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According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 31% of adults in the US experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.¹ If you're here, you might be feeling anxious. Begin by just taking a nice, deep breath. Recognize that you’re not alone in this. When you're ready, read on to learn how CBD works and when to try CBD gummies for anxiety.
Can CBD Help With Anxiety?
CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found within cannabis that won't cause you to feel high. It works by interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system—or ECS.² The ECS is a complex network of receptors that send chemical messages (also known as endocannabinoids) back and forth to help the body remain balanced or homeostatic. The ECS is responsible for managing a lot of different background processes within the body—like your sleep-wake cycle, pain signals, appetite, mood, and immune system response.
CBD has a unique ability to interact with many of the receptors found throughout the ECS. Since it's molecularly similar to our natural endocannabinoids, CBD partners with the ECS to help your body remain regulated. Lots of studies have been conducted on the way CBD interacts with the ECS, and while further research is required to definitively prove whether or not CBD helps with anxiety, evidence suggests that CBD may play a prominent supporting role in managing it.³
One study suggests that CBD may help with anxiety by modulating serotonin receptors—which are responsible for sleep, mood, digestion, and behavior.⁴ Researchers believe that CBD may help soothe some symptoms of anxiety by balancing our serotonin receptors’ responses to keep you homeostatic. However, conflicting research claims that serotonin only plays a minor role in depression and anxiety, and affecting it may bear little weight on your symptoms as a whole.⁵
Other research suggests CBD may help with anxiety by working with the ECS to regulate mood and sleep.⁶ CBD could have a balancing effect on the ECS, which may help feel less stressed and more focused. Since CBD directly affects the system responsible for a healthy sleep-wake cycle, it might help reduce anxiety-induced insomnia.⁷
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that CBD may reduce stress in animals like rats by reducing behavioral and physiological signs of anxiety; but more research is necessary to translate that to humans.⁸ It's important to remember that CBD isn't going to make you feel less anxious instantly, like prescription anti-anxiety medications. It might help boost your mood or reduce chronic anxiety when taken daily, but it won't do much of anything if you are already experiencing anxiety or in the middle of a panic attack.
When To Take CBD Gummies For Anxiety
While there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to taking CBD gummies for anxiety, many people have found that taking them in the morning and the evening helps get them feeling their best. Taking CBD in the morning might improve energy levels and focus during the day while taking CBD at night could help soothe anxious feelings to help you get a good night's sleep.⁹ Studies suggest getting a full night's rest could make you less likely to experience anxiety within your daily life.
If you're wondering when to take CBD gummies for anxiety, you will want to consider when your anxious feelings are the most severe and how intense they feel. You then should use a journal to begin experimenting with CBD—exploring when you prefer to take it, how often, and around what time.¹⁰ Begin with smaller servings at first and work your way up until you find a serving size and cadence that works best for you. Use your journal to keep track of how you feel after each serving so you can dial in the most effective routine for you and your unique lifestyle.
Taking CBD In The Morning
CBD may help level out both your mood and your waking cycle—allowing you to enjoy a more positive outlook and higher level of energy throughout whatever the day has in store. Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking CBD for anxiety in the morning might help you feel more focused; and by feeling more focused, you might feel less anxious or spacey throughout your day. If you struggle with fatigue or getting out of bed in the morning, CBD may be able to help you with the boost you need to wake up on the right side of the bed and start your day off on the right foot.
Taking CBD In The Evening
Evidence suggests that not getting enough sleep directly affects your mood and anxiety levels the next day.¹¹ Luckily, research indicates that taking CBD at night may help to quiet some of the noise in your head, allowing you to fall asleep—and stay asleep—more easily. By silencing anxious thoughts and feeling more at ease, you may experience reduced anxiety the following day.
Final Thoughts: CBD Gummies & Anxiety
While CBD gummies are an excellent choice any time of day as a natural way to help soothe the unpleasant effects of anxiety, it's important to remember you should always work closely with your doctor to get to the bottom of your anxiety symptoms. CBD is a safe and potentially effective way to manage some of its effects, but is in now way intended to be used to treat or cure any physical or mental conditions. Always talk with your doc before taking supplements for anxiety—including CBD.
Once you have a green light from the doctor, you can count on Lazarus Naturals CBD Gummies to support you at every step of your wellness journey. You can start with Energy CBD Gummies for a morning boost before the stress of the day sets in—then enjoy our Calm CBD Gummies for a non-drowsy, afternoon tension tamer. Before bed, try our Cannabinoid Sleep Gummies to help keep the stresses of the day at bay and get a restorative night's rest.
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Sources:
¹https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
²https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-endocannabinoid-system-essential-and-mysterious-202108112569
³https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/
⁴https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6319597/
⁶https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
⁷https://www.thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/18-041
⁸https://archives.drugabuse.gov/testimonies/2015/biology-potential-therapeutic-effects-cannabidiol
⁹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4023456/
¹⁰https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/blog/post/is-it-time-to-increase-your-serving-size-of-cbd