It’s National Stress Awareness Month, and while we don’t love to be reminded about how stressful life can be at times, it’s super important to acknowledge stress, consider what the root of your stress may be, and come up with a plan of action in order to tackle stress once and for all.
What About CBD?
There are a lot of reasons why people have been searching for and buying CBD by the masses. Lots of people have found CBD beneficial for a number of things, so while research on CBD is still scant, we can get a good idea of the potential this little compound has by listening to these word of mouth accounts.
Some of the big things that people notice when taking CBD are- nearly immediate pain relief, often thanks to CBD’s naturally powerful anti-inflammatory abilities, and anxiety or stress relief. It’s hard to say how exactly CBD is able to have an impact on stress or anxiety, aside from knowing that CBD plays a part in the brain’s endocannabinoid system, yet the fact remains that countless people have spoken up online to share their success. That’s why, for National Stress Awareness Month, we’ve decided to highlight some of our favorite ways to use CBD to combat stress and anxiety.
Is working out your favorite way to banish stress? Check out our post on how to use CBD for exercise here!
CBD Dosages- How Much Do I Need?
First off, let’s discuss how much CBD you might need to take.
There is no recommended daily allowance or universal dose for CBD in place, so the information we’re providing here is just a suggested guide- it is not medical advice, nor is it precise.
Why is that?
Because there are a lot of factors that come into play-
- Height & weight
- Metabolism
- The quality of the product you’re using
All of these things and more can factor into dosages, which is why it’s essentially impossible for a universal dose to exist for CBD.
On top of that, the amount of CBD you might need in order for it to be effective also depends on why you’re using CBD. For example, someone experiencing mild pain or anxiety probably needs to use less CBD than someone with seizures for it to be effective.
CBD For Stress
When it comes to dealing with stress, we recommend using about 20mg of CBD a day.
Of course, this is just a recommended starting place, and should be adjusted according to your needs.
Feel like 20mg isn’t doing it? Bump the dosage up a bit, and see if you notice a difference. Or, maybe 20mg makes you a bit sleepy- try cutting the dosage to 10 or 15mg CBD at a time, and see what you think! There’s a sweet spot for everyone, and sometimes it takes a few tries to find it.
Fun Ways To Use CBD For Stress
- Make a CBD Face Mask- When stress levels go high, chances are you’re more likely to break out in unexpected acne. That’s why we recommend our favorite acne mask! This recipe utilizes cinnamon & honey for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, to soothe existing acne, and help keep more from popping up. Using CBD honey rather than normal honey also means your face gets all the benefits of CBD, to leave your skin looking and feeling recharged, refreshed, and revitalized!
CBD Honey + Cinnamon Acne Mask:
3 teaspoons CBD honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Apply 1 teaspoon and let dry for 10-30 minutes. Rinse with cool or warm water.
This recipe makes about three face masks- use a little less than a teaspoon of honey per mask, or else things might get drippy. If you have sensitive skin, cinnamon could potentially be an irritant. You can do a patch test on the back of your hand to make sure it won’t cause any problems.
- CBD + Meditation- This is something we’d recommend even when you’re not stressed, but when anxiety is creeping up there aren’t many things we find more grounding than meditation. Add a dose of CBD into the mix (we recommend about 20mg!), and see how it helps your meditation game- many people say CBD helps clear their mind, which could make it super beneficial while meditating.
- Take about 20mg CBD under the tongue, wait 15-30 seconds before swallowing.
- Get comfortably seated. Lots of people like to meditate while sitting cross-legged, but if that position is uncomfortable for you, you don’t have to. Just make sure you’re sitting up with a straight back.
- Close your eyes, and start taking deep, purposeful breaths. Focus on the movement of your body as you inhale and exhale.
- As other thoughts come up, allow them to, and then refocus on breathing. Meditation doesn’t really work if you’re constantly telling yourself to ‘stop thinking!’, instead, grant the thoughts brief access before you focus on breathing again. Just make sure not to ruminate on things as they crop up in your mind.
- Continue this for 15-30 minutes, always going back to focusing on your breathing. Feel your chest rise and fall. Notice your posture, and correct if slouched.
- If you’re in a rush, even a 5 minute session can help.
That’s it! Meditation is actually super simple, and contrary to popular belief, you can’t ‘fail’ by thinking about things sometimes. The point is to try to empty your mind, but the key word there is ‘try’. It’s hard for most to fully clear their mind, so instead we recommend focusing on breaths and the body instead.
- Make A CBD Infused Treat!– There’s a reason CBD in food has become such a trend. This is a super fun and easy way to take CBD and treat yourself at the same time! Check out our CBD recipe blogs below!
No matter how you use your CBD, chances are it’s gonna help you strip the stress away, leaving you feeling renewed and refreshed.
Got other ideas on how to combat stress with CBD? Drop a comment below, and let us know!
