An essay by Renata Leo
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For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with anxiety that affects me both while awake and asleep. I spend all day on edge, waiting for the next disaster. Then, at night, I can never seem to get a restful sleep. As someone who really struggles when I don’t get a solid eight hours, I needed to find a solution if I was going to continue to function in the world without falling asleep at my desk.
The problem was that remedies that simply help people to sleep weren’t helping me because they were only addressing the symptom, not the problem: my anxiety. I heard that CBD oil could possibly help people with both their sleep and their anxiety, so I thought it was worth a try.
I bought some mint CBD oil to drop under my tongue. I love that I could find oil in a flavor that I really liked! I had read that some people take CBD in the morning for its caffeinating properties, but since I was using it for sleep, I started taking it before bed. After a few days, I was definitely falling asleep faster and sleeping better. I found that CBD oil, melatonin gummies, and lavender oil on my pillow were the perfect sleep trifecta.
But if CBD oil was helping me sleep, how did others take it for caffeinating properties? This seemed really strange to me, but the longer I used CBD, the more apparent it became that taking it made me more alert at night. While I used to fall asleep by 9 pm no matter what I was doing, after taking CBD in the evening, I was easily staying up until 11 pm. I just felt more alert. Not more jittery, only more alert. But when I would lay down to sleep, I still fell asleep faster! Amazing! However, this did mean that I needed to be more cognizant of when I went to bed and that I needed to get to bed on time, even if I didn’t feel tired. Just because I could stay up late, didn’t mean I should.
About 4 months after I started taking CBD oil, I had to have my wisdom teeth removed, so I stopped taking it to make sure that it didn’t interfere with my healing medication. After a week without CBD, my anxiety was spiking. I looked up from my desk on a calm afternoon to find my sympathetic nervous system turned up to 11 for no reason. If nothing before proved to me how beneficial CBD could be for me, this sealed the deal. I used to feel anxiety like this all the time, but using the CBD oil had kept it at bay for the four months I had used it.
One important factor that I had to test was to make sure that I could pass a urine test while taking CBD. My partner wanted to start taking it as well, but wanted to make sure he could pass a urine test since he was looking for another job. Although CBD oil states that it has a very small amount of THC (if any at all), he was understandably cautious and bought me some at-home urine tests to make sure he’d be in the clear if he started taking it with me. The urine tests that I took came back negative for THC, which made him feel much more comfortable taking it. While not all CBD oils are exactly the same, it’s nice to know that CBD is a safe option that will not impede you from passing a urine test.
For anyone with anxiety looking for a natural way to manage it, CBD oil is a safe, low-risk option for many people. There are also plenty of other forms of CBD for your other ailments, be it internal, external, mental, or physical! It’s important to remember that everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different, so your mileage may vary and it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement. I’ve really found my experience taking CBD oil to be positive — I hope that it can help you, too!