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Another Friday is here and all we can say is, FINALLY. As the days get longer and warmer they also seem to get busier. It seems like the world is finally waking up from the lethargy of Covid and everyone is starting to get there groove back in terms of organization, communication and a general kind of ‘roll-up the sleeves up and get stuff done’ kind of vibe. It feels really, really good. Like the feeling when you come back from a particularly rough camping adventure. You probably wouldn’t want to do it again but you are grateful for the lessons that it taught you. These are the moments that give you a renewed appreciation for your life.
So thats all fine a good but we are here to talk about CBD. Last week we talked about what CBD is practically good for with a focus on CBD and pain. This week we are going to turn our attention to sleep and anxiety.
The World is an Anxious Place
So lets start with anxiety. Anxiety continues to be the second most popular reason why people use CBD, with 20% of regular users saying they use it to combat anxiety.
Its no wonder that CBD usage has skyrocketed over the last two and a half years, the world has been a pretty stressful place to be. The stress of the pandemic alone was enough to last a life time.
And to be honest the world does not really appear to be getting any less stressful. So more and more people have been and will continue to be turning to CBD to help manage their stress and anxiety. In light of this information its pretty safe to say that CBD works when treating anxiety. But how does it work?
The Mechanics
Every time CBD enters our bodies there is a specific series of events that happen. These events are known as the ‘mechanism of action’.
As we saw in our blog on pain, there is a mechanism of action that makes CBD effective against pain. CBD is an anti-inflammatory and inflammation is the root cause of the majority of all physical pain. CBD reduces inflammation by communicating with body to stop the inflammation.
With anxiety the exact mechanism of action is a bit different but the general process is the same. CBD communicates with body to control the release of certain chemicals in the body. Chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.CBD works with the body to ensure that the right amount of stress relieving chemicals are being released to keep the body calm.
Straight to the Source
The main reason why CBD is so versatile as a therapeutic treatment is that it communicates directly with the systems in the body that are responsible for the bodies basic chemical functions. Instead of treating the symptoms, as many pharmaceuticals do, CBD goes straight to the source and treats the biochemical cause naturally.
So rather than seeking to treat a specific condition CBD works to create state of balance in the body. This state of balance is known as homeostasis. The fact that there is a system in the body built specifically for cannabinoids, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) proves yet again that nature is wildly complex, interconnected and just plain awesome.
Enter Sandman
So what does all of this have to do with sleep? Well I am sure that we are all familiar with the concept that anxiety can cause sleeplessness. I am pretty sure that all of us have experienced this up close and personal in our lives.
Sleeplessness is not fun. It kind of works as a feedback loop. Anxiety leads to sleeplessness which leads to more anxiety which leads to more sleeplessness and- well, you get the point. Anxiety and sleeplessness are intimately related.
Cortisol is a chemical our body creates. It is associated with extreme anxiety, high blood pressure and weight gain. People who suffer from Insomnia are shown to have higher levels of Cortisol than those who don’t. People who suffer from extreme/chronic anxiety have higher levels of Cortisol than those who don’t. Amazing, right?
Since Cortisol is created by the human body CBD can communicate with the human body via the ECS and the Homeostatic system to reduce the production of Cortisol. Lower Cortisol means less anxiety and more sweet, sweet sleep. That’s a two birds with one stone scenario if ever there was one.
Great Communication Skills
As we take a closer look at CBD we begin to understand that its effectiveness is rooted not in the fact that it is some magical mystery plant given to us by the universe to help us, although it might very well be that. CBD is effective, at least in a sciencey kind of way, because it is a great communicator. It has a direct line of communication to the body and as a result knows exactly what the body needs. And in the case of Sleep and Anxiety the body needs waaaay less Cortisol.
Join us next week as we continue to talk about the practical uses of CBD. And if you need to keep those Cortisol levels down stop by the shop and grab some tincture.