Can CBD chase away the winter blues?

As the days are getting shorter and we get closer to daylight savings, people begin to struggle with SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. Often identified by an overall lack of energy, SAD actually contributes to feelings of depression and anxiety in 14% of Americans. As we battle shorter days and colder temps, many of us are battling more than we admit to. This can effect both our mental and physical wellness.

While avoiding such feeling is not possible, there are things you can do to help improve your feelings and mental outlook. By incorporating good habits such as eating healthy, good mental practices, exercise, and incorporating CBD into your daily routine can help you stay positive and navigate the season.

1. Get good sleep

Our bodies rely on sunlight to help regulate the production of melatonin to allow our bodies to know when it should be awake and functioning and when it’s time to rest. As we battle the long nights it also throws our internal system out of order. The tired or groggy feelings we battle due to this can begin to build up have a negative effect both mentally as well as physically. These feelings can lead us to break habits that our beneficial for our health such as maintaining a good diet, exercising, and being around other. The snowball effect can be overwhelming for people, leading to traditional signs of SAD.

To help regulate your sleeping habits and to reduce feelings of anxiety that creep up near bed time, incorporating CBD into your daily habits could be beneficial. CBD has been shown to help people improve the quality of their sleep by by reducing SAD symptoms that improves the quality of sleep being achieved night after night and in-turn leading to better days.

2. Keep exercising

Getting out of bed when it’s dark and cold requires dedication. Compound that with restless sleep and other feelings caused by SAD and it becomes a viscous cycle where you begin struggling physically and mentally. Exercise is responsible for helping people produce dopamine and serotonin which are endorphins responsible for elevating your mood. The endocannabinoid system that is responsible for a range of body functions can be given a boost also by consistent CBD usage. By developing a consistent exercise and CBD regiment, individuals can work to keep their body strong and mind happy.

3. Eat healthy

As the our body reacts to the shortness of daylight, battling sluggish feelings can lead us down a dangerous path with our diets. It’s in these times that we often resort to foods high in sugar looking for a quick burst of energy. The bad part of this fueling option is that it leads to a crash where we are left feeling drained. Coupled with SAD the feelings can almost be overwhelming. By developing a balanced meal plan integrated with CBD, your mind and body are better equipped to battle symptoms that are a result of SAD. One benefit of CBD on the body is that in can assist in dealing with digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity in people.

This winter take it upon yourself by following these steps to help your mind and body perform at their best and combat the effects of SAD. Making your health a priority will make getting to spring that much better. If you have questions on what CBD or how much to incorporate to help you with the feelings you battle with SAD, stop into Elemental today and talk to our friendly experts about what is right for you.