Four ways CBD could boost your workout routine — and even make it fun

Ditch the exercise anxiety and start looking forward to moving your bod.

Breaking a sweat and getting your blood moving can be a satisfying, stress-relieving break in your day. But what if your workout’s the thing stressing you out? Or if pain, inflammation and muscle soreness leave you wishing you could skip the trail or gym altogether? CBD, a non-psychoactive compound extracted from cannabis, could boost your workout routine. Heck, it may even help you look forward to your daily dose of movement.

1. Ditch the Pre-Workout Anxiety

Early stage clinical studies suggest CBD may reduce anxiety, whether it’s a reaction to a stressful situation or you’re prone to nervous tension. The medical community has called for more studies before drawing conclusions on this issue, but doctors acknowledge that initial data look promising.

Dr. Sophie Vergnaud, M.D., told the online magazine Bustle that CBD can lower stress and anxiety, helping people enjoy working out.

“CBD may help you get in the right mental state for a workout by improving motivation, and can help you focus on your body and be more mindful in your workout or practice,” she said.

2. During the Workout, Relieve Pain and Inflammation

Pain is an important signal from your body that you should never ignore. But if you’re looking to take the edge off with the possibility of added benefits for protection and recovery, cannabinoid pain formulas offer an option beyond over-the-counter drugs.

A 2020 review of preclinical studies and available clinical trials found evidence CBD may help to:

• reduce inflammation
• relieve pain
• protect neurons and, more broadly, the nervous system
• promote healing of traumatic skeletal injuries.

Dr. Vergnaud told Bustle people are increasingly turning to CBD to help to help relieve pain and inflammation during workout sessions. So far, though, the evidence is largely anecdotal.

“Unfortunately, there’s not much direct scientific evidence yet for the use of CBD as a workout supplement,” Vergnaud said. “That’s not to say that there aren’t benefits, just that the existing research is too imprecise to be able to make definitive recommendations.”

3. Recover and Relax Post-Workout

CBD’s effects on pain and inflammation are key here too. Writing for Bustle, JR Thorpe reports that CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties may help muscles relax, which can be key to post-workout recovery. It might be worth trying both oral and topical forms of CBD to see which is most effective for you.

Oral: Results of a 2020 study suggest that CBD oil taken immediately after a strenuous workout can reduce muscle soreness later.

Topical: Writing for Well+ Good, Rachel Lapidos reported that she noticed a difference from consistently massaging her legs with CBD oil after running (and noted that the post-workout rub itself might have had something to do with that). You don’t necessarily have to use your CBD oil to try this out. Many options exist for CBD lotions, creams and body oils that have been specifically formulated for topical application.

4. Ace Your Nighttime Routine for Great Sleep

Case reports have suggested that CBD improves sleep. As with the points outlined above, the medical community would like broader scientific research before drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of CBD. But many people report that it promotes calm, and can be part of an evening routine that encourages restful sleep, supporting exercise and overall health.

A complementary cannabinoid — cannabinol, or CBN — is gaining recognition as a sleep aid, and cannabis-based sleep formulas may contain both CBD and CBN.

The Final Countdown

Based on the information we have thus far, CBD looks promising for its ability to support the mind and body — before, during and after a workout. Still, we aren’t likely to hear that from doctors until the points above are confirmed by scientific studies. Until then, CBD from reputable sources is considered safe and is usually well tolerated, making it a low-risk option to test on your own.

from Nothing But Hemp https://www.nothingbuthemp.net/post/four-ways-cbd-could-boost-your-workout-routine-and-even-make-it-fun

source https://marisjaanderson.tumblr.com/post/669047345869209600