Holidays are the most anticipated time of the year for many people.
They are synonymous with relaxation and disconnection; yet many people tend to cope with stress during this time.
Nowadays, more and more people prefer not to take vacations, simply because it causes them anxiety to leave their daily routine.
Just before holidays begin, stress and anxiety are usually experienced when trying to finish all of our projects or work in advance and having to plan every detail of these holidays.
Without a doubt, we all look forward to vacation time.
However, stress and anxiety can play us a bad turn and manifest themselves in many ways, such as headaches, muscle tension, feeling very low on energy or concentration: each one of us has our own way of dealing with stress.
Now, I guess you are probably wondering: “What can I do to alleviate my symptoms so that I can enjoy my holidays to the fullest?”.
I recommend you to keep reading!
CBD: a therapeutic substance
Recently, it has become a very common practice to buy CBD oil, supplements, gums and other products made from cannabis, but to understand the numerous benefits it has on our organism, first we have to explain what CBD is and where do we get it from.
Cannabis plants consist of various phytocannabinoids, organic compounds that belong to the group of terpenophenols, being THC and CBD the most “famous” ones.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive molecule that affects our central nervous system, more specifically, the endocannabinoid system, causing alterations of our perception and changes in our moods.
For its part, CBD (cannabidiol) is the molecule that provides the therapeutic benefits attributed to cannabis; in fact, it is commonly known as the medicinal cannabinoid.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has already confirmed that CBD is a 100% natural substance that does not have psychoactive properties and does not generate any type of addiction in its users.
There is also preliminary evidence that CBD may be useful for treating a varied number of medical conditions.
How can CBD help with stress and anxiety?
Stress is a complex term that encompasses a variety of feelings and experiences; from daily worries and fears about life’s many challenges, to crippling apprehension over certain triggers.
Stress was originated millions of years ago in order to survive very specific situations that actually have very little or no resemblance to the situations that stress us today at all (in your case, your well deserved holidays).
When our body is under stress, the brain will go into fight or flight mode, which consists of a physiological reaction that prepares the person for what to do next in a very short period of time.
Physical symptoms of an acute stress response may include headaches, nervousness, fatigue, and muscle tension.
Chronic stress (which occurs when the body is under stress over a long period of time) can cause damage to specific organs and even mental problems such as depression or anxiety, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and sexual dysfunction.
On the other hand, anxiety comes in many forms, including social anxiety, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that CBD is quite promising for the treatment of many types of anxiety and stress disorders, as it appears to modulate the same systems in the brain as some prescription medications do, such as Prozac and Xanax.
Currently, these types of drugs do two things.
First, they can help increase serotonin levels in our brain by inhibiting its ability to reabsorb it, which can help you improve your mood.
Secondly, they stimulate the brain to produce new neurons in a region called the hippocampus; this process, called “neurogenesis”, reduces anxiety and depression.
It is thought that CBD affects serotonin receptors in the brain, which are engaged in a primary chemical reaction in the body that can cause depression and/or anxiety when levels of this molecule are low.
While researchers continue to discover more about CBD and its properties, it has been proven to be a very promising relief for those who are struggling with their mental health.
There are plenty of reasons to take CBD and not only to treat stress/anxiety; however, if you choose to use it for these types of disorders, it will depend on the type of stress/anxiety you have.
How to find the best CBD products
To treat stress/anxiety, finding a high-quality, well-made CBD product is very important.
There are so many different ways to get CBD, and so many ways to use it, there will surely be some better products than others.
Nowadays, it is pretty easy to find the best CBD products online, and how to consume it is up to you; as we said before, it will depend on the type of stress/anxiety you have.
It is important to note that CBD oil (in the treatment of stress/anxiety), should not contain THC (the psychotropic chemical of cannabis), since its presence can cause adverse effects.
For this reason, it is recommended to use high-quality oils, derived from hemp.
Hemp plants produce exceptionally high amounts of cannabidiol, with negligible levels of THC.
You can also take advantage of the calming properties of other essential oils already contained in your CBD products, as many of these contain infusions of different vegetable oils to give fragrance and flavor.
Some of the best CBD oils contain lavender, cinnamon, spearmint and other calming substances that can enhance the anxiety-reducing effects of your CBD product.
Conclusion
It happens to all of us: We have a certain condition, such as migraines, stomachaches or something similar.
When talking to our doctor, he asks us if there is something that is causing us stress.
The last thing you would expect when going to the doctor is that instead of prescribing medications he prescribed peace and tranquility.
Our body and mind are like two sides of the same coin: If our mind is restless, tense, worried, our body will be the one to suffer these things.
No one can completely avoid stress or anxiety, but if you feel like their levels are interfering with your daily life, a small dose of CBD can help lower anxiety and stress and make you have a better day without your worries taking over.