It’s no hot cup of coffee, but over time CBD can help promote more balanced energy throughout the day. Keep reading and discover how CBD can affect your energy.
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Do you struggle to get going in the morning? Does the mid-afternoon crash hit you hard? Maybe after a certain point of the day, your productivity goes way down. If you found yourself nodding your head as you read these items, you’re not alone.
Whether it’s physical fatigue or brain fog, according to the Washington Post, “As many as 20 percent of people report excessive sleepiness on a regular basis. And, a National Safety Council survey reported in 2017 that 76 percent of people felt tired at work.” And let’s not forget, the last year has been exhausting in completely new ways. So those numbers are, no doubt, much higher.
Strangely enough, while many people use CBD to help with sleep problems, more and more are beginning to use it for energy. This may sound counterintuitive, but there’s evidence that CBD may do just that. Read on and discover how CBD affects your energy.
Disclaimer: We want to remind everyone that while CBD is considered a safe and mild supplement, you should always talk with your doctor before adding CBD to your regimen.
Why Do Our Energy Levels Fluctuate?
To a certain extent, feeling fatigued is very normal. It’s how your body lets you know it needs rest and recovery. For example, if you run a marathon, chances are you’re going to sleep like a rock that night because you used LOTS of energy. If you’re accustomed to lots of physical activity and have to be sedentary for a few days, you’ll likely experience restlessness because your body still has energy reserves.
Your circadian rhythm also plays a big role in your energy. If you maintain a relatively regular sleep schedule, you’ve probably noticed more energy at certain times of the day. Other times, you probably feel drained and drowsy. Your circadian rhythm is the daily ebb and flow of wakefulness and sleepiness, but it adjusts to your behavior over time. So, sleep issues or routine-changing events (like isolation during 2020) can have a big impact on this rhythm.
But what if you maintain a regular sleep schedule, monitor your physical activity, and you STILL feel like your energy is all over the place? Unfortunately, there are a LOT of issues that can impact how energized you feel. Here are just a few…
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Diet
- Dehydration
- Tech habits
- Too much caffeine
- Too little or too much exercise
Honestly, considering all the items that can impact your energy, the human body is really impressive. Particularly when you consider how often you push past feelings of fatigue. However, while the “grind” lifestyle has been a sign of dedication and ambition in the past, today we know that rest and recovery are equally important.
When we go too long without getting the rest we need, we risk developing health issues and even injury. But what does that really mean? Well, that depends on your lifestyle and your habits. Those who ingest high amounts of caffeine to stay energized are at an increased risk for anxiety and high blood pressure. If you regularly push yourself past your physical limits without enough recovery, you risk physical injury.
Basically, it’s important to listen to your body and figure out what’s throwing your energy off balance. Whether it’s having too much energy at bedtime or feeling drowsy in the middle of work, you deserve to find balance so you can feel happy, healthy, and productive.
Can CBD Affect Your Energy?
Absolutely! CBD (cannabidiol) is derived from industrial hemp and has quickly become the go-to supplement for those looking to reduce stress and anxiety, relieve minor aches and pains, and more. While some are under the impression that CBD is a sedative, that’s not quite the case.
When you use a CBD supplement, it interacts with your ECS (endocannabinoid system) to help balance various biological functions. That might mean your stress response, inflammatory response, or even your circadian rhythm. So, if any of these items are causing problematic fluctuations in your energy, CBD may help. The important thing to remember is that everyone is different and responds to supplements differently.
For example, your friend may respond well to a low-strength CBD Oil twice a day. However, you may be better off taking a high-strength CBD oil once a day in the evening. That’s why we recommend doing a bit of homework to determine the necessary CBD strength and the best time of day to use your CBD products. CBD is a very mild supplement, so it may take several weeks for it to take full effect. Simply keep track of the CBD strength and how often you use your product for a full week. Take note of the effects and adjust as needed. Voila!
If your energy fluctuations are particularly drastic and have begun to impact your quality of life, don’t hesitate to speak with your healthcare provider. CBD can provide support for the normal energy fluctuations we all experience from time to time, but extreme fatigue can be a sign of an underlying issue. To be safe, it’s always best to speak with your doctor. |
Once you’ve figured out the right CBD routine, you’ll be well on your way to more even energy levels throughout your day. Since everyone is so different, however, here are some of the ways that CBD can provide you with energy support.
CBD Can Help Balance Your Circadian Rhythm
While CBD won’t make up for the all-nighter you pulled prepping for that big presentation, it will help improve the quality of your sleep so you fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and wake up feeling more well-rested. Just make sure you’re using a full-spectrum CBD product. Remember earlier when we said CBD wasn’t really a sedative? Let us explain…
Even for those with insomnia, full-spectrum CBD can improve sleep quality because it includes everything. That means it has CBD, various other cannabinoids, other botanical compounds, and a tiny amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). There’s not enough THC to impart any psychoactive effects, but it’s just enough to create the Entourage Effect. Basically, this effect is when different parts of the hemp plant work together to impart more powerful effects than they could on their own.
When it comes to sleep issues, THC is particularly important. Not only does THC have sedative properties, but it also helps people overcome what’s called a bell-shaped dose-response. While those with sensitivities may prefer CBD isolates, the effects will generally stay consistent even with increased dosages. THC, however, helps overcome that to provide these additional benefits.
CBD Can Help Balance Your Endocrine System
Your endocrine system is comprised of various glands that release hormones throughout your body. What does this have to do with your energy? Surprisingly, a lot.
Your endocrine system influences every cell and organ in your body by releasing chemicals to communicate. For example, if you see a snake on the sidewalk, your hypothalamus releases chemicals that tell your adrenal glands to start producing adrenaline. This raises your heart rate, causes your eyes to dilate, and generally prepares your body for fight or flight. But this is just one example. Your endocrine system is a pivotal part of your body’s overall homeostasis (balance).
Your ECS already produces its own compounds (called endocannabinoids) to help regulate many endocrine functions. This includes “activity of the pituitary gland, adrenal cortex, thyroid gland, pancreas, and gonads.” New studies, however, indicate it may play a much larger role, “The ability of the endocannabinoid system to control appetite, food intake, and energy balance has recently received great attention, particularly in the light of the different modes of action underlying these functions.”
The whole reason CBD is able to influence your body at all is because of its chemical structure. CBD is similar enough to your endocannabinoids that your ECS can use CBD in place of them. So, while more research is needed to understand the exact mechanism, CBD may be able to assist those with hormone-related energy issues by…
- Regulating insulin production
- Regulating cortisol production
- Regulating adrenal and thyroid function
CBD Reduces Inflammation
While you might not immediately see the connection, inflammation can lead to fatigue. Inflammation is completely natural, necessary, and a normal part of everyone’s health journey. However, when your inflammatory responses become unbalanced, issues can quickly come up.
Sometimes chronic inflammation develops when acute inflammation just went on too long. Other times, the immune system is overactive and triggers inflammatory responses even when no injury has occurred. For people with autoimmune disorders, this is a regular occurrence and can have a very negative impact on their quality of life because this type of inflammation is usually associated with chronic pain. Turns out, it’s also associated with fatigue.
According to Arthritis Research and Therapy, “A pro-inflammatory process could be involved in pain and behavioral symptoms. Inflammation could be a common link between fatigue, pain, and depression.” It makes sense when you think about it. Many people with inflammatory conditions, like arthritis, experience painful inflammation and often extreme fatigue.
Regardless of where your inflammation is coming from, the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD are perhaps its most well-understood. By supplementing with CBD, you’re giving your ECS more cannabinoids to help it accomplish its many tasks (one of which is balancing the immune system). CBD mostly affects the immune system, so it boosts the power of your ECS so it can more effectively balance the immune system. That means less inflammation, less pain, and apparently less fatigue as well.
CBD Provides Anxiety Relief
You’ve probably noticed by now that a lot of the issues we’ve mentioned are interconnected. When it comes to stress and anxiety, this is true on so many levels. Sometimes internal health issues can be the cause of anxiety, but the opposite is also true. If you’ve ever experienced digestion issues during or after stressful situations, you know exactly what we’re talking about.
Regardless of what started first, anxiety can wreak havoc on our energy because of the physiological processes it causes. Stress and anxiety cause a hormonal rush (adrenalin, cortisol, etc.), but once those hormones are depleted we feel drained and exhausted. So, if your everyday tasks cause you stress and anxiety, over time you’ll probably experience fatigue.
Luckily, CBD can help manage your stress responses for less anxiety and more balanced energy. Several studies even indicate it’s a valid treatment for several anxiety disorders. Specifically, it appears that the ECS has a safety measure that boosts GABA levels. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for feeling calm and inhibiting neural activity. When we don’t have enough GABA we may experience racing thoughts, mania, and anxiety.
Many people use CBD Oil once a day to keep their stress and anxiety in check. However, others also use CBD Gummies as needed for times when anxiety spikes unexpectedly. Either way, by keeping your stress responses balanced, you’ll notice fewer crashes and more balanced energy throughout the day
Try CBD For Even Energy Throughout the Day
You’ve got a lot on your plate, and you need all your wits to get everything done. That’s why so many people are including CBD in their daily routines. Whether they need help sleeping, managing anxiety, or promoting more balance in general, CBD is helping so many people feel better so they can live more.
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