. And while we’re on the subject of improved health to fight stress, do yourself a favor and cut back on the smoking and drinking. Alcohol, in particular, is a depressant, and while you may feel a little giddy at times when you drink, over time it can lead to poor health and depression. Sick and depressed is no way to fight stress.
Self-care time is essential to fighting stress. It helps to dial down the emotions if you can step back and have a little downtime. It calms the nerves and allows you to be more centered. Meditation can help, too, as you learn to be more “in the moment” and not stress over all the outside noise.
Sleep can help the body in a number of ways, and fighting stress is certainly among them. The pressures of the day can keep us up at night. This can have deleterious effects on your health. A good night’s sleep puts you in a better position to deal with the stressors in your life.
CBD for Stress
Due to CBD’s calming properties, it can help ease your nerves and possibly lessen stress.**
If you’re thinking of adding a CBD oil to your daily regimen, make sure to look for products of the highest quality (otherwise, what’s the point?). At CBDfx, our mission is to guarantee our customers a safe and high-quality CBD experience, maximizing the benefits of this wellness-rich supplement in every product we sell.** To this end, we use the finest organically grown hemp plants in the world — cultivated exclusively in the rich soil of Kentucky, free of GMOs and pesticides that are harmful to our customers and the environment. Every ingredient in our CBD oil tinctures, such as our CBD + CBG Oil Wellness Tincture, is vegan, organic, and tested for purity by a third-party laboratory. And we make those lab reports readily available to our customers, because we believe in transparency as well as quality. We also use the cleanest extraction method available — single-pass CO2 extraction — so that you never have to worry about the solvent contamination often found in cheaper CBD products. At CBDfx, we want every CBD experience to be as safe, effective, and enjoyable as possible. We want our customers to know they can trust us for the safest, purest CBD products on the market.
What Are the Different Types of CBD Oil?
CBD oil comes in three types: full spectrum CBD oil, broad spectrum CBD oil, and CBD isolate. It’s important to know the different types of CBD oils so that you can make a more informed decision, should you choose to try CBD oil for stress, sleep, or general wellness.**
CBD oil is derived from the hemp plant’s buds, leaves and stalks. When we take a full extraction pass — again, using safe, clean CO2 extraction — we pull from the hemp plant all of the cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC, and other compounds, including 0.3% THC), terpenes, and flavonoids the hemp plant has to offer. The resulting CBD oil is called full spectrum CBD oil. When consumed, full spectrum CBD oil gives you all of those hemp goodies together. And then, something fascinating happens. CBD and the various cannabinoids and terpenes not only work in parallel with one another in their effects on the body, but they actually bolster each other and make each other work harder.** This phenomenon is called the Entourage Effect, and it’s the reason many people choose hemp-derived CBD products that contain full spectrum CBD oil.** And it makes sense: if you’re going to try CBD for stress or, really, anything, you want that CBD and all of its cannabinoid friends to be working as hard as possible in delivering wellness benefits to your body.**
Even though the amount of THC in full spectrum hemp oil is so small that it’s non-intoxicating, many people prefer not to have any THC in their system at all. And so, we put the full spectrum CBD oil through an additional extraction process to remove all detectable amounts of THC (and in the process, some of the other cannabinoids). The resulting THC-free CBD oil is called broad spectrum CBD oil. Broad spectrum oil is a very popular type of CBD oil. This oil still retains enough of the “other” cannabinoids to create an Entourage Effect, but it keeps detectable. THC out of your system (which makes it great if you’re worried about getting a false-positive result on a drug test).** A majority of our CBD products contain broad spectrum CBD oil.
The last type of CBD oil is called CBD isolate. CBD isolate is 99% pure CBD, with all other cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds removed. CBD isolate is commonly used in CBD vape products, as well as CBD products like bath bombs.
If you plan on trying CBD for stress, it’s good to have all of these various CBD oils straight before you start shopping for the CBD product that best suits your needs.**
Delta-9 THC and Adaptogens
There are other cannabinoids, beyond CBD, which can also be useful for stress. Chief among them is delta-9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Yes, this is the cannabis compound commonly known for its intoxicating properties. But in the right formulation, THC can also be great for easing tension.** Among the more popular THC “chill” products are our Delta-9 THC Drops: Ultimate Chill Blend and our Berry Buzz Sativa Delta-9 THC Gummies. You can also try our Microdose THC Capsules, a low-dose THC option to help you stay functional through your day, but also sail past your stressors.**
Adaptogenic mushrooms can also be wonderful for easing stress.** Our CBD Mushroom Gummies for Wellness contain seven potent adaptogenic mushrooms (some pulling double duty as brain-ergizing nootropics!), plus a 50mg dose of CBD. Our Relax Blend CBD Mushroom Tincture delivers CBD, multiple adaptogens, and CBN, the “ultimate relaxation cannabinoid.”
The Last Word on CBD for Stress
Stress can be brutal on your health and your quality of life. In this article, we’ve provided some natural ways to beat stress, including a healthier diet, exercise, meditation, and more.
We’ve also highlighted some of the safe practices we use on our calming CBD oils, so that you’ll have peace of mind in your CBD and wellness journey.
Looking to ease your nerves? Try our CBD + CBN Oil Calming Tincture.
