Cannabidiol is the new alternative treatment craze. More commonly known as CBD, cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive chemical derived from the hemp plant. Studies suggest that CBD and yoga may be great teammates for achieving total wellness. Here are six reasons why you should consider combining CBD and yoga!

CBD Has Natural Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Anyone who has taken a yoga class knows it’s not as easy as many believe. While there are different difficulties in yoga classes, even a beginner slow-flow class may leave you feeling sufficiently sore and worked out. Research shows that taking CBD before yoga can aid in reducing inflammation caused by exercise. By signaling to your body’s endocannabinoid receptors, many CBD users have reported relief from both acute and chronic inflammation. A study conducted in 2017 has suggested CBD can be a beneficial agent in reducing inflammation in rats that have osteoarthritis. 

Though there are hundreds of patient testimonials that rave about the wonders of CBD and inflammation, additional research must be conducted to show the true impacts that CBD has on inflammation in humans. 

Both CBD And Yoga Reduce Stress

Cortisol is our stress hormone. CBD is a great natural way to reduce stress and anxiety. Cannabidiol affects the endocannabinoid system in a way that helps us regulate our moods and relieve the cortisol receptors. Yoga has a similar effect on the body! Yoga promotes relaxation by allowing you to stop for a moment and focus on your breathing.

By making yourself aware of your breathing, you can alter your body’s response to stress by activating the parasympathetic system (which is how you respond to relaxation and rest). Combining both CBD and yoga can allow you to be more in tune with your emotions and mood – reducing stress responses. Continued use of both CBD and yoga can have positive impacts on the body and mind, allowing you to live a more worry-free life. 

CBD And Yoga Are Beneficial For Exercise Recovery

Many patients have noticed the beneficial characteristics of both CBD and yoga when it comes to exercise recovery. It is recommended to rub CBD oil or cream directly onto sore muscles to relieve pain. CBD can be used to relax muscles, relieving tension and spasms in the muscles.

Additionally, yoga has a similar effect! Many people partake in yoga as a cooldown from other exercises, such as running or weight lifting. Because exercise can be strenuous on our bodies, it is very important to thoroughly stretch before and after a workout. Though yoga is considered exercise on its own, a slow-flow class may be exactly what you need to ease and stretch out those sore muscles. With both CBD and yoga working in your favor to relieve sore muscles, many people recommend the benefits of using both to recover quicker from strenuous exercise.

Yoga and CBD Can Aid In A Better Night’s Rest

Yoga encourages its participants to focus on their breathing, which stimulates the vagus nerve. Slow and controlled breathing encourages the vagus nerve to send signals to the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in better sleep. Regular exercise is widely known to help people have better sleep cycles, but yoga specifically affects the body’s rest function due to the focus on your breathing.

Taking CBD before your yoga class may lead to even better sleep than just doing yoga alone!  CBD affects sleep for many different reasons. For example, due to the decrease of anxiety that comes with CBD, many users may experience better sleep due to the lack of intrusive thoughts that come with anxiety. CBD can also affect sleep by lowering cortisol levels, allowing users to have more restful sleep due to lower levels of stress. 

Taking CBD before taking a yoga class is a great way to encourage meaningful sleep. With both the breathwork and CBD affecting the body and mind, many CBD-using-yogi have reported falling asleep quicker and staying asleep longer. 

Yoga And CBD Help You Stay Present and Focus

CBD attaches itself to the receptors in the endocannabinoid system, which then affects our moods and emotional states. While a lack of concrete evidence exists showing the direct impact of CBD on concentration, there is clear evidence that CBD is affecting our brain’s receptors. According to a recent study posted by the Journal of Cannabis Research, it is suggested that CBD suppresses the receptors associated with anxiety and other mood disorders. With a lack of anxiety present, many CBD users have stated they experience deeper levels of concentration.

The impact that yoga has on concentration is a bit more concrete. Researchers have found that yoga has a great impact on neural patterns, improving your ability to concentrate over time with consistency. University Health News posted an article studying the impacts that hatha yoga has on concentration. According to the study, many elderly participants who primarily live a sedentary lifestyle were seeing significant improvements in memory and concentration after doing yoga for just 20 minutes a day. This study also suggests that yoga can help you shift your attention, which allows you to concentrate on more purposeful tasks. 

Exercise And CBD May Benefit Your Moods

We already know that CBD affects cortisol, the stress hormone, anxiety, PTSD, and other mood disorders. By suppressing the receptors that produce stress and anxiety, many CBD users have reported more positive moods after consuming CBD. 

In the same study mentioned above posted by University Health News, Hatha yoga has a great impact on increasing the energy levels of the participants. Conducted by a group of researchers at the University of Waterloo, this research shows concrete evidence that hatha yoga increases energy levels due to the release of endorphins and an increase in blood flow. Yoga additionally increases the feel-good components of the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. Yoga allows you to boost the cognitive function of your brain to control emotional responses. Paired with the anti-anxiety properties of CBD, yoga is a great way to boost your mood.

CBD can be part of your wellness goals, and when paired with the correct lifestyle changes, it can be a real game changer. Yoga and CBD are both beneficial in reducing stress, encouraging sleep, recovering from exercise quicker, boosting your mood, and increasing your focus. 

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