It’s a struggle many of us know all too well: you start a new project, be it a work or school-related thing, hype yourself up to start it and get it done before the deadline. But then you can’t stay focused for long enough and end up failing to reach your goals on time.
This can be very discouraging, but you’re not alone in these struggles. According to a 2010 Harvard study, the average person’s mind wanders for around 47% of the time they’re doing one thing.
Regardless of what you’re trying to achieve, you can’t succeed without proper concentration. Still, sometimes focus is simply hard to achieve, particularly when your workload doesn’t leave you enough opportunities to take care of your health and overall well-being.
Fortunately, you don’t have to search far and wide to find a solution that can help boost your attention span and increase your focus. CBD, a natural and non-intoxicating substance, might be exactly what you need to stay sharp and alert.
This article explores how CBD may help your body regain balance and clear the fog that seems to be covering your mind.
Key Takeaways
- CBD is a natural substance that may help restore balance in our bodies. Its ingredients can promote wellness and support overall well-being, regardless of the particular form of the product.
- CBD can help lower the impact of various stressors and triggers. It may support better and more restful sleep, soothe aches and pain, and promote tranquility.
- You can use a wide variety of different CBD products. Options include, but are not limited to, CBD topicals, such as athletic creams and salves, CBD oils, as well as CBD gummies and softgels. Your ideal dosage and method of administration will largely depend on factors such as your lifestyle, preferences, and the particular issues you’re experiencing.
What Is CBD?
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. In contrast to Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC, CBD is non-intoxicating and doesn’t produce the “high” feeling, which is often mistakenly associated with all cannabis-derived products.
CBD is a natural substance with a wide range of potential health benefits; you can use it to support your physical and mental well-being.
Thanks to its growing popularity and increasing social acceptance, you can easily find various CBD products on the market. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can purchase CBD salves and CBD athletic creams, broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD oils, CBD softgels, and CBD gummies, among other things.
How Does CBD Work?
Before you learn more about how CBD interacts with your body, it’s essential to understand what your endocannabinoid system (ECS) does. The ECS is a vast cell-signaling system composed of endocannabinoids. It’s responsible for creating and maintaining balance by regulating various bodily processes and functions.
These processes include:
- sleep,
- appetite,
- mood regulation,
- pain,
- inflammatory response,
- immune response,
- metabolism,
- memory,
- learning.
Some researchers believe that CBD can prevent endocannabinoids from being broken down. This possibility allows theorizing that consuming CBD may play a role in supporting processes that ECS regulates.
Bear in mind that since CBD is not a one-size-fits-all solution, it can work differently for different people. Still, it’s not a reason to feel discouraged from trying CBD products, as it is arguably the best way to determine what CBD can do for you.
Can CBD Boost Your Energy Levels and Help You Focus?
Even if you don’t keep up with the latest news and developments in the CBD market, you’ve probably seen CBD-based products marketed as supporting sound sleep or promoting relaxation.
This all may leave you wondering how you can use CBD to boost your energy.
In this case, it all boils down to the right dosage. Shortly speaking, your exact experience with CBD will largely depend on the amount of CBD you consume. Of course, it can vary from one product to another, and factors such as potency as well as the bioavailability of your product also play a significant role in this equation.
In general, it’s believed that higher doses of CBD may have sleep-inducing effects and, therefore, be a great sleep aid or help you relax after a hectic day at the office. Conversely, lower doses may provide a stimulating effect and boost your wakefulness. You can also use CBD to support overall wellness and indirectly support your energy and ability to concentrate.
How Can CBD Promote Focus?
There are times when, despite our best efforts, we simply can’t stay focused on the task that requires our care and attention. Distractions can take many different forms, including tiredness, insufficient sleep, or discomfort.
Here’s what you should know about CBD’s usage and effects and how they can impact your ability to concentrate.
Can Relieve Discomfort
Aches, sore muscles, and inflammation can be incredibly uncomfortable. Sometimes they’re just a result of short-term injuries rather than results of chronic conditions. Still, regardless of their source, they can still leave you exhausted and unable to focus.
The good news is that CBD can help relieve pain and support a healthy inflammation response. For instance, if you’re an athlete and often deal with bruises and swelling, you can use CBD athletic cream or a soothing CBD salve. Those struggling with arthritis and joint pain may find support in CBD softgels or oils applied sublingually.
Once your pain has gone down, you should find it easier to finish your tasks and stay in the right headspace.
Can Help You Relax
Short-term stress can help you stay motivated and resolve the challenges that life throws at you more efficiently, but it can quickly get to the point where it becomes a burden. Staying calm and focused is nearly impossible when you're overwhelmed by stress. Stress can wear you down and leave you feeling tired, nervous, and unfocused.
CBD may help alleviate the negative impact that stress has on your body and mind. Whenever you feel like you could use some extra support and get more relaxed, you can take a few drops of your favorite full-spectrum CBD oil or broad-spectrum CBD oil (if you want to avoid THC).
When applied sublingually, CBD oil can start working within 15 minutes. However, if you want something more discreet and easier to consume, you can also take CBD gummies or CBD softgels. Just remember they may take even up to 2 hours to work, as before they can enter your bloodstream and kick in, they first need to travel through your digestive system.
Can Support Better Sleep
Although most of the evidence is still anecdotal and more research is needed, CBD has shown a lot of promise when it comes to its ability to encourage better sleep quality and quantity. After all, it’s nearly impossible to stay focused when you’re tired after a sleepless night or spend the majority of your time in bed tossing and turning.
Deliciously flavored CBD gummies or easy-to-swallow CBD softgels may be a great way to get your dose of CBD that will help you fall asleep easier and sleep for longer. You just need to take them at least an hour before going to bed so they have enough time to start working.
How Much CBD Should You Take?
The ideal dosage depends on various factors. Because CBD doesn’t work the same way for everyone, you may need to go through a process of trial and error before determining your ideal dosage. You can also seek a doctor’s advice or follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Don’t get discouraged if you find that the dosage you’ve tried doesn’t do anything for you. Start with low doses and increase them gradually until you feel the effects of CBD. Keep in mind that at the very beginning of your CBD journey, you shouldn’t take more than 65 mg of CBD a day.
If you’re choosing between products with varying potencies, start small. Buy the least potent one, use it to build your tolerance, and slowly introduce CBD to your body.
Furthermore, products such as CBD softgels or gummies make it easy to control the dosage, as they contain a precise dose of CBD. However, things may get a bit more complicated when it comes to CBD oil, so remember that one drop of the oil contains approximately 15 mg of CBD. One or two drops of CBD oil a day should be enough to boost your concentration and help you deal with distractions more efficiently.
How to Include CBD in Your Daily Routine?
Regardless of how busy you are, CBD products are so versatile that everyone can find a way to include them in their daily routine. Still, if you need some help deciding which one will fit your needs, preferences, and lifestyle best, you may want to begin by answering a few simple questions:
- Do your aching joints or sore muscles affect your ability to stay concentrated?
- Do you feel overwhelmed as a result of long-term stress?
- Are you unable to focus after a night of poor-quality sleep?
If you’re able to pinpoint the exact factor/s that contribute to your troubles with staying alert and attentive, you’ll be one step closer to finding the ideal way to include CBD in your daily life.
For instance, if it’s a pain that’s preventing you from focusing on work or chores, you may need a CBD product that’s portable, discreet, and easy to use, such as CBD softgels, CBD gummies, or CBD salve.
If you struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, you’ll probably only need to take CBD before going to bed each evening. This means that you can take as much time as you need to consume CBD oil sublingually or mix it with your herbal tea. You won’t have to take CBD with you and use it throughout the day.
In case you identify stress as your worst enemy, you may need to take CBD during your workday. This way, you’ll be more likely to stay focused for longer and get more things done. Once again, it’s a situation where portable and discreet products such as CBD softgels and CBD gummies may come in handy.
Is CBD Safe?
CBD is considered to be a generally safe substance. However, some people may experience side effects, including fatigue, dry mouth, drowsiness, nausea, diarrhea, or reduced appetite.
Since everyone reacts to CBD differently, one person’s experience may be entirely different from someone else’s. Nonetheless, if you experience any severe side effects, you should stop taking CBD and seek a doctor’s advice.
Bear in mind that you should never mix CBD with alcohol and refrain from taking it alongside prescription medication unless you have your doctor’s permission. Be transparent when talking to your doctor, and don’t hesitate to ask them for recommendations regarding the right dosage or the products you want to try.
Can You Take CBD Daily?
Consistency is key to achieving the best effects, so you can absolutely take CBD daily. If you need to, you can even take CBD twice a day. For instance, if you decide to use CBD softgels or consume CBD oil to help you stay focused through the workday, you can take one dose in the morning and then another one after a few hours when you need extra support.
Still, remember that if you’re new to CBD, you should start with small doses and increase them until you’re satisfied with how they work. Don’t try to push the limits by taking more CBD than needed.
Can CBD Expire?
Cannabidiol is a natural substance, which means that eventually, it can degrade and expire. Most CBD products have an average shelf life of 2 years, but this time window can shorten significantly when stored improperly.
Therefore, if you want to get the most out of your CBD products, you should keep them in a cool and dry place, such as a pantry or a kitchen cupboard. If you live in a particularly hot area, you can also keep your CBD in the refrigerator, but be careful not to freeze it.
If you suspect that your CBD may have gone bad, do not consume it. Some tell-tale of expired CBD products include discoloration, changes in texture, or foul smell. Don’t consume such products — while they probably won’t make you sick, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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