Anxiety and Depression Relief
Anxiety and Depression Relief
Living in modern society comes with a host of side effects, including seasonal affective disorder, obesity and depression. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the largest contributor to disability worldwide. Anxiety isn’t too far behind, ranking sixth on the list.
Most prescription medications that treat anxiety and depression come with harmful side effects, and many of them can create dependency. Not so with CBD oil. More and more tests show that cannabidiol can help relieve stress and make you feel better. What’s more, the oil can relieve temporary anxiety, such as public speaking or nervousness.
How Does it Work?
Since our brains have cannabinoid receptors, products that have CBD can trigger these receptors in various ways. With anxiety, the oil helps regulate serotonin, AKA, the feel-good chemical. Additionally, CBD stimulates the production of 5HTP, which is a precursor to serotonin. Simply put, you feel better because the oil hacks your brain into feeling better.
Epilepsy Treatment
Currently, the CBD industry is mostly self-regulated, meaning that producers are not held to a specific set of standards and regulations. While this fact does mean you have to be more vigilant when choosing a product, it also means you should pay attention when one does get approved by the FDA.
Recently, the drug Epidiolex received FDA approval to help treat epileptic seizures in patients as young as two. Epidiolex has several active ingredients, but the most potent is CBD. The drug specifically treats two types of epilepsy – Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. As you can imagine, it’s a big deal for a CBD product to be so well received.
How Does it Work?
While the research is still ongoing, the effectiveness of CBD at reducing seizures may lie with the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Since the compound helps regulate various brain chemicals, it can suppress many of the triggers that cause seizures. However, because the brain is so complex, CBD doesn’t work for everyone. Some individuals in these studies had adverse reactions, which is why more research is being done.
Alzheimer’s Treatment
Around five million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s, and since the condition is progressive, the impact of the disease only gets worse the longer someone has it. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect the individual, but everyone around that person as well. Caregivers and family members must step in to assist in various ways, both physically and emotionally.
Based on current research, CBD shows promising signs of being neuroprotective. This means that it helps shield the brain from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. More research has to be done to get conclusive results, but preliminary studies are quite promising.
How Does it Work?
Once again, CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties swoop in and save the day. Inflammation of the brain is a significant cause of Alzheimer’s, so cannabidiol can help stave off this effect. Additionally, the compound can prevent free radicals from messing up neurons and neural pathways, which leads to degeneration.
Sleep Aid
If you’re one of the 35-percent of adults who have trouble falling and staying asleep at night, CBD oil may be a viable treatment option. Unfortunately, a lack of good-quality sleep can have some substantial side effects, such as obesity, stress, fatigue, and chronic pain.
While there are several reasons for lack of sleep, one of the primary conditions is an overactive mind. Many Americans lie in bed while their brains refuse to shut off. So, it takes longer to fall asleep, and even when you do, you’re likely to wake up throughout the night. Thankfully, a helping of CBD oil can quiet the mind and help you get the rest you need.
How Does it Work?
We already mentioned how CBD oil could reduce stress and anxiety by regulating serotonin. This brain chemical is also necessary for falling asleep, helping quiet the mind so you can relax. While you may not consider yourself “anxious” when lying in bed, CBD oil will still make you feel calmer and allow you to go to sleep that much faster.