What does Mike Tyson have in common with Martha Stewart?
Both celebrities promote CBD products, and for good reason too!
In 2019, the CBD market had a value of USD 395.2 Million. Growing at a rate of 30.4% a year, the CBD market should be worth 938.9 USD Million by the time 2027 rolls around.
If you haven’t given CBD a try yet, it’s probably because you’re still not sure what it’s all about. Sure CBD offers all sorts of health benefits, but what does CBD feel like the first time you take it? Do different products create different effects?
To help answer all of your CBD-related questions, we’ve created this short guide. So take a look! By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll finally know if CBD’s right for you.
Does CBD Get You High?
Let’s start by asking one of the most common CBD-related questions. Does CBD get you high? The short answer is no.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it’s one of the hundreds of chemical compounds found in cannabis plants. CBD can produce all sorts of physical and mental health benefits, without altering your mental state in the way THC does.
THC is also a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants. However, THC has psychoactive properties and is known for making users feel euphoric or high.
Taking CBD that’s THC-free doesn’t create any type of high, no matter what type of CBD product you choose. That means you could use CBD oils, edibles, capsules, or topicals, without becoming inebriated in any way.
Trace Amounts of THC
Legally speaking, it’s okay if CBD products contain trace amounts of THC. What’s considered a trace amount? If the THC present is .3% or less, it’s a trace amount of THC.
On their own, trace amounts of THC aren’t enough to get you high or stoned. From a fitness standpoint, CBD products that contain trace amounts of THC can even be extra beneficial.
When more of the cannabis plant is present in your CBD product, you get to enjoy the entourage effect. The entourage effect refers to the way the CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, and chlorophyll work together to provide health benefits.
Working With Your ECS
If CBD isn’t getting you high, what is it doing? It turns out CBD has the unique ability to communicate with your body’s endocannabinoid system or ECS.
Your ECS is responsible for regulating all sorts of bodily functions. Your mood, appetite, sleep schedule, and immune responses, all rely on your ECS.
Sometimes, for one reason or another, our bodies have disproportionate responses to outside stimuli. For instance, when your immune system goes into overdrive, it can cause inflammation. Skin conditions like psoriasis, are a great example of the body’s immune system overreacting to a perceived threat.
Thankfully, CBD knows how to communicate with your body’s ECS. As a result, introducing CBD into the mix can help things balance back out. If inflammation was the problem, CBD will tell the immune system to calm down, so the body can begin to heal.
How CBD Feels in Your Body
Moving on, let’s talk about what your body will feel like after you take CBD. If you’ve never used CBD before, you won’t have any type of tolerance. When you don’t have a CBD tolerance, it’s more likely you’ll experience strong effects, even with a smaller dose of CBD. After taking your dose of CBD, you’ll have to wait a certain amount of time for the effects to kick in.
The timeline for feeling the effects differs based on what type of CBD product you choose, and how you’re using it. Once the CBD starts to take effect, you’ll likely notice it in the tightest part of your body first. For instance, let’s say your shoulders are always slightly tight and tense.
After taking CBD, your shoulders will start to loosen up, almost as if you just had a massage. Next, the loose feeling travels down your spine, offering relief to other tense body parts. Your ankles, feet, wrists, and hands, will all have a gentle sense of relief. You may notice your breath feels a bit fuller and more relaxing than normal.
Relaxation Response vs Stress Response
To enjoy all of the relaxing benefits CBD has to offer, you’ll have to do your part to quiet your mind. When you experience stress, your body perceives some type of threat. However, instead of giving in to the stress response, you can practice building up a relaxation response.
After finding the right CBD product on sites like 3chi.com, look up a few relaxation responses you can practice the next time you take CBD. Yoga, Tai Chi, and deep breathing exercises are all great types of relaxation responses you can practice.
If you regularly practice relaxing in the face of stress, your body will learn to adapt. When you add CBD to the mix, you can help your body and mind reach deep states of relaxation, even in the most trying times.
For instance, focus on staying calm after taking CBD, and if possible do a little bit of meditation. By doing your part to keep your mind and body in a peaceful state, the CBD will have an even bigger impact on your general wellbeing. Over time, you’ll be able to train your brain that stress doesn’t have to be such a big deal.
CBD for Chronic Pain
Is chronic pain something you’re battling? About 66% of Americans are taking prescription pills, and for many, it’s to treat chronic pain. Unlike a prescription pain pill, CBD isn’t going to mask the pain completely. However, with the right dose, CBD will take the edge off the pain.
Over time, as the pain level continues to go down, the inflammation can begin to subside. Taking CBD regularly can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to helping your body heal itself. You should also look into getting CBD topicals that you can apply directly to whatever area of your body’s causing you pain.
For instance, let’s say your knees tend to get tight and painful. Rubbing a CBD topical directly to your knees, throughout the day, will help you directly address the issue. For the best results, clean the skin you’re going to be applying the topical too. Next, after applying the topical, cover it with a bandage.
The bandage will help your skin absorb the CBD more efficiently. You can also talk to your doctor about the possibility of saran wrapping the bandage area. As long as your doctor approves, saran wrapping a topical on your skin can do wonders for helping the skin fully absorb the CBD oils.
What Does CBD Feel Like for Insomnia?
Did you know that 1 out of every 4 Americans develops insomnia each year? If tossing and turning at night is causing your life to be less than great, CBD could be the perfect solution. What does CBD feel like as a sleep aid? Earlier we mentioned that CBD doesn’t create any type of intoxicating effects.
However, if you take the right dose and time it before your bedtime, it can help you catch more z’s. While CBD doesn’t have any type of sedative effects, its relaxing nature makes it the perfect sleep aid. To get the best results, you’ll need to create a consistent bedtime routine.
You can time your CBD dosage so that you take it about 1 hour before bed. Next, we suggest staging your bedtime environment as well so it’s free of distractions. For instance, put your phone out of reach, and dim the lights in your home. Turn off the television, and play a little bit of soothing music that helps you unwind.
After doing a gentle relaxing exercise, like stretching, or yoga, meditate for a few minutes. When you lay down in bed, you’ll feel the CBD helping you let go of any stresses or worries from the day. As long as you’re willing to relax, your body and mind will follow your lead.
Once you find the right dosage, you’ll be able to consistently create a CBD feeling to help you drift off to sleep. Not only will you be building a routine sleep schedule, but it’s also likely the quality of your sleep will improve too. Users report that taking CBD at night helps them sleep more soundly and wake to feel refreshed.
Experiencing Different Types of CBD
What types of CBD products should you be trying? We suggest choosing CBD products that will make your life more convenient. For instance, there are CBD tinctures and oils that you can use to customize your CBD dosage. You can put the tinctures in drinks, or food, as you work to find the perfect dose for your needs.
However, if you don’t want to mess with making your own CBD drinks or snacks, you can always buy premade products. There are all sorts of CBD edibles, drinks, and snacks, you can buy that are premade and ready to go. You can also opt for soft gelcaps or capsules infused with CBD.
Simply take the recommended amount of CBD pills, and you’ll be all set! Did you want to have a CBD smoke session? Then CBD flower or smokable concentrates might be your preferred choice. If you don’t want to smoke traditional CBD buds, you can try CBD shatter, wax, or crumble. You can use CBD shatter or wax in a dab rig for a super-concentrated hit of CBD.
You can add CBD crumble to the top of a bowl of CBD flower, or include it in a CBD joint. Of course, the easiest way to inhale CBD is by vaping it. Simply buy a prefilled CBD cartridge, and you can puff at your leisure.
CBD Feeling for Different Products
Now that you know about some of the different CBD products available, let’s review how each product will make you feel. When you ingest CBD, either in an edible or in a drink, it’ll take longer for you to feel any effects. You’ll also lose a little bit of the CBD’s potency since the product has to go through digestion.
The good news however is that the effects of ingesting CBD tend to be stronger than the effects of inhaling it. Users also not that when they take it orally they’re able to enjoy the benefits of CBD for a longer amount of time. Are you looking for a fast onset? If yes, then your best bet will be to take CBD sublingually.
To take CBD sublingually, you’ll need a CBD oil or tincture. Simply put the recommended dose under your tongue and wait a few minutes. The glands under your tongue will absorb the CBD and introduce it directly to your bloodstream. When you take CBD sublingually, the effects can kick in within minutes.
What Is CBD Like if You Overdose?
Can you overdose on CBD? Absolutely. However, there isn’t any proof that overdosing on CBD is fatal in any way. Instead, if you take too much CBD, you’re likely to experience a variety of nonfatal side effects.
Dry mouth, diarrhea, and a change in appetite have all been reported side effects that occur during a CBD overdose. To avoid taking too much, it’s always a good idea to take less than you think you’ll need. After seeing how your body reacts to CBD, you can gradually increase your dose over time.
Trying CBD for the First Time
The next time you hear someone asking “what does CBD feel like?”, you’ll already know the answer! Whether you’re looking for a pain management tool or stress relief, CBD can help.
Go ahead and start looking at the different types of CBD available online. Look for products that you’ll be able to easily include in your morning or nighttime routine.
Once the product arrives, remember to take a small dose at first. Before you know it, you’ll know exactly how much CBD it takes to meet all your needs. For more tips, read another article.