CBD only became legal across the states in 2018, but you can’t go to the store, talk to someone, or scroll through social media without the mention of CBD somewhere. This product is being used everywhere from Latte’s to food. And, it is having amazing benefits. So, next time you are heading into your Yoga class, you may want to consider incorporating some CBD!
What Exactly is CBD?
CBD is having amazing benefits across the board, but if you haven’t tried it for yourself, you may not know what all the hype is.
CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that scientists have found interact with our endocannabinoid system. Our endocannabinoid system is responsible for keeping our bodies in homeostasis.
Our body actually creates our own cannabinoids that bind to the receptors in our endocannabinoid system. When these cannabinoids bind with our receptors, it provides the body with a plethora of benefits which include:
- Alleviating depression
- Lowering blood pressure
- Helping with intestinal problems
- Increasing brain neurotrophic factors (increasing learning, working memory, and higher thinking).
- Reducing anxiety
- Reducing fear
Even if you do not have symptoms or issues, CBD is still a great supplement to add into your daily Yoga practice.
How to Incorporate CBD into Your Yoga Practice
If you enjoy how you feel after a yoga practice, imagine feeling even better! Not only does CBD oil offer a plethora of benefits to our bodies, but it actually has many vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids including:
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Vitamin Bs
- Fatty acids including Omega 3 and Omega 6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium, magnesium, and potassium
- Iron
Therefore, CBD would be a great addition to your Yoga practice. Here are some ways you can incorporate it:
Use it for Calming, Restorative Yoga Practice
If you aren’t in the right mindset, you may not get a lot out of your yoga practice. Anxiety from life stresses can make your yoga practice less calming and restorative. However, you can incorporate CBD into your yoga practice to soothe this anxiety and promote a calming, restorative yoga practice.
CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system to help alleviate stress and anxiety. To enjoy a calming, restorative yoga practice, simply take 40-60mg of CBD tincture at least an hour before your class. You can take it under your tongue, or you can add it to a cup of tea.
Energize Your Practice with CBD
Have you ever wondered how you were going to get through your yoga practice? This lack of energy and motivation can be caused by daytime sleepiness. This can be caused by the following:
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
- Pain
- Anxiety
- Not getting Rem sleep
- Residual effects of medication
- Not being active during the day
- Sleep apnea
Although CBD can create a calming and relaxing experience, it can also give you more energy throughout the day. We have found that larger doses of CBD oil promote relaxation and even sleepiness, but smaller doses of CBD actually increase your energy.
If you have daytime sleepiness and lack of motivation before, during, or after your yoga practice, the key is to figure out why.
- If you are suffering from insomnia, you will want to take a 40-160 mg of CBD before bed to give you more energy during your practice.
- If you are excessively tired during the day, you will want to take 5-25 mg in the morning before your yoga practice.
- If you are suffering from both sleeping problems as well as daytime sleepiness, you may want to take a smaller dose during the day and the larger dose at night.
Another way to incorporate CBD for energy is to add a small dose to your coffee, latte, or food during the day or before your yoga class. Keep in mind that the smaller doses will give you more energy when using CBD.
Boost Your Yoga Bliss
Yoga naturally promotes feelings of bliss after you leave the mat. This is because our brain is releasing a neurotransmitter called Anandamide known as the bliss molecule making us feel good after a yoga workout. After a short time, Anandamide is broken down in the body so you don’t feel good for as long.
However, if you use CBD after your yoga practice, you can prolong that bliss feeling. This means you can feel good for a longer period of time. Research has shown that CBD suppresses that enzyme that breaks down Anandamide which means the Anandamide stays in your system longer. Therefore, you can boost your yoga bliss by taking 5-20mg of CBD right after your yoga practice.
If you find that the CBD is not effective at creating this bliss after your yoga practice, you may want to take it before or during your practice so that it reaches your system at just the right time.
Use CBD for Recovering After
CBD and yoga are treatments that are used for many physical ailments. Many people have considered yoga to help with inflammation, chronic pain, or muscle pain. Yoga is a great gentle exercise, but even with gentle exercise, you may still have inflammation and pain after your workout.
CBD has been used for thousands of years to help with pain, inflammation, and physical discomfort. It works by reducing the inflammation and intercepting the transmission of pain signals in the brain.
If you need instant relief of pain and discomfort after your yoga practice, you can use a roll-on topical application. Or, you can take a tincture of CBD after your workout that may take about 15-20 minutes to begin working. For pain and inflammation, you will want to take 2.5-20 mg of CBD oil per day.
CBD works best if it is used on a daily basis consistently. You can start with a low 2.5-25 mg dose per day. Increase the CBD gradually if you do not feel any results.
To incorporate CBD into your yoga practice, take the CBD before or after your practice at the recommended doses above.
How do you incorporate CBD into your yoga practices? Share what you love about CBD in the comments below!
