3 Ways to Use CBD to Improve Your Mental Health
Mental illness is a major issue in our society, especially during the global pandemic. An estimated 20% of adults in the United States suffer from some kind of mental health disorder. It could be generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), to something more severe like post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It may also be something situational, like social anxiety or performance anxiety for things like public speaking.
Regardless of the type or cause of your mental illness, it can always be helpful to have something else in your toolkit to cope. Prescription medication can leave you with unpleasant side effects, and regular therapy can be expensive. That’s why more people are turning to Cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical compound found in cannabis plants. It is natural, safe to use with minimal side effects, and has been proven to be effective in reducing things like stress and anxiety.
Here are three ways that you can use CBD to improve your mental health.
#1) Reduce Anxiety
Most mental health issues are caused by a lack of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in your brain that affects your mood. When you have a low level of serotonin, you are more likely to have anxiety and depression. Prescription medications given to people with mental health issues are typically SSRIs that are designed to improve the serotonin levels so you also feel better. However, these medications can also come with harsh side effects.
CBD, on the other hand, has minimal side effects and has also been found to improve the level of serotonin in your system. Some people with mental illness have been able to use CBD to reduce or completely replace their prescription medication.
#2) Improve Sleep
Sleep has a strong connection to mental health. When you consistently get a good night’s sleep, you’ll typically feel better mentally. On the other hand, having a lack of sleep makes you feel more stressed, anxious and depressed. If you already suffer from a mental illness, poor sleep will exacerbate your symptoms.
CBD has also been found to help improve the sleep that you can get, even in people who have PTSD-induced nightmares. So you can take some CBD gummies before bed as a pleasant treat that also helps you to fall asleep quicker, and stay asleep through the night. You will wake up feeling more rested.
#3) Supplement Meditation
Mindfulness meditation has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. It helps you ignore distracting thoughts that can trigger depressive or anxious moods. It also improves things like your focus, memory, confidence, and ability to sleep.
One way to really improve your mental health is to combine mindfulness meditation with CBD. It helps your meditation by removing distractions that can get in the way. It reduces nagging aches and pains, improves your focus, and makes you more calm and less anxious to start. The two together can work to form a powerful treatment for mental illness.
CBD by itself will not completely cure any mental health disorder. But it can be used to supplement other safer, more natural methods of improving your mood. You can use it to cut down on taking harsher prescription medication. You can use it in combination with things like mindfulness meditation to improve the effects. In the end, you will be healthier in body and mind.
