Most people experience stress. In some situations, that stress can be debilitating, making it difficult to make decisions, hold down a job, or manage day-to-day responsibilities. Can cannabinoids proactively manage stress? In many cases, the answer is yes. Stress is a natural bodily reaction to perceived risks and dangers. It’s not an entirely bad thing because it helps your body to prepare to take some action to get out of dangerous situations. However, for many people, stress isn’t a momentary thing but something that lasts all day, sometimes every day. That’s when finding help is essential.
First, Understand Stress
To better understand how cannabinoids proactively manage stress, consider what occurs in the body when stress happens. Stress occurs when there is some type of stressor occurring. That stressor could be anything from an interpersonal conflict to an impending work deadline. When some type of stressor occurs, your body goes into a flight-or-fight mode. At that moment, it tries to ready you to react to what’s about to occur, whether that’s to stay and fight or run from that stressor—which historically would have been a bear attack or abother life-threatening event.
In reality, stress today is very different than it used to be, but the way the body works is still the same. Stress is the body ramping up to take on whatever is occurring, much like a boost of adrenaline could do. Chronic stress, on the other hand, is a problem. It occurs when a person is constantly faced with that high level of alertness. The fight-or-flight feeling does not end, and that puts even more stress on the brain and body.
During these times, your body is experiencing rapid changes. That includes a fast heart rate. It includes rapid breathing. You may have issues developing in other areas of your body, like a slowing down of your metabolism because the brain is moving energy to the most important organs so it can act.
What Is CBD and How Does It Work?
Cannabidiol, also called CBD, is a type of cannabinoid. It’s found naturally in cannabis plants. CBD does not contain THC, which is the component of cannabis plants that creates a “high” feeling, or a sense of euphoria. CBD does not typically have this effect, and there is no evidence of CBD becoming addictive.
What it does do is interact with the way the brain functions. Specifically, it interacts with serotonin receptors, a chemical produced by the brain that helps regulate mood. It also helps with regulating anxiety and high-stress periods.
Also important is the way CBD interacts with cortisol. This is the stress hormone itself, the one that puts the body into the fight-or-flight stage. Cortisol levels will increase in the bloodstream whenever you are facing stress. As noted above,, having constant high levels of cortisol in the bloodstream isn’t healthy and can tax the rest of the body (including creating inflammation).
But Can Cannabinoids Proactively Manage Stress?
Now that you have some idea of how cannabinoids like CBD work and what happens when you are feeling stress, the key is to know what to do.
First, true stress is not something you can plan for but a physical reaction that occurs when your body is preparing to run or fight. For that reason, you may feel stress before you ever get the chance to take something to prevent it. On the other hand, you may have anxiety, which is a bit different in terms of how it occurs. Anxiety can be a lasting worry about what could happen. You can take CBD products and other cannabinoids on a routine basis to reduce some of that intense anxiety you are feeling.
How Can You Effectively Manage Stress with CBD Then?
Start by working to include CBD into your everyday lifestyle. It can become a component of your wellness routine. For example, many people find stress relief by consuming a bit of CBD tincture throughout the day, and when they are feeling intense feelings of stress, they may increase the dosage. For those that want to have something available to help when stress occurs, taking a CBD product in a pill form could provide a more effective, stronger result.
In either situation, the goal is to give your body a bit of the tools it needs to calm down and breathe at a steadier rate. It is important to discuss the use of CBD products with your doctor if you are taking other medications.
For those who want to do so, other products could also work helping cannabinoids proactively manage stress. If you live in an area where it is legal to purchase THC products, that could provide you with the help you need as well. THC works much like CBD but is far more potent and carries the benefit of having a euphoric high. Depending on the product that you select, you may feel very relaxed after using these products, or you may feel a bit more energized. Your budtender will be able to help you narrow down you search based on your desired effect.
It’s important to know that research is still being conducted on whether CBD impacts stress, but current research has shown favorable results.
Cannabinoids Proactively Manage Stress: Get Help Today
If you are looking for a way to start reducing the amount of stress you feel, do so by working using CBD or other cannabinoid products from Moss Crossing. Introduce just one product to your lifestyle at a time, such as using edibles if you want the THC effect or a vaporizer, rub, or CBD pill for those who are looking for more prolonged and even support for stress. In this way, cannabinoids proactively manage stress or at least the way your stressors are making you feel.
