Can CBD Help Manage Coronavirus Stress?

Staying Peaceful In The Midst Of Crisis

On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the United States. Since that time, the disease has spread rapidly across the country. States across the U.S. have issued shelter-in-place orders to contain the transmission of the virus.

Throughout the country, people are experiencing stress related to the coronavirus. This may include worrying about your own health or the health of your loved ones — particularly if they are older or have a compromised immune system — or financial stress due to job loss or a reduction in hours. For others, trying to work from home while also taking care of kids is incredibly stressful.

If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the coronavirus, you may be wondering if CBD can help. We have put together the research to explain what CBD may or may not be able to do for you if you are stressed out about COVID-19.

The Effects of Stress on the Body

Being under stress can affect your body in a number of ways. It may impact your physical health, your mood, and even your behavior.

For example, stress may cause:

Headaches
Chest pain
Muscle tension or pain
Fatigue
Stomach problems
Sleep issues
A change in sex drive

In addition, stress may lead to depression, irritability, anxiety, and restlessness. For some people this leads them to withdraw socially, eat too much or too little, or even have angry outbursts. Over time, stress may contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Importantly, stress is not the same thing as anxiety, although the terms may be used interchangeably and they have similar symptoms. Stress is typically caused by an external trigger — such as worrying about the coronavirus. Anxiety involves persistent, excessive worries that are unrelated to a particular stressor; this may lead to a formal medical diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.

During this time, when most (if not all) Americans are stressed in some way about the coronavirus, we may find ourselves experiencing at least a few of these physical and mental health symptoms. Managing stress effectively is key to avoiding the complications associated with it.

Can CBD Help with Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

There are many ways to cope with stress related to this global health crisis. Some of these ways are healthier than others, such as talking to a friend instead of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

CBD refers to Cannabidiol. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a type of chemical that naturally occurs in cannabis plants. Unlike another type of cannabinoid, THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana), CBD does not make a person “high” or cause them to feel intoxicated.

As it turns out, the human mind has what are known as cannabinoid receptors. These affect your mood, your appetite, pain receptors, and even memory. According to scientific research, CBD may help reduce stress and/or the symptoms associated with stress by interacting with cannabinoid receptors that are located in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. These receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system.

While research is still developing in this field, scientists believe that CBD may alter these receptors’ serotonin signals. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression and anxiety. The potential for CBD as an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety agent is promising.
A number of studies have suggested that CBD could be helpful in reducing the symptoms associated with anxiety:

A 2010 study found that CBD helped to reduce anxiety in people with generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) due to its effects on blood flow to the limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain, which are sometimes referred to as the “feeling and reacting” or emotional brain.
A 2011 study determined that CBD aided in reducing symptoms of anxiety in people with SAD when they were asked to speak in public.
Research performed in 2014 found that animals who were given CBD experienced effects that were similar to those produced by antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications when they were put in stressful situations, such as a forced swimming test.
A 2015 research review found that current evidence supports the use of CBD for a range of issues related to anxiety, and concluded that CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for anxiety disorders.
In 2015, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stated that CBD has been shown to be effective in reducing social anxiety and the symptoms of stress and anxiety in animal and human testing.
A 2016 study determined that CBD may help to treat anxiety and sleep disorders related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

These findings are incredibly positive. However, more research is needed to determine exactly how CBD works to reduce anxiety. If CBD can help to reduce the symptoms associated with anxiety, then it could also reduce the symptoms of stress — which are often identical.

How to Buy High Quality CBD

When purchasing CBD, there are several things to look out for to ensure you are buying a safe product. This includes buying from a company that:

Lists the ingredients of each item
Discloses the origins of the CBD (i.e., produced from hemp grown in the United States, which is regulated, or from another country)
Tells you how the CBD was extracted from hemp
Tests its products independently

When in doubt, be sure to read the reviews for the company you’re purchasing from or the product you’re purchasing.

What CBD Products Are Worth Trying Related To Stress?

If you are stressed about coronavirus, we offer a range of CBD products through our online store. There are a few different CBD products we’d recommend trying.

Medterra Dissolvable Sleep Tablets – Combines CBD with melatonin to provide a restful sleep.
Relaxation CBD Drops – Drops and tinctures designed with relaxation in mind.
Social CBD Recover Gel Capsules – A specially formulated balance of CBD and essential herbs for an improvement in everyday wellness.
MedCBDX Gum – Fast acting CBD with a great peppermint taste.

About Green Wellness Life

At Green Wellness Life, our goal is to offer safe CBD products that have been independently tested. We are not medical professionals, and cannot diagnose or treat any medical or mental health conditions. We can provide you with information on the latest scientific research on CBD as well as testimonials from our customers.

If you are interested in using CBD or CBD oil, our website is a great place to start. Check out our product finder if you need assistance deciding what to purchase. You can also contact us via phone at 1-888-772-7875 or email us at any time for additional information.

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