If you exercise frequently, then you’ve probably experienced the pain and soreness that often comes with a workout. Staying active is important for your health, but it’s also important to care for yourself post-workout to make sure you are healing and recharging properly. Regular exercise can put a lot of physical stress on your body, sometimes leaving you with lingering tensions and fatigue. That’s where CBD comes in.
CBD is the most popular non-psychoactive compound derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. This is because it has a variety of therapeutic qualities associated with its use. But can CBD really help take your workout routine to the next level? Keep reading to decide for yourself. We’ll start by going over the benefits of CBD in relation to exercise.
CBD for Pain and Inflammation
It is common to experience pain and inflammation when you are dedicated to fitness, but that doesn’t mean it has to go untreated.
Researchers believe that CBD interacts with endocannabinoid receptors found in the brain and immune system. These receptors are proteins attached to your cells that intake signals of the chemical variety and help cells interpret them. This interaction produces pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory responses within the body. This is what make CBD a potentially strong option for reducing chronic pain as well as soothing short-term maladies such as post-workout soreness and joint pains.
CBD for Muscle Recovery
If you are participating in high impact exercises and intensive training, you are likely prone to inflicting micro-damage on your muscles. You might be used to combatting this with rest days and protein supplements. In addition to those practices, adding CBD to your routine might help fast track your recovery.
CBD is known for promoting muscle regeneration because it is classified as an anti-catabolic. That means that it regulates the amount of cortisol in your system. This is good news for your recovery because without regulation, high levels or cortisol can prevent protein synthesis and new tissue growth.
CBD as a Sleep Aid
Getting a good nights sleep is one of the most common reasons people seek out CBD. Research shows that CBD might have some seriously beneficial effects when it comes to falling asleep and staying asleep.
It’s no secret that quality sleep is a key aspect of letting your body rest up and recharge. If you’ve been exerting yourself, it’s important to take the time to heal. Sleeping is a time when the body can work on restoring your bodily systems from immune, to muscular. CBD has been shown to aid this process by limiting the amount of time spent in REM, thereby increasing the time spent in deep sleep. This means a more relaxing overall sleep for you.
How to Introduce CBD to Your Routine
Now that you’ve heard about the benefits, you may be wondering how to incorporate CBD into your post-workout routine. Well, the first thing you should do is to make sure that CBD won’t interact negatively with your medications if you’re taking any.
Once that step is out of the way it’s time to start experimenting with varying CBD products to discover what suits you best. There are many different ways to take CBD, from topical creams and salves to oral supplements. Find what fits your needs the best, and follow the product guidelines to take the CBD as needed when experiencing post-workout pains. Enjoy your enhanced recovery!
*Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.