Feeling stressed out and stretched to the max? Maybe you're thinking...
There is just no way I have time to add yoga and meditation to my schedule now.
You're not alone. And yes, there is a way. If you already do yoga or meditation, you know this. Taking life more slowly is a conscious practice. It nurtures endurance, appreciation for life, and an abiding sense of well-being.
Leaving Space for Your Mind to Breathe
The key is to focus on what really matters, do what must be done, and let go of some things. Make time to let go of the connected devices.
Need motivation to do it? Consider this. Research has connected extended periods of stress with a number of physical health conditions, including:
- Anxiety, depression, and reduced powers of concentration.
- Digestive and weight problems.
- Headaches.
- Heart conditions.
- Sleep issues.
If you're so task-oriented that it seems impossible to pause, then mark your calendar (and set a reminder) for some unplugged, quality time for you. Make this a firm plan, starting as soon as you see a blank space in your planner. Congratulate yourself on this new, healthful habit you've deliberately adopted. It is so important for your well-being.
Why Do Stress and Anxiety Exist?
These responses send us signals, alerting us to possibly dangerous situations, and prompting us to respond self-protectively.
As the Mayo Clinic explains, we face daily demands: bill-paying, work, returning messages, the needs of family. Your body treats these demands as threats. In our fast-paced times, stress-related health conditions are ever more common.
Now that you're focusing on why that response is so darned vital, what should you do during that "me time"? Some people are adopting a routine that blends yoga, meditation, and CBD. Let us explain.
First, let's look at CBD for stress. Then, let's look at what happens when yoga and meditation enter the picture. And prepare to be inspired.
What Is CBD's Relationship With Stress?
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a pure extract of the hemp plant. It does not cause any mind-altering effects. You might have heard people describe positive outcomes when taking CBD oil for anxiety or CBD oil for stress. In fact, a good deal of research would support their views.
In our body, including our brain and other organs, are natural receptors for cannabinoids such as CBD. These receptors make up the body's endocannabinoid system.
Why are these receptors in our bodies? It's because we have endocannabinoids — natural molecules similar to cannabis. Wild, right? And it's true. Read more on this from UCLA — whose webpage specifically mentions stress as one of the body's experiences that this internal system regulates. So, there's a straightforward, scientific reason that CBD has a natural, regulating effect on stress. Along with that, CBD does a lot more. Review the bullet list in the section above!
Yoga and Meditation for Stress
Now we turn to the role of yoga in addressing anxiety and stress.
Yoga, a practice that has spread from Northern India around the world, focuses on movement, balance, flexibility, and harmony of body and mind. Ah... No wonder its practitioners seek it out for its soothing effect on stress.
A compatible practice is meditation. Students of meditation — developed in Buddhist and other traditions — involves the honing of mindfulness, awareness, acceptance, the ability to appreciate silence, and mental clarity.
CBD as Support for Yoga or Meditation
How does CBD support yoga or meditation in people who are coping with stress or anxiety? CBD can boost your serotonin levels — together with meditation and yoga, which are excellent at this task, as shown by researchers at Harvard and the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego. Serotonin, they explain, plays a major part in our moods. A lack of serotonin is associated with both anxiety and depression.
The brain produces serotonin from its amygdal region. This is the moderator for our emotional states and responses. When activated by a threat, it can overpower us with anxiety. The pharmaceutical sector has responded with drugs that have a host of unpleasant side effects, and that might even make anxiety worse. There must be a better way.
These drawbacks aren't part of natural CBD oil's effects.
Focusing on What Really Matters
Putting CBD together with regular yoga and meditation, you can enhance your overall wellness mission and focus on the things that really matter in your life.
You might be asking, "How much CBD oil should I take for stress?" For the person weighing 150 lbs.,15 to 25mg is a reasonable starting point. Then, see how CBD oil benefits you over time. Remember that there is no Recommended Daily Intake for CBD oil, and that every body (and mind) is different!
Important note: This blog offers general information, not medical advice. So, do talk with your physician before starting out with CBD, especially if you take medications. Today, most health professionals are familiar with leading research on CBD, so they can offer their clients individualized advice.
We wish you good vibes as you add CBD to your meditation and yoga practice!
