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Three Ways To Wind Down With CBD: From Bubble Baths To Bedtime

There’s a number of different ways that you can wind down with CBD - from sinking into a nice, hot bath infused with the right CBD bath bomb to a few drops of CBD oil before nighttime yoga. Whatever evening activity you choose - it’s better with CBD.

This is because, with CBD, the system can relax, calm down and restore itself. In part, this is due to CBD’s potential to increase anandamide levels in the body - promoting that blissful feeling, curbing anxiety and stress and allowing the parasympathetic nervous system to take the lead. Just a couple of CBD oil drops can get us ready to truly indulge in our wind-down activities for the evening, allowing us to enjoy the process before we lie our heads down on that pillow.

Here are three activities that might just give you a great sleep - with a little CBD in the mix.

A Warm Bath

Since the mind-body connection is such a massive thing, a warm bath can soothe the muscles and relax the body just enough to get you feeling restored and warm before bed. Not only does the heat of the water helps to oxygenate muscles, pull away lactic acid and get the blood circulating, hot baths also stimulate the circadian rhythm. This is what allows the body to sleep - technically, it can be called our body’s natural clock. When we step out of the bath, our body begins to cool down from the heat, which in turn releases the sleep hormone melatonin. So many people recommend taking a hot bath two hours or so before actually sleeping- purely because this time span gives the body enough pause to actually begin to cool down, which makes us ready to hit the hay.

Adding a little CBD into the mix, whether it be via a fizzing, terpene-infused bath bomb or a few drops in some herbal tea, can really allow tension to slide away. With a bath bomb, the CBD can enter into the muscles and promote relaxation on a physical level. The presence of CBD, even through the pores of the skin, can ensure higher levels of anandamide and 2-AG- the endocannabinoids responsible for easing pain and releasing muscles. When using CBD oil for pain or even a CBD edible, like a gummy or brownie - make sure you take these one to two hours in advance of your bath) and you might find your mental stresses melting away.

But, since the mind-body connection is so strong, we’re sure that whether you choose topical or oral CBD, your muscles will relax alongside your mind, providing a full-body experience. And what the CBD can’t tackle - the warmth of the bath, the scent of essential oils and perhaps a touch of Epsom salt, will surely have you floating to your bed in no time.

Candles

Candles can be an excellent way to restore and relax the mind, body and spirit. And with a little CBD oil in our systems, relaxing our brain and body? The combination might just be essential.

See, the science of relaxation tells us that candles are soothing because of a number of psychological and physiological reasons- for one, the warm glow of candlelight is both restorative, comforting and relaxing in a number of ways. According to our brain, anything that’s warm and lit up, especially against a darker backdrop, can make us feel safe and warm. We associate candlelight with something soothing, gently crackling and, perhaps even, calming.

A candle that’s burning any terpenes or essential oils is also an incredibly soothing thing for the system. According to research, when we inhale terpenes, especially the essential oil, lavender (also known as the terpene, linalool), our nervous system becomes engaged- even the smell of lavender, alone, can affect our autonomic nervous system, decrease heat in the body and engage the parasympathetic nervous system, while preventing the sympathetic nervous system (which is often what gets us through stress- think, the fight or flight response) from operating.

It might sound silly, but a little CBD oil taken orally, plus a terpene-infused essential oil candle? You just might be operating your own entourage effect there!

Yin Yoga

Also known as the most restorative, relaxing form of yoga, an hour or two of yin yoga before bedtime can be one of the most deeply holistic things you do for your body. And with some CBD oil in your system in the form of a CBD vape pen or CBD tea, you can truly allow yourself to relax every muscle in your body during your session.

Yin yoga involves holding light stretches for one to five minutes at a time- and it’s one of the best forms of mindful practice to date. Responsible for engaging the connective tissue and fascia of the body, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and ensuring deep breathing techniques are employed, yin yoga can be deeply nourishing- on a physical and mental plane.

And, because yin is peaceful, parasympathetic and responsible stretching and releasing tension in the body (and the muscles release endorphins- the feel-good neurotransmitter), it’s no surprise that yin is recommended for a whole host of sleep disorders - from stress to general insomnia. This is because, once again, we can activate the mind-body connection- urging our body to release tension, much like a nice massage or a hot bath, to subsequently relax the mind. Since it’s rare to see the mind and body not harmonising, the connection between a relaxed body and a relaxed mind isn’t a hard idea to wrap your mind around (if you pardon the pun).

Many believe that we store emotions and trauma within our muscles, making it hard to sleep when we’re tense and stiff. Think about how relaxed babies look- and if there’s one thing about babies, it’s that they’re almost always flexible. The matter is less about flexibility, of course, and more about how tension manifests within our connective tissues, fascia and even our joints- whether we’re aware of this tension or not. A yin yoga class, with some CBD in the system, can help our muscles to stretch this tension away. This is because CBD, in relaxing the mind and body, can allow you to access deeper connective points in your tissues- which can leave you feeling lighter, bodily and, subsequently, mentally.

And, of course, a stress-free sleep is the natural outcome.

Conclusion

So whether it’s yoga, a good book or a hot bath (or maybe all three), we guarantee that a little CBD can help you go a long way towards a restful, restorative night’s sleep. Shutting your eyes and laying your head down on the pillow was never so exciting!

This article does not necessairly reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes

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