CBD For Yogis: The Perfect “Yoga-Enhancing Medicine”?
Taking CBD and practicing yoga together is not a new idea. In fact, the ancient Indian sacred texts of the Vedas count cannabis as one of the 5 sacred plants.
It seems like a natural fit – because the benefits of practicing Yoga and taking CBD separately are very similar – reduced stress, lower inflammation, and increased feelings of wellbeing. 1,2
But when taken together, they uniquely complement each other.
First, CBD can help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness or joint pain.3 And, if you have ever been in the middle of a yoga class and wondered why you can’t silence your thoughts, and why you are so stressed out when you should be “zen” and “yoga-blissed” out, then CBD could be the mind-clearing answer you’ve been looking for.
And it does a lot more. If you are looking for a simple way to improve your yoga practice or deepen the benefits of CBD, then this article can help you understand this potent combination.
How Does CBD Work?
CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive effects. Instead, it helps your body maintain homeostasis (or balance) through your endocannabinoid system (ECS). There are Endocannabinoid receptors in every organ of your body, and CBD helps that system maintain many vital functions.3
It contributes to the health of systems as vastly different as your heart, your skin, your brain, and overall inflammation. Here are some of the ways it can help with your yoga practice specifically.
Relaxation, Stress Reduction, And Anxiety-Busting Benefits
CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety and help you clear your mind to have the kind of yoga practice you WANT to have (zen!).2 It does this by working with the ECS in your brain which regulates your mood and reduces erratic signals that lead to random thoughts and anxiety.
The overall effect is a gently relaxing and calming effect – and best of all, relief from overthinking. You will not feel “high” or euphoric, but you will feel that there is just more space inside of your head to relax.
Since yoga has also been shown to reduce the stress hormone cortisol, working with these two practices combined together could be a proven way to eliminate stress from your life like nothing else!5
In addition to relieving stress and helping you to relax into your practice, CBD might also allow you to feel MORE pleasant sensations in your body and mind. Here’s how.
Improve Your Mood Even More With CBD & Yoga
Every yogi knows the amazing feeling you get after a great yoga class! When it comes to improving your mood, CBD is no slouch either.
It has been shown to work wonders with the serotonin system in your brain and could help improve your mood beyond just relieving anxiety.
It works by acting as a 5HT1A activator. 5HT1A helps your brain transmit more serotonin and glutamate signals. Serotonin helps you feel good and is largely associated with being in a good mood.6
And glutamate helps your brain to branch out and create new neurons, which has also been linked to reduced stress and improved mood.6
CBD also helps you feel blissful – scientifically! Anandamide has been called the “Bliss Molecule” – it is naturally produced by your body and leads to states of heightened happiness, as well as the memory, motivation, higher thought processes, and movement control.7
Unfortunately, the bliss molecule breaks down in your body rather quickly – that’s why you can’t be in a permanent state of bliss 24/7.
But CBD suppresses the enzyme that breaks down anandamide, and thus increases the bliss that you feel. Could this lead to longer-lasting feelings of “yoga bliss” after your practice is over?
Since exercise releases anandamide12 – we’re going to say YES! Some users have reported feeling “lifted and grounded at once.”8 We don’t know about you, but that gives us enough reason to grab some CBD and our yoga mat to give it a try!
But what if you have an injury or pain that prevents you from practicing? Well, CBD may be able to help you, too.
Say Goodbye To Aches And Pains And Say Hello To Relief With CBD
CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory that works on your whole body. Just like other anti-inflammatories, it relieves pain by desensitizing it at the site of the nerve receptor.9
The added benefit is that CBD doesn’t have the same “foggy” effect that many painkillers have – instead you will feel completely clear and able to focus.10
It can relieve your pain to the point that you are able to fully enjoy a yoga practice when you have not been able to in quite a while. You could experience a new freedom of movement in your muscles or joints, as those nagging aches and pains fade away.11
But unlike painkillers, it doesn’t simply mask the pain: it also works in your ECS to reduce inflammation throughout your body, and therefore it can also be very effective at preventing joint injuries during your yoga practice and even helping you recover from old injuries by healing them.10
The end result? Freedom of movement and the ability to fully enjoy the relaxation and rejuvenation of an awesome yoga practice.
So Which Kind Of Yoga Is Best? Restorative Flow/Vinyasa?
You may be just about ready to start practicing with your CBD now, looking forward to all of these amazing benefits. But what kind of yoga class will you get the most out of with your CBD?
A restorative or healing class seems like the most natural fit to try with CBD for a lot of very good reasons. First, it is highly anti-inflammatory and very stress-relieving and so are restorative yoga classes. Also, the fact that it will help reduce anxiety and random thoughts will make that class even more relaxing than usual.
But a vinyasa class also combines well with CBD – you simply have to look a little bit to find the reasons why. First, CBD helps improve your mood and your focus, enabling great physical coordination and higher thought thanks to Anandamide.
More vigorous exercise also helps to release endorphins and other feel-good chemicals into your brain, where CBD can prolong good feelings.
So CBD can work really well when you combine it with any kind of yoga practice, making vinyasa flow even more intensely uplifting to your mood and your body while helping you heal, recover, and de-stress with a nice restorative class.
One thing is certain: after all this yoga and CBD talk, we’re ready to grab our mats and our favorite CBD products and start striking some poses! What about you? Check out the shop here to restock on your favorite CBD products so you can fuel your yoga practice and find your bliss.
1 - https://www.health.harvard.edu
3 - https://www.remedyreview.com
4 - https://ministryofhemp.com
5 - https://www.thealchemistskitchen.com
6 - https://healthyhempoil.com
7 - https://reset.me
9 - https://www.yogajournal.com
10 - https://floydsofleadville.com
11 - https://www.remedyreview.com
12 - https://medium.com
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