CBD (Cannabidiol) is one of roughly 100 cannabinoids that occur in cannabis plants. Long touted by cannabis users as a natural way to unwind, CBD oils, tinctures, and edibles have also become popular with people who have high-stress jobs, anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc. But why is stress bad, and how does CBD work to help reduce it?
Benefits of CBD for Stress Relief
Stress is a known health hazard. Because chronic stress is so common in 21st-century life, many people experience an ongoing inflammatory response that can damage cells. This damage can lead to a host of problems, including:
- Difficult and painful digestive issues
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- A weakened immune system
- Elevated heart rate
- Weight gain
- Skin conditions
- Headaches
- Back and neck pain
- Poor sleep
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Infertility
Many users report that the effects of CBD, while not fully understood, include feelings of lessened stress, anxiety, and muscle tightness.
How Does CBD Work?
CBD is different from THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive agent in cannabis (both the hemp plant and the marijuana plant), but it works in the human body in a very similar way by interacting with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS includes receptors in the central nervous system and throughout the body, that help regulate everything from memory and pain to pleasure. When you take CBD, the cannabinoids in CBD bind to some of the receptors in your ECS system, which may produce feelings of calm.
Some studies suggest that CBD can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety without many of the negative side effects common to anti-anxiety medicines and antidepressants. While not fully understood, this may be due to CBD‘s effect on serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that can affect mental health.
De-Stress
Don‘t see what you‘re looking for here? Naternal offers a wide variety of other CBD and THC products, including CBD topicals and CBD for pets.