Most information on CBD out there talks about how CBD and relaxation go hand in hand, or how CBD and discomfort are often closely linked together. But did you know that it can also play a role in your daily meditation and mindfulness practices, and can maximize your exercise routine by helping with workout recovery? Plus, the benefits of CBD only increase when used in combination with other daily practices.
Cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with your mind and body in different ways depending on how you use it and whether you use it in combination with mindful or meditative practices.
CBD and Meditation
CBD could be the key to achieving a meditative state, especially for those who have trouble turning their brains off, so to speak.
Many people use meditation to center themselves in the present and stop any racing thoughts because they find their minds often jump around when they’re trying to focus. In some ways, meditation is the opposite of stress. Meditation can mean something different for everyone, and can be used in various ways to calm your mind and center your body.
In a similar way, CBD can calm your mind and body before you begin your meditation, thereby making it easier to focus your thoughts on the task at hand.
Meditate the Stress Away
Meditation doesn’t always mean sitting on that ground with your legs crossed, humming as you stare at the copper bowl or candle flame in front of you. No, meditation can take many forms.
Some people find it easier to center themselves when they focus on their breathing, while others might prefer to visualize themselves in whatever setting brings them the most peace. The great thing about meditation is that there’s no wrong way to do it, and there are countless benefits. Meditation can help you focus on the present, gain a new perspective on a specific situation, reduce negative emotions, and so much more.
While meditation can be the key to slowing the racing thoughts in your mind, it’s that very same thing that can make a meditative state hard to achieve. Attaining the right state of calm isn’t always easy, which is where CBD can come into play.
How Can CBD Help Meditation?
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which allows it to increase the benefits of CBD and meditation. This is because the endocannabinoid system helps your body maintain balance – and meditation reduces stress and promotes emotional health.
By giving your mind and body a head start, CBD can make it that much easier for you to reach a calming, meditative state. Because CBD and meditation work hand in hand to boost your endocannabinoid system and maintain a sense of balance in your body, CBD and meditation can be the combination you need to combat the stress in your life.
Did you know that at the same time, managing stress can actually strengthen your endocannabinoid system? It’s almost as if meditation and your ECS were designed to work hand in hand.
CBD and Mindfulness
Although mindfulness can easily be used as a form of meditation, it can also be practiced throughout the day. Taking a moment to be present a couple of times a day can greatly reduce anxious feelings and stress by bringing you back to the present moment.
Mindfulness is used to center your mind and body when you have trouble focusing due to racing thoughts, stress, or anxious feelings about the future. By focusing on one very specific thing, and taking the time to be fully present in a specific task, thoughts and worries about other issues can easily fall away. Focusing on your morning or nightly CBD routine can simply become the piece of your day that sets your mind at ease.
How to Make Mindfulness Part of Your Everyday Routine
Mindfulness can become a part of your daily routine in whatever way makes the most sense for you. It all comes down to doing something with purpose, and focusing on every aspect and sensation of the experience.
For example, when you sit down with your cup of coffee in the morning, you could take the time to think about how the mug feels in your hand, how your body warms as you drink it, and the tingle of flavors on your tongue. Or think about how the lotion feels when you pat it into your face after your nightly routine, and the feelings the scents elicit.
Whether you take a few minutes of dedicated concentration to center yourself before a hectic day every morning, or bring yourself a moment of calming silence at the end of the day to quiet your mind – you can easily incorporate mindfulness into your routine.
CBD Can Become a Part of Your Mindful Practice
The benefits of CBD can support your mental healthThe benefits of CBD can support your mental health in a number of ways, just one of which is using it in conjunction with mindfulness. CBD gummies and CBD tinctures would make the perfect complement to a mindfulness routine.
When it comes time to take your CBD gummy, place it on your tongue and take a moment to pause. How does the flavor interact with your taste buds? Can you feel the sugar granules melting on your tongue? How does your jaw feel when you chew the gummy, releasing its flavor and many CBD benefits? These are just a few of the ways you can take your CBD gummies with mindful purpose.
CBD tinctures, on the other hand, can provide a completely different experience. Unlike the gummies, CBD tinctures require you to be still and hold the oil under your tongue for 30 seconds to two minutes before swallowing. This gives you the perfect amount of time to shut everything else out and focus on how the oil tastes and makes you feel.
By focusing on the minute details that accompany a CBD routine, you can take a few minutes out of your day to practice mindfulness, all while receiving the numerous benefits of CBD.
CBD and Exercise
While exercise is good for your body and physical health, and cannabidiol (CBD) is typically used to help calm and settle the mind, the two are more closely linked than you might think. For one thing, exercise can be just as beneficial for your mental health and well-being. And CBD, on the other hand, can be used topically to address specific areas of your body before or after exercise.
Maximize Your Exercise Routine
Whether you choose to use CBD before or after your workout, the benefits provided to and by your endocannabinoid system (ECS) can easily maximize your exercise routine. By connecting with specialized cell receptors in your body, cannabinoids like CBD support recovery after strenuous exercise or hard physical work.
By maintaining a balance in your body, CBD can help optimize your workout efficiency and shorten recovery time between workouts.
How Can CBD Help You Recover From a Workout?
Topical CBD and ingestible CBD can be used as a pre-workout and post-workout recovery aid to soothe tense muscles. With a quick application, you can be on your way to exercising or recovering from your workout in no time.
While exercise helps energize your endocannabinoid system and can reduce stress, forcing yourself to exercise when you don’t want to can actually be interpreted as additional stress by your ECS. If you notice stress or anxious feelings creeping up when you think about having to work out, remember that oral CBD products can also be incorporated into your regular workout routine. When taken before your workout, CBD tinctures and CBD capsules can promote a sense of calm and allow you to focus on the task at hand.
Did you know that a large part of muscle recovery happens while you sleep? Or that CBD can help you maintain a regular sleep routine? cbdMD’s CBD PM uses a combination of melatonin, hemp-derived extracts, and other soothing herbs to help you drift off for a night of restorative sleep after a tough workout.
No matter your needs, or how you look at them, CBD can be used in various ways and for a number of benefits. Despite the clear connections between CBD and discomfort and CBD and relaxation, cannabidiol interacts with your endocannabinoid system in multiple ways. For more information on the many benefits of CBD, check out our blog and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest news and special offers.