Do you feel like you’re living life on auto-pilot? Are you bouncing from one task to another and never stopping? Admittedly, life gets busy, and sometimes there’s no way to avoid that, but maybe you would benefit from living more mindfully.
But, what is mindfulness all about, and how can CBD help cultivate a deeper sense of calm? Let’s delve into the basics of CBD and mindfulness and how these can be used in conjunction to sustain a calmer, more fulfilling lifestyle.
CBD and Mindfulness: The Basics
Practising mindfulness has become extremely popular in the last few years. Google even reported that searches for ‘mindfulness apps’ grew 65% year on year. In case you’re an active social media user, this may not surprise you as more people share their journey online of using yoga, meditation and mindful living to tackle symptoms of anxiety and stress.
So, what is mindfulness? Traditionally, being mindful means that you have a sense of awareness towards a specific topic or issue. But, when it comes to mindfulness practice, the focus is one’s self.
In this sense, being mindful means you are focused on the present moment and totally accepting of what it is. This acceptance includes acknowledging and sitting with your thoughts, feelings and current life situation.
While it may sound relatively simple, the act of focusing on your emotional state can actually be quite challenging for many individuals. For most people, we are conditioned to push our feelings aside and ignore what we’re dealing with. Never taking a break or a moment to address your feelings can lead to burnout and mental illness. In fact, about 1 in 6 people will experience a common mental health condition in the past week. These shocking statistics are a clear indicator that something must change. CBD for mindfulness may be the saving grace we all need.
Practising mindfulness meditation involves focusing on your breath and stilling your mind. Meditation will help you develop a greater sense of awareness, and the more practice, the easier you will notice your mind wandering, and you’ll be able to focus on your breath again. Over time, this awareness weaves its way into every aspect of your life. Previously you may have reacted to a stressful situation automatically, becoming angry or maybe upset. However, after developing a regular mindfulness practice, you will find yourself pausing to breathe, calm the mind and body before reacting to the situation in a calmer manner.
While mindfulness practises and CBD has a lot of potential, it is important to note that they should not replace medication unless you’re advised to by a doctor. Always consult your healthcare provider before incorporating CBD into your wellness regime to make sure it is suitable for your lifestyle.
Using CBD for Mindfulness
CBD, or cannabidiol, is an all-natural compound or ‘cannabinoid’. This unique compound originates from a variation of the cannabis plant called hemp. Hemp is a desirable plant with many potential health benefits because it is naturally low in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which may cause a ‘high’ if someone consumes too much. Unlike THC, cannabidiol is referred to as non-psychoactive, which means it doesn’t have any intoxicating effects.
CBD comes in many formats, including CBD oil capsules, tinctures, gummies, beverages, topical treatments, skincare, and so much more! Alongside mindfulness, CBD has been taking the wellness industry by storm, with more and more people dipping their toes into cannabinoids.
Studies show that CBD oil works by interacting with a system in the body called the endocannabinoid system – ECS for short. This is a complex system that facilitates communication among cells and keeps your body balanced and functioning well. Although research is ongoing, it seems that the ECS may regulate mood, relaxation, sleep, digestion, immunity, stress, memory and more.
CBD is said to help cultivate a sense of calm and relaxation by indirectly boosting the ECS and reducing the stress response. Therefore, when you combine CBD with your mindfulness practice, you may notice less stress, more calm and a deeper sense of fulfilment. Interestingly, many promising studies show that using CBD oil for sleep and anxiety symptoms may be effective and help boost your mental health.
What’s more, mindfulness meditation may have similar potential benefits to CBD. Some of these benefits include reducing anxiety symptoms, reducing age and race bias, improving cognitive function, and even using mindfulness for sleep.
Many mindfulness practices involve slowing your mind, focusing on your breath, and being aware of what’s happening within your body and environment. However, this can be challenging if your busy lifestyle means you’re always on the go. If you’re struggling to slow down, CBD may be able to bridge the gap between a frustrating meditation and a calming moment of presence.
Theoretically, using CBD alongside your mindfulness practice may help supercharge these potential benefits, especially if you struggle to still your mind. CBD may help you overcome this hurdle, allowing you to practise mindfulness with more ease.
Depending on which type of CBD you take, such as CBD gummies or CBD capsules, it may affect when you take it. For fast-acting results, use CBD oil. After holding this under your tongue for 60 seconds, it will enter your bloodstream within 15-20 minutes and start taking effect.
After taking your daily dose of CBD, try some of these mindfulness activities to bring about more calm into your life:
Box breathing: Inhale for a count of 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4 and repeat.
Visualisation Meditation: Find a quiet, comfortable space to sit where you won’t be disturbed. Follow a guided visualisation or start to imagine your idea of paradise, focusing on what you can see, hear, smell, taste and feel.
Focus on your senses: Start this activity by choosing an everyday activity such as drinking your morning coffee (why not add your CBD to your hot drink!). As you enjoy your drink, focus on each individual sense, closing your eyes if this helps you. Do one at a time and focus on what you’re experiencing.
Final Thoughts
Using CBD for mindfulness can be a great way to enhance the effects of your self-care routine. Incorporating CBD into your day will help you calm your mind, slow your racing thoughts and allow you to enjoy those moments of calm and presence. Mindfulness can be practised wherever you are, from the comfort of your bedroom to your desk at the office. It’s a wonderfully versatile practice, and it may be just the thing to calm your busy lifestyle.