With winter and all her doom-and-gloom just on our horizon, plenty of people can find it a struggle to get started with their day. Once started, staying active throughout the day poses an entirely different set of challenges. While the summer months can be ideal for those who are active outdoors, a year-round routine incorporating physical activities provides many benefits, both physically and mentally.

It’s time to get off the couch, get out of bed, get fueled up, and start participating in the world around you, regardless of what the temperature outside your home is! Both your emotional and physical wellbeing is improved incorporating more activity into your lifestyle. Realizing all these benefits we pose the question, “How can using CBD products motivate us to keep active?”

Keeping Positive Space

Exercising and adapting healthy eating habits are both known to be beneficial to our mental & physical health. We mention this because stress, depression, anxiety, and poor nutrition can all get in the way of adjusting our routines for the better. When our mental health isn’t “healthy,” everything suffers.

By beginning a CBD regimen, you are providing yourself with an opportunity to experience a plethora of benefits in relation to mental health. However, research still needs to be completed to scientifically back this statement. Nevertheless, with thousands of people saying the use of CBD products has given them increased mental health, do we need science to prove that they are not lying?

Cannabidiol (CBD)

CBD interacts with the endo-cannabinoid system we all have inside our bodies. This system plays a role in regulating our emotions and internal functions that are essential for everyday healthy living. Because it works directly within our bodies, CBD creates major effects. Since CBD plays such a major role in our mental health, it also plays a major part in preventing anxiety, depression, and stresses that keep us from being, or staying, active.

Feeling great while in the “Moment of Movement”

If you are taking part in vigorous, physical activity at least a few times a week, you are probably aware of the physical toll that your body can be put through. “Post-workout Crash” is something that all of us who regularly workout have gone through at some time. We all know what it means to feel like rubber once the workout is complete. Then, within a day or two, soreness, stiffness, and/or cramps take over the muscles that were being used.

CBD products might help your sore, stiff, cramped muscles and joints through the recovery process. When CBD becomes part of your regular routine your body will better tolerate the aches and stiffness that come from working out and your body won’t need as much time to rest and recover. This prevents you from taking unnecessary days off in-between workouts.

As it is packed full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, CBD is thought to both limit swelling and discomfort felt throughout the body. Typically, CBD products can be used before or after a workout. This is particularly true of products that are used topically, such as creams or lotions. When on a CBD regimen the goal is to maintain the ability to stay active & limit the downtime, even if it requires a little bit of extra consideration or planning.

Maximize Your Sleep

Seemingly every one of us would like to get more restful sleep. No matter if you battle to fall asleep or just struggle to stay asleep throughout the entire night, it is all chaos to your system and can lead to waking up just as exhausted as you were when you finally “checked out.” Now, add in a strenuous workout and this compounds the issues and makes them even worse. Odds are I don’t need to tell you. You did the research, you ended up here at EarthMagic… reading along, nodding your head in agreement… You are already fully aware the effects this creates on both your mental and physical health, because you have lived it.

Of all the benefits people are receiving from the use of a CBD product, a more restful or better night of sleep can be one of the most life changing. The body’s natural ability to monitor and maintain internal states and the mental and physical rejuvenation obtained from sleep is improved with the use of CBD. Once more, there is still plenty of research and study that needs to be completed. However, tens-of-thousands of people saying – after using CBD, they are sleeping easier, sleeping better, & waking up more rested than they have in years cannot all be wrong.

When ingesting a CBD product orally, you will experience the onset quicker than any other delivery method. This is in part because the CBD goes directly into the bloodstream via mucous membranes in your mouth, instead of having to pass through the stomach and digestive system before spreading throughout the body. Incorporating CBD into part of your daily routine allows you to abandon the lingering tiredness & fall asleep faster, both-of-which amount to a better quality of sleep.

Active Lifestyles and CBD

It can be a difficult task, breaking your routine… going out of your way to make sure you are staying physically active. However, it is well worth the rewards and benefits you will receive. Maintaining an active lifestyle is easier when using a CBD product.

No matter if it is aching muscles, a lack of quality sleep, or poor mental health getting in your way, using CBD will make creating a healthy routine easier. Now that we’ve explored a few ways that using CBD helps you practice and activate an active lifestyle, let’s take a quick look at some of the questions most frequently asked by people new to CBD.

What is the best way to take CBD?

This answer depends mostly on the question “why are you are taking CBD?” For localized ailments, a topical or a cream will be most advantageous. The application is simple, just apply where you feel the discomfort. For more generalized conditions, consumption orally is the preferred method. Some of the more popular methods of use include CBD oil under the tongue, a gel-cap or capsule, a gummy or soft chew, or a CBD infused beverage.

As mentioned above, one of the fastest ways to feel the effects of CBD is by using an oil or tincture and applying a few drops underneath the tongue. Most products in this category come with a dropper that you use to put a few drops under your tongue. Try and hold the liquid there for 30-45 seconds before swallowing. This will ensure the CBD gets absorbed into your bloodstream as quick as possible.

Another popular way of using CBD for those individuals practicing an active lifestyle is by using a topical such as a cream or lotion. These products have additional ingredients for healthy skin and hydration, but they also allow the CBD to focus on a specific area of your body. Are your arms sore after max’ing out your reps? Apply a CBD cream and literally rub the soreness away. Calves and knees sore after you didn’t skip leg day at the gym? Use of a CBD cream or lotion will help you get back to full strength in no time.

One drawback with administering CBD topically is that because the product is rubbed into, and has to absorb through the skin, you will not feel the benefits as quickly as you would with a tincture or oil under the tongue. However, by making these topical products a part of your daily routine, the benefits will happen over time and ultimately become part of daily life.

How do I know how much to use?

If you have never used CBD, it might sound counter-intuitive, but you always start with a smaller amount. For the first week, use the same amount every day. Then, slowly begin to increase your dosage once or twice a week after you see how your body responds to using CBD. Continue this regimen until you pinpoint the amount of CBD that provides the relief you are looking for.

FYI, over time your body will build up a tolerance to CBD. Just because the results you are used to are diminishing doesn’t necessarily mean you need to increase the amount of CBD you are taking, it’s not a one-way street! Every now and then you simply need to go a few days without using CBD. After this “tolerance break” return to the dosage you were using before taking a hiatus.

Can I use CBD with other medications?

Often, the answer to this question is “Yes.” You can use CBD while taking other medications. However, if you are currently taking any medication, regardless of if it is prescribed or bought over the counter, or what type of medication it is, you need to have a talk with your doctor about any potential interactions or complications.

Beforehand, it is in your best interest to take the time to prepare for this conversation. Don’t be the patient who simply asks your doctor “Can I use a CBD product?” It is best to have a conversation and tell the doctor exactly why it is you want to start using this type of product. Be prepared to answer questions like, “What have you already tried, other than CBD, that hasn’t worked?” Likewise, have some investigative questions of your own, like “What are some common results others have achieved when using CBD products for reasons like mine?” The more thoughtful and prepared you are for the conversation, the more serious the answer will be you receive from the doctor. Knowledge is power, and the quest to live our best life is one filled with questions, trials, and unlikely answers. Listen to what your doctor tells you, and together you both might leave the conversation with a new outlook on an ancient topic.