Does CBD Relax You? 7 Big Ways Using CBD Oil Can Help Your Anxiety

Living with anxiety can be a real struggle, and it’s often difficult to find effective treatments. You may have heard that CBD oil, derived from cannabis, can help with anxiety and other mental health conditions, but what’s the truth? Does CBD relax you?

Around 25% of Americans have tried CBD, and that number is likely to rise as it increases in popularity. There’s a lot of evidence that using CBD oil for anxiety is an effective treatment. As a result, we’ve outlined seven ways in which it can help below — keep reading to find out just what CBD oil can do!

Respond Better to Stress

There’s evidence that CBD can help with responses to stress. Take this study — it shows that when mice were given low doses of CBD and placed in a cage with a boa constrictor, they were less likely to panic. 

Instead, they took the time to choose where to hide, thinking strategically, and taking their time. In high-stress situations, your fight-or-flight instincts might normally kick in. Moderate CBD consumption can help you to deal with the situation at hand in a calmer, more rational manner. 

There’s even evidence that it works for humans as well as rodents. Public speaking is something a lot of people struggle with, but CBD can improve feelings of anxiety before public speaking for both people without anxiety and social anxiety disorder sufferers.

Extinction Learning

Another way that you can use CBD for anxiety is through what’s known as ‘extinction learning’, and again, there’s evidence from both rodents and human subjects that CBD is effective in this instance.

Extinction training involves training subjects to associate something otherwise harmful with something that causes pain — they then record how long it takes them to stop being afraid of the harmless stimulus after the delivery of pain has been stopped. 

When expecting electric shocks, rodents tend to freeze in fear. However, when given CBD, they’re less likely to do so, even when the CBD has worn off. Likewise, in studies, humans have been trained to link electric shocks with harmless triggers, but those given CBD were less likely to expect to receive a shock. 

This research is particularly helpful for treating people living with PTSD.

Improves Sleep

We all know just how important sleep is to our mental health.

Luckily CBD can help when we’re struggling to sleep. A study from 2016 focused on a child with a history of trauma and subsequent sleep disorders prompted by anxiety. Once the child was given cannabidiol, her anxiety reduced and she was able to get better quality sleep. 

Meanwhile, even for those without trauma, sleep greatly helps reduce anxiety, so by taking CBD for your sleep, you’re indirectly helping to reduce your anxiety overall too!

Binds to Serotonin Receptors

Believe it or not, CBD has similar effects to the anti-anxiety drug buspirone. The chemical serotonin has over 14 different receptors, one of which is 5-HT1A, and this is believed to play a large role in regulating anxiety.

You might think that the more serotonin you have, the better, but that’s not always the case — it’s more complicated than that. If levels are too high or too low, or there’s a problem with receptors, these can all cause issues.

However, CBD binds to 5-HT1A just like buspirone, so it helps you get the right levels of serotonin. It’s yet another reason why taking CBD oil or CBD gummies for anxiety can be extremely beneficial to you. 

Balances Endocannabinoid System

You may not be aware that your body produces cannabinoids naturally, but actually, they’re used throughout your brain and the rest of your body in your endocannabinoid system. 

It can be difficult for this system to keep regulated when you’re under a lot of stress, and that’s where CBD comes in. It may prevent your CB1 receptors from becoming overstimulated, and also increase the production of endocannabinoids, restoring balance to your system.

This can be useful in dealing with issues like obsessive-compulsive disorder as our body is then better placed to deal with processing and moving on from our irrational fears.

Regenerates Neurons

Stress damages your brain. That’s an unfortunate fact. However, it’s possible for some parts of your brain to regenerate after they’ve been lost.

We’re constantly forming new neurons and new connections as our brains grow, and it’s possible that CBD can help with this. Yes, CBD oil can help your brain get back to its best if its neurons have been damaged through chronic stress.

According to a number of studies, CBD is great for the regeneration of neurons. By stimulating the growth of neurons, particularly within your hippocampus, CBD can reduce stress. 

Combines With Other Therapies

One of the best things about using CBD for anxiety is that you can combine your usage with other therapies and treatments for greater effect.

You might find it beneficial to combine CBD with yoga, meditation, or other relaxation techniques. It can take time to undo the damage caused by anxiety, but a combination of holistic techniques and CBD can help to regenerate neurons and reduce anxiety over time. 

Consider speaking to a professional and forming a treatment plan that suits you best. Different treatments work best for different people, but CBD can come in very useful and might help you manage your anxiety either on its own or alongside other treatments.

Does CBD Relax You — Yes

By now, the benefits of CBD oil should be clear. If you’re to ask yourself the question of does CBD relax you, the answer should be a resounding ‘yes’. 

These are just a few of the ways in which CBD can help you with your anxiety — by no means is it the end of the story. The benefits of CBD oil are many and varied, and if you’re interested in using it, you’re sure to find something for you!

If you’re looking for more advice on the weird and wonderful ways to improve your health, you should check out some of our other posts.

The post Does CBD Relax You? 7 Big Ways Using CBD Oil Can Help Your Anxiety first appeared on Weirdomatic.

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