Should You Use CBD for Focus?
It’s time to celebrate the new year! And for many of us, that means setting new goals and milestones. An estimated 190 million Americans intend to better themselves in 2021, whether by advancing their career, making positive lifestyle changes, or improving their relationships with the people they love. But over 10% of people surveyed already believe they’ll fail, with around half attributing their predicted shortcomings to a lack of willpower.
So how can you ensure 2021 isn’t another year where your commitment wanes before you achieve your goals? We’ve been looking at CBD. Increasing evidence points to the potential of using CBD for focus — and we believe it could be the perfect way to boost those energy and motivation levels before the winter blues set in. Below, we take a look at the case for using CBD to sharpen your mind and explain how you can incorporate it into your existing wellness routine.
What is CBD, and how does it work?
First, let’s discuss what CBD is and how it works in the body. Short for cannabidiol, CBD is one of many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. But unlike another famous cannabinoid called THC, it’s not psychoactive, which means it won’t get you high.
When you use CBD, it works by interacting with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), a neuromodulatory system that affects a range of bodily functions such as your mood, memory, appetite, and sleep. The ECS is made up of three components: receptors located throughout your body, endocannabinoids that interact with those receptors and moderate your bodily functions, and enzymes that break endocannabinoids down.
Exogenous cannabinoids like CBD produce an effect by interacting with the ECS; CBD is believed to do this by acting on the body’s CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are found mainly in the central nervous system, where they affect functions related to pain, movement, mood, coordination, appetite, and memory. CB2 receptors, which are concentrated in the peripheral nervous system, regulate pain and inflammation.
How CBD interacts with these receptors is uncertain. But many researchers believe it reduces the breakdown of the endocannabinoids that naturally bind with them, enhancing their positive effects within the body to produce the therapeutic benefits we associate with CBD.
How can CBD improve focus?
So how could the various therapeutic properties attributed to CBD help to improve focus? We can get a better idea by examining the way it works in more detail.
One of the things CBD helps to preserve is your body’s natural supply of serotonin. Serotonin has a significant impact on functions like your mood and sleep cycle — its ability to influence happiness gives it a good reputation.
By indirectly increasing the amount of serotonin in your body, CBD can help restore healthy sleep patterns, leading to longer and better-quality sleep. It can also reduce stress and anxiety levels and alleviate the symptoms of depression. These are some of the most common impediments to maintaining focus, and CBD offers a natural means to overcome them whereas people might traditionally turn to pharmaceuticals.
Even more interesting is that CBD works especially well when paired with herbal remedies. Herbs like ginkgo, gotu kola, and eleuthero are touted for their ability to enhance focus, increase clarity, and improve memory capacity.
At Kat’s Naturals, we recommend using our own herbal remedy called Clarity, which contains all of these herbs and goes great with your morning coffee. We’ve found that this combination alongside CBD is excellent for focusing the mind and spurring motivation.
And interestingly, the herbal industry fought the same fight for legitimacy that the CBD industry is fighting now. We can see how herbal remedies are enhancing people’s lives now that the industry is regulated and respected, and the CBD industry will eventually get the same kinds of regulation so that it can reach more people and have the same positive impact.
What kinds of CBD products should you use?
Once you’ve decided you’d like to try CBD for focus and motivation, you still may not know where to begin. Fear not. We’ve provided a quick breakdown of three things you should look for in a CBD oil that will help achieve your goals.
1. CBD oil with terpenes
Instead of CBD isolate, look for a CBD oil that also contains terpenes. The following terpenes all combine well to boost energy levels and focus:
- Limonene
- Camphene
- Myrcene
- Eucalyptol
- beta-Caryophyllene
- b-Pinene
- y-Terpinene
- Terpinolene
- Linalool
- Eugenol
- p-Cymene
- Humulene
2. CBD oil with essential oils
Essential oils are also a fantastic way to supplement CBD oil’s therapeutic effects—the two combine wonderfully. We’d recommend any of the following essential oils:
- Cinamon: Known to boost the immune system and promote a healthy metabolism.
- Peppermint: Good for overall digestive health. It also improves respiratory function when ingested.
- Ginger Root: Believed to aid digestion and reduce the onset of nausea, bloating, gas, and indigestion.
- Lemon: Naturally cleanses the body, enhancing mood, respiratory function, and digestion.
- Grapefruit: Increases energy levels and aids metabolism.
3. CBD oil with CBG
Cannabigerol (CBG) is a cannabinoid like CBD. We’ve found it to be an excellent way of boosting focus and clarity. In fact, CBG is comparable to caffeine, except without the jitters that caffeine often causes.
Finding the right dosage
Having identified the best CBD oil for focus, one thing remains: finding the right dosage. Generally speaking, we find that if you use a CBD oil that has all of the correct terpenes and essential oils, you should only need 10 to 20 milligrams of CBD per day.
If you use CBD oil with CBG, you may need to experiment to find your optimal dose. Dosage always depends on factors like tolerance and body type. And CBG tolerance can vary considerably from one person to the next. Start slowly, easing your dose upwards over time so that you always feel comfortable. That’s the key to a good experience with CBD, CBG, and any other therapeutic substance.
Make CBD your secret weapon
There’s a lot to be said for incorporating CBD into your wellness routine this winter. In addition to its well-known therapeutic benefits, the right CBD for focus can also boost your energy and motivation levels. As more people turn to natural remedies like CBD to improve focus and energy, they will continue to experience great results. So why not give it a go? See if CBD can help you achieve your goals in 2021.