CBD and Stress. How Does It Work?

Listen, I get it. A stress-free life isn't realistic. At least it's not when you have a job, own a business, have kids, have a partner, family baggage, bills to pay, a dog who likes to chew your couch or a cat who likes to bring in mice, mental health diagnosis you're learning to navigate, friends who rely on your advice and input...

I'll stop there but just know: we are with you and just like you!

Which is why it's extremely important to understand how CBD works with your body to help you find the calm you need to fulfill your responsibilities one day at a time.

Let's dive in.

CBD is different than traditional pharmaceuticals that are typically prescribed for stress and anx1ety because rather than turning off your emotions and mental awareness to your stress, CBD actually fills in the chemical gaps to keep your mind regulated and balance to prevent spiraling from a stressful thought into a literal physical reaction to the stress (think tension, headaches, etc.).

I'm going to quickly pause and make it very clear that the Common Ground Team strongly believes there is a time and a place for everything, including traditional pharmaceuticals. We just want to make sure you have access to all the knowledge you need so you can make the best decisions for your *very individual* wellness journey. 

If you've read any of our previous articles from the early Common Ground days, you know that the body has what's called an Endocannabinoid System (ESC). The ESC controls the body's most vital functions like learning and memory, emotional processing, sleep, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, and more (Harvard, 2021).

It's funny because what most people are currently learning is that cannabinoids (the powerful compounds found in the cannabis plant) can also be found in the foods we eat. Foods like fish and fruits and vegetables. The problem is that most of our foods are so over processed or over fertilized during the manufacturing phase, that many of the vital nutrients and cannabinoids are lost along the way. 

Because of this lack of nutrition in our foods, we use vitamins and herbal supplements. CBD falls in the herbal supplement category and we are able to fill the cannabinoid gap in our bodies when we use products like CBD tinctures and capsules. 

When we have the proper amount of cannabinoids in our system, our ECS will act as a network of chemical signals and regulate the body's response to things like pain, sleep, emotional responses like stress, and even 1nflammation (Harvard, 2021).

There are two main types of receptors in our ECS; the CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor. When the CB1 receptor is stimulated by cannabinoids entering the system, the receptor send signals to our body to balance the activity of other neurotransmitters (controlling pain levels, emotional responses, signaling proper sleep cycles, and more). 

When the CB2 receptor is stimulated, our body can regulate immune and 1nflammatory responses directly in our 1mmune tissues. It's really incredible when you think about how vast and powerful a functioning ECS can be!

If this is all still confusing, take a quick glance at this article by Harvard Health. It's short and sweet and makes the ECS a lot less daunting than many articles on the web! You can also check out one of our earlier articles titled How Does CBD Work?

Here's the TLDR; compounds in CBD literally work with your cells to regulate pain responses, stress responses, and create an overall balanced, functioning system. CBD will not mask your pain or muddy your emotional responses or knock you out at night - it will balance your body to have proper responses so you can function normally throughout the day and night.

Pretty incredible if you ask us!

So if you know you are going to have a particularly stressful day, or if you are a particularly stressed out person, grab a tincture! We have options for everyone and as always, email us here - hello@commonground-cbd.com - if you have any further questions about the ECS, CBD, or if you need help finding the perfect product for you!

Have a stress-less day, my friends!