There’s a lot of buzz out there about how CBD can boost performance and enhance recovery. Athletes of all types are extolling its anti-inflammatory and pain–relieving properties. Others speak about how it helps with anxiety and sleep.
We, of course, agree. But what does science say?
Decreases inflammation
Muscle and joint pain can be a real hindrance when you’re trying to train for a marathon or even just take a walk to the corner store for that matter. Often inflammation and pain go hand in hand – decreasing the inflammation can decrease pain. That’s why many people take anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen. More people, however, are turning to CBD as a superior alternative. A study published last year surveyed more than 2400 CBD users. The participants listed chronic pain and arthritic/joint pain as the two most common medical conditions they treated with CBD. The majority of respondents took CBD sublingually (under the tongue).
Using tinctures isn’t the only way to relieve pain using CBD. Perhaps even more common is the use of salves or creams to treat sore muscles and lessen inflammation in joints.
Reduces stress and anxiety
Game day or sports performance anxiety is real. Even the most seasoned athlete gets nervous and fears choking. CBD can lessen anxiety and stress levels, so that you can focus less on that feeling in the pit of your stomach and more on winning.
Here’s how it works: Your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps to regulate how you respond to stress or as one study put it, “The ECS can be considered as a regulatory buffer system for emotional responses.” CBD interacts with the ECS and helps it perform this function.
Improves Sleep
We all know that sleep is necessary for success in all aspects of life. It’s also when our bodies heal, and our muscles repair themselves. So, it makes sense that something that helps with sleep also helps with increased performance. Studies have shown that at higher doses CBD not only increases the length of restorative sleep, it also increases the quality of sleep due to its anti-anxiety properties. Interestingly, it seems to promote wakefulness at lower doses.
Another benefit to using CBD for sleep is that it does not cause grogginess or a
