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Does CBD Oil Calm You Down?

Cannabidiol (CBD) has become widely popular thanks to its many wellness-promoting properties. Customers today are using CBD-infused oil for everything from sleep quality to skin health. But sometimes what you want more than anything is simply to relax and find your center in the face of stress. Could CBD oil help you calm down when it counts?

The short answer is “Yes.” Many people report that CBD oil can reduce anxiety and create a feeling of clear-headed relaxation. Although this substance may not affect everyone the same way, many users find that cannabidiol helps them stay calm.

That includes the customers who’ve reviewed our own vegan, all-natural Daily Calm CBD tincture — the overwhelming majority agree that it helps them chill out despite the stresses and challenges of daily life. There are even some scientific studies offering confirmation of CBD’s soothing properties (although research in this area still has a long way to go).

In this article, we’ll explore how cannabidiol interacts with your nervous system to calm you down when you’re upset. We’ll also offer some suggestions on using CBD oil effectively to help manage symptoms associated with stress and anxiety.

Does CBD Oil Make You Feel Relaxed?

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In short, it can. While individual differences can shape its effects, evidence suggests that CBD has the potential to make you feel more relaxed. The science on CBD is far from settled, but many existing findings point toward a verifiable calming effect:

  • In a 2019 study of patients receiving CBD as part of care at a psychiatric clinic, roughly 79% showed sustained reductions in anxiety
  • A 2021 paper reviewing the results of seven placebo-controlled trials found that CBD helped moderate physical and mental stress responses
  • Participants in a 2017 experiment experienced less anxiety during a public speaking test when they received a moderate dose of CBD
  • A 2019 review of clinical case reports concluded that CBD helped decrease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Taken together, these results suggest that high-quality CBD oil might help with certain common stress factors. It seems to reduce overall anxiety in people with psychological disorders and in healthy individuals seeking relief from the worries and burdens of day-to-day life.CBD might also be useful to support other treatments, such as stress-related anger or pain.

There’s also a wealth of anecdotal testimony from satisfied customers who’ve used it to feel better. Countless users have said that taking CBD supplements for stress leaves them better able to maintain poise, calm, and focus when life is at its most hectic.

We need to emphasize that this is not qualified medical advice. In general, we advise consulting with a health professional before starting any supplement, including CBD.

How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel Calm?

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Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the most abundant active compounds found in hemp and cannabis. It’s one of several compounds called cannabinoids which are responsible for most of the desirable effects of these plants on the human mind and body.

Cannabidiol is believed to have many helpful properties, including promoting a sense of calm. CBD is sought after for this therapeutic effect due to its potency and natural origin. Like all cannabinoids, its benefits appear to result mainly from how this molecule interacts with the endocannabinoid system.

This system sends and receives biological signals that regulate many important functions of the body, including:

By binding with proteins in this system, CBD can enhance the activity of certain chemicals that counteract pain or stress signals. Or, in simpler terms, it has the potential to make you feel calm and at ease with little to no psychoactive effects.

How CBD Benefits Serotonin Levels

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In addition to its interactions with the endocannabinoid system, CBD may alter the functioning of certain neurotransmitters and biochemical signals. This could potentially include the regulation of certain chemicals that affect our mood, such as 5-HT1 (serotonin).

By suppressing the breakdown of tryptophan, a molecule used in serotonin synthesis, the use of CBD might increase levels of serotonin in the body. A 2019 study suggested that cannabidiol can also modulate the activity of serotonin receptors to create analgesic and anxiolytic effects in patients.

Regulation of serotonin by CBD could lead to additional calming wellness benefits. These include:

  • Better mood. As this 2018 study noted, CBD has shown the potential to help with symptoms linked to depression. It may also be helpful with relieving stress and anxiety related to external factors such as difficult social situations.
  • Improved sleep. Getting a better night’s rest is one of the biggest benefits that people usually seek with CBD. According to an investigation published in 2023, cannabidiol may help with both objective and subjective sleep quality. Another placebo-controlled trial found positive effects on sleep and daytime functioning in people with persistent insomnia.
  • Enhanced digestion. Cannabidiol could also assist with digestion thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and interactions with serotonin. It might also help maintain the bacterial ecosystem in the intestines. One 2019 study found that CBD helped lower the permeability of the gut to noxious microbes, which could be helpful for ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Epilepsy relief. Researchers noted in 2019 that CBD could help certain epilepsy patients to cope with their symptoms precisely due to the regulation of serotonin.

By relieving pain, mood symptoms, sleep troubles, and other sources of discomfort, cannabidiol could help combat the root causes of your daily stress.

Is CBD Oil Good for Stress and Anger?

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Although there hasn’t yet been much research into cannabidiol’s effects on anger in particular, studies have shown that CBD could be useful in aiding with stress-related symptoms. Since stress tends to make many people more irritable, this could have indirect benefits for your ability to stay calm when you’re up against situations where you’d normally be tense and angry.

CBD oil might also help with treatments for specific stress and anxiety-related mental and behavioral disorders. A recent review of more than 50 research publications noted that there’s evidence for cannabidiol’s ability to help with challenges like substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. 

Another study examined the positive effects of a cannabidiol-based treatment for a teenager with multiple substance abuse, social anxiety, and depression. The authors concluded that CBD could be a viable therapeutic option for helping reduce anxiety symptoms in teenagers, including sometimes strong symptoms like paranoia and dissociation. This could mean CBD has the potential as a natural, stress-relieving aid for young people, as long as it’s taken under the supervision of a doctor.

How Long Does CBD Oil Take to Calm You Down?

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One of the advantages of using oil-based CBD products is that they can take effect faster than edibles. In our experience, the best way to take CBD oil is to place it under your tongue to be absorbed into your bloodstream.

Using this method, you’ll often start to feel the effects within 15-30 minutes, enabling you to feel calm quickly. This is only an estimate — the exact speed of onset can be affected by things like your metabolism and your cannabinoid tolerance.

Other Benefits of Taking CBD Oil to Calm Down

Cannabis-infused oils are great if you want to experience all the therapeutic benefits of CBD without irritating your lungs by smoking or vaping.

Tinctures are available in plenty of favors, and you can get creative in how you consume them. From taking a few drops directly in your mouth to adding them to your favorite drink or cupcake recipe, you can experiment with CBD oils in many ways.

Since CBD oil can put your mind at ease without causing intoxication, it can be a useful way to manage daily stressors. It may help you feel physically relaxed as well, making it a great natural alternative to things like alcohol or prescription medications for relaxation.

What’s The Best CBD Oil For All-Natural Calm?

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Knowing how CBD can be beneficial to reduce stress and help you feel relaxed, you may be feeling eager to try the effects out. FOCL’s oil-based tinctures are an incredible way to use the best parts of the hemp plant safely. We create products that are fully transparent and use the best ingredients from nature without compromising potency.

For everyday activities, we recommend trying out our premium Daily Calm CBD Drops, which can help you ease your mind or achieve greater focus while maintaining a clear head. They come in three different dosages: 1000mg, 2000mg, and 3000mg of high-quality CBD extract in each bottle. You can choose either full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD for anxiety and stress relief, depending on whether you prefer a product with or without a microdose of THC.

Our tinctures are available in several flavors, including Citrus, Mint, Orange Cream, and Natural. They are fully vegan and non-GMO, making them easy to incorporate into most lifestyles while picking your favorite flavor.

If you were looking for something to calm you down at night and get better sleep, our Good Night Sleep Drops might be a better option. These have a special formula enhanced with CBN, a cannabinoid known for helping regulate the sleep cycle and even linked to reducing anxiety. You can expect stronger relaxing moments thanks to combined effects of CBD and CBN for sleep.

Besides being great for relaxing, FOCL’s Good Night Drops have natural peppermint and lavender oils to help you unwind naturally. The gentle flavor and soothing effects are perfect if you need an extra push to help you ease your mind and doze off without stress. Try our calming CBD products for yourself.