CBD continues to be a popular choice for many people to help manage symptoms for several health issues, including pain, stress relief, and insomnia. However, you may feel hesitant if you’re unsure what CBD is or how it may make you feel. The good news is, CBD is known for its medicinal benefits and usually is well-tolerated with little to no side effects.
In this article, you will learn what CBD is, how it makes you feel, and where you can find the best and most reliable CBD products on the market.
What is CBD?
CBD is short for Cannabidiol - one of the main active ingredients in the cannabis (marijuana) plant with a vital significance in the medical marijuana industry. However, CBD comes from the hemp plant, a cousin of the cannabis plant with low amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the compound responsible for psychoactive effects. In other words, CBD products deliver medicinal benefits without making you high or causing physical or mental impairment.
You can find CBD products in various forms, including oil, extracts, vaporized liquid, capsules, beauty products, and edibles.
How Does CBD Make You Feel?
Many people take CBD to help treat insomnia, manage stress and anxiety, and promote relaxation. The consensus from users tends to be that CBD provides a soothing and relaxing effect.
CBD is known for its adaptogenic properties. Adaptogens are plants or extracts that help the body adapt to stress and biological changes, including immune system activity. While CBD is technically a molecule, it possesses features and behaviors that you also find in adaptogens.
For example, taking CBD during the day can leave you with more energy and a clearer state of mind, while taking it at night can deliver a relaxing effect that helps you fall asleep. The benefits you experience from CBD vary depending on the current state of your body and mind and what they need at that moment
The Positive Effects
There's a big range of positive effects you may feel when you take CBD. Let's take a look at some of the most common positive effects that users report. Remember, while these effects are common, they aren't guaranteed, and your personal experience with CBD might vary.
A Sense of Peace
Since CBD helps reduce negative symptoms of anxiety and depression, users often report feeling peaceful and centered after taking CBD.
Relaxation and Calmness
If you feel frazzled or stressed, CBD might help calm your mind and relax your body.
Reduced Pain and Inflammation
Research has shown that CBD can reduce pain caused by inflammation disorders. If you struggle with chronic pain associated with inflammation, CBD might be a great tool to help relieve pain.
Better Sleep
If you struggle with insomnia, CBD might help. Research has shown that CBD can help relieve anxiety and improve sleep.
More Focus
Since CBD can help calm your mind and relax you, you may find that CBD helps you focus. Just be sure to take an appropriate dose for daytime use.
Improved Neurological Symptoms
Patients that struggle with different neurological symptoms (like seizures or multiple sclerosis), can find relief through use of CBD. In fact, the only FDA-approved medication that contains CBD is for treatment of specific kinds of seizures.
Does CBD Get You High?
CBD in any form does not make you high. While you shouldn’t experience mental impairment, you may have feelings of drowsiness or relaxation after a large dose. This might be great if you use CBD as a sleep aid, but you'll want to be careful if you use CBD during the day.
What About Full-Spectrum CBD Oil?
Full-spectrum CBD oil has the "full spectrum" of cannabinoids found in the source hemp. This includes trace amounts of THC, and many customers get worried that taking too much full-spectrum CBD oil will make them high.
The amount of THC allowed in full-spectrum CBD products .03% per the 2018 Farm Bill. While this shouldn’t be enough to get you high, people sensitive to THC may feel effects and those who need to take drug tests should proceed with caution.
THC vs. CBD: How Do They Make You Feel?
There's a lot of confusion about how THC and CBD make you feel. While both are cannabinoids found in cannabis, they have dramatically different effects on the body.
THC
THC is the part of marijuana that gets you high. It's also the specific compound that is federally outlawed in the United States. THC can cause lethargy, relaxation, increased appetite, and a changed perception of the world. For example, time may feel like it's moving very slowly or very quickly, and too much THC can cause paranoia and psychosis.
THC can also cause physical impairment, which can make it more difficult to move or walk. This is why you should never take THC and drive, since your motor function and overall perceptions are altered. It's best to use THC products in private areas where you feel safe and comfortable, and when you have no plans to drive or travel.
CBD
CBD is not psychoactive at all, which means it won't make you high in any way. Even though it doesn't make you high, it still has a dramatic impact on your body. It can promote relaxation and can cause drowsiness, which is great for people who struggle to fall and stay asleep. It can also help reduce pain caused by inflammation and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety.
Unlike THC, CBD can easily be used during the day. You can take CBD and drive, since your motor functions and perceptions aren't altered. It can make you sleepy, so be sure to take time to learn how CBD will impact you before you plan on any road trips, but CBD is generally safe to use while you're out and about for your day.
How Long Does it Take For CBD to Work?
CBD edibles are typically absorbed into the bloodstream within anywhere between 20 minutes and 2 hours. Many CBD users report the effects within 15 to 30 minutes. However, this varies depending on the method of delivery. Other variables include age, body weight, metabolism, dosage, and type of CBD used.
If your goal is to relieve everyday stress, your first dose may give you that relaxing effect you need. On the other hand, using CBD for more severe issues takes consistency and patience to see the benefits to their full potential - it may take days or weeks of consistent CBD intake to begin seeing the desired results in your health and body.
Commonly Asked CBD Questions
If you're new to CBD, you probably have a lot of questions about using it. We've taken some of the most common (and most important) questions about CBD and answered them below.
Is CBD Safe? Is It Legal To Consume?
CBD is typically considered to be safe. While the vast majority of people can take CBD without any problems, there are some possible side effects that you need to be aware of. First, CBD can sometimes cause digestive issues, like diarrhea. This is why you should start out with low doses and work your way up when you know how CBD will affect you.
Beginners often struggle to answer the question, "How much CBD should I take?." There isn't a universal answer, so that's why we recommend starting with low doses. The linked article will give you more specifics about what an appropriate dose might look like for you.
The biggest risk of taking CBD is consuming a contaminated product. CBD isn't regulated by the FDA right now, so there isn't a governing body checking the claims of purity that many CBD brands claim. Making sure a brand has third-party lab tests available is a great way if the CBD product you're eating is safe.
Is CBD legal? Yes! Once the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, hemp was made federally legal. As long as CBD products have less than 0.03% THC, they are legal in the United States.
What Is The Most Effective Way To Use CBD?
The best way to effectively use CBD is to find a method you enjoy and use it consistently. Many customers use CBD oil drops since it's easy to measure and dose. Others prefer CBD-infused gummies since the taste is more tolerable than a lot of CBD oils. Start with low doses and work your way up to a level that helps alleviate the specific symptoms you're treating.
Can CBD Be Taken With Medication?
We recommend talking with your primary care physician if you are concerned about CBD interacting with medications you regularly take. CBD can interact with certain prescription medications, like certain blood thinners and thyroid medications. CBD can also interact with over-the-counter medications like Benadryl.
CBD can even interact with certain herbal supplements, like melatonin or St. John's wort. Some of these interactions enhance the sedative effects of CBD, while other interactions may change how the medication works at all. Again, you should talk to your primary care physician about any specific questions you have regarding CBD interacting with any other medication you take.
Can CBD Reflect In a Drug Test?
It is possible to fail a drug test while only using CBD products. Full-spectrum CBD products contain trace amounts of THC. The more full-spectrum CBD products you use, the more likely that it will pop up on a drug test. Unfortunately, the drug test won't show that the THC is from a legal source. It will only show that it's present in your body.
Many CBD users are in a position where they can't afford to test positive for THC use. Fortunately, there are two kinds of CBD products that can help avoid this issue entirely: broad-spectrum and CBD-isolates. Broad-spectrum CBD products include a variety of cannabinoids and terpenes but do not contain THC. CBD isolates contain only CBD.
Remember, not all CBD brands are honest about what's in their products. A CBD product could be listed as broad-spectrum or isolate when it actually contains trace amounts of THC. This is one of the many reasons that reputable brands have third-party lab tests public on their websites and literature.
If a brand is unable or unwilling to show lab results, then it's likely they're being dishonest about what is in their CBD products. Even if the price is tempting, it's not worth potentially failing a drug test because a brand was dishonest about what was in their CBD products.
Where Can I Find the Best CBD Products?
The best CBD products will be from brands that offer third-party lab testing and are upfront about where their hemp comes from. For example, here at Alchemy Naturals, we proudly source all of our CBD from organic, Oregon-grown hemp. We also offer third-party lab results for all of our products, including our THC-free products, so you can take them with confidence.
We genuinely believe that we have some of the best and purest CBD products on the market, and we have the lab testing and customer reviews to prove it! Take a look at some of the products we offer and reach out to us if you have any questions about a product that has caught your interest.
Conclusion: How Does CBD Make You Feel?
CBD will impact different people in different ways. Depending on the strain, you may feel relaxed and sedated or clear-headed and focused. Many brands offer specific CBD formulations to achieve different effects like Indica strains to help with sleep or Sativa strains meant for daily use.
While effects can vary, most CBD users can expect to feel:
- Calm
- Relaxed
- Focused
- Reduced pain
- Possibly sleepy (with high doses or with Indica strains).
Some may struggle with tolerating CBD. While usually associated with taking too much CBD, some negative side-effects could include:
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Irritation or anxiousness
Since effects aren't guaranteed, you might want to try a couple of different products before landing on the one you want to take consistently. There's a perfect CBD product for you out there, and it won't take you long to find the one (or few) that's perfect for you!
