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CBD Oil for Anxiety: Where Does the Research Stand?
Many people who experience anxiety are interested in natural wellness support. Here’s what the science says about CBD and anxiety.
Almost everyone experiences anxiety at some point. Some anxiety is temporary, like when you're moving to a new city or preparing for a job interview. Some people experience anxiety as a regular part of their lives, and they aren't always able to pinpoint a cause for the way they feel.
Many people are turning to natural wellness support supplements like CBD oil to help bring a sense of balance and calm to their daily routine. However, what does the research actually say? Does CBD have the potential to support emotional well-being?
Let's take a look at what the research has to say about using CBD to promote a calm and balanced mood.
What causes anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural part of life, but when it becomes persistent or overwhelming, it can start affecting daily routines, energy levels, and overall well-being. Understanding what triggers anxiety can help in developing healthy coping strategies.
There is a difference between occasional feelings of anxiety and anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders have different causes and are managed in different ways.
Life stressors and daily pressures
Life moves fast, and with that comes stress from work, relationships, finances, health, and responsibilities. Significant life changes are major contributors to temporary anxiety. A career shift, moving to a new place, or a major change in a close relationship can cause anxiety until you've grown comfortable with a new situation.
Even small, everyday stressors like traffic jams, packed schedules, or feeling overwhelmed by tasks can add up over time, making it harder for the mind to relax and reset. You may have moments where it feels like everything is happening at once, which can lead to emotional overwhelm.
Overthinking and mental habits
The human mind is powerful, but sometimes, it gets stuck in loops of worry and overthinking. Thoughts about the future, past mistakes, or things beyond one’s control can intensify feelings of unease.
Some people tend to be naturally more analytical, and while this can be a strength, it can also lead to rumination, where the mind replays worries over and over. Learning how to shift focus from overthinking to being present can help break this cycle.
Lack of rest and recovery
The mind and body are closely connected, and not getting enough quality sleep can make anxious thoughts feel even more intense. When the body is exhausted, overwhelmed, or overstimulated, it struggles to regulate emotions properly.
A healthy nighttime routine, limiting screen time before bed, and practicing relaxation techniques can help you get better rest.
Nutritional and lifestyle factors
What we put into our bodies matters. High levels of caffeine, sugar, or processed foods can overstimulate the nervous system, making it harder to feel calm. Likewise, not drinking enough water, skipping meals, or lacking essential nutrients can throw off the body’s natural balance.
Movement also plays a role. Spending too much time indoors or not getting enough physical activity can increase stress levels. Simply going for a short walk, stretching, or practicing deep breathing can make a big difference in helping the mind unwind.
Genetics and brain chemistry
For some people, anxiety runs in the family. Research suggests that genetics and brain chemistry may contribute to how an individual processes stress.
While lifestyle choices and wellness practices can help, understanding one’s unique emotional patterns can be valuable in creating a balanced approach to self-care.
What is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in hemp plants. It is part of a larger group of compounds known as cannabinoids, which interact with the body in unique ways.
CBD is often confused with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound in cannabis that produces intoxicating effects. However, CBD does not create a high. Instead, it interacts with the body's internal systems in ways that may support relaxation, mental clarity, and overall balance.
CBD is typically extracted from hemp and then infused into various wellness products, like CBD oil or tincture, CBD gummies, and CBD-infused topical creams.
There are three specific ways CBD products are formulated, and each formulation utilizes different naturally derived plant compounds:
- Full spectrum CBD: Contains all natural compounds from hemp, including trace amounts of THC (under 0.3%)
- Broad spectrum CBD: Contains all natural compounds from hemp, except THC
- CBD Isolate: Pure CBD with no other cannabinoids
Each type offers unique benefits, and the best choice depends on individual preferences and needs.
Many people prefer full spectrum CBD due to the theory of the entourage effect. The entourage effect states that the internal relationships between cannabinoids encourage them to work in harmony. This may make hemp-derived wellness supplements more effective than cannabinoids used alone.
How does CBD work?
CBD works by interacting with the endocannabinoid system, which is a massive network of receptors throughout the human brain and body. Your body manufactures its own cannabinoids for this system to use.
Cannabinoids like CBD are very similar to the cannabinoids your body produces, which allows them to interact with your endocannabinoid system in a similar way.
The endocannabinoid system contains receptors in the areas of your brain and body that regulate things like mood and stress responses, sleep cycles and rest quality, cognitive function and focus, and your overall sense of well-being.
You have natural processes designed to help your body function efficiently across these key areas. Your body wants you to feel good and sleep well because it's beneficial for your overall health to do so.
Cannabinoids like CBD may influence your endocannabinoid system by sending signals to jumpstart these natural processes, which may help you feel more at ease without fundamentally changing the way your body works.
What to know about CBD and the endocannabinoid system
The endocannabinoid works like a messaging system in the body. It has two main receptors. CB1 receptors are found mostly in the brain and central nervous system, playing a role in mood and emotional processing. CB2 receptors are found primarily in the body, supporting general wellness
Some cannabinoids (like THC) bind to receptors and change the way they work. CBD isn't interested in binding to receptors and changing the way they send or receive messages. CBD provides passive stimulation to your endocannabinoid receptors.
Think of it like encouragement. Its brief, passing interaction with the receptors in your endocannabinoid system may wake them up and encourage them to fulfill their roles more efficiently.
Since CBD doesn’t lock on to your receptors, it’s not going to radically change the way you feel. You won’t become drowsy, develop brain fog, or find yourself in an altered state of consciousness.
Most people who regularly use CBD say that its benefits are similar to a long bath, a good nap, or a pedicure. They feel relaxed and generally better, but not in a way they would describe as out of the ordinary.
What is CBD’s role in emotional balance?
CBD interacts with receptors in the brain to support overall balance. In addition to reacting with cannabinoid specific receptors, CBD may also be able to interact with several key receptors throughout the brain to encourage them to fulfill their natural functions.
These receptors include:
- Serotonin Receptors (5-HT1A): These receptors play a big role in mood and emotional wellness. Some studies suggest CBD may enhance serotonin signaling, which could help support a sense of calm and ease.
- GABA Receptors: GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps the body and mind relax. By influencing GABA activity, CBD may support mental clarity and relaxation without causing drowsiness.
- Dopamine Receptors: Dopamine is associated with motivation and pleasure. Some research suggests CBD may help regulate dopamine activity, which could contribute to an overall sense of balance.
All of these receptors work together to create a balanced sense of overall emotional wellness. CBD may provide noticeable mood support by encouraging harmony among key processes. Your body is doing the work. CBD may just be giving it a nudge in the right direction.
What is the science behind CBD and anxiety?
CBD may help regulate stress responses by supporting the endocannabinoid system. CBD has the potential to encourage relaxation by influencing serotonin and GABA activity and promote emotional balance by interacting with mood-related receptors
This growing body of research is why so many people are interested in using CBD oil as part of their daily wellness routine for emotional well-being. Most of the evidence backing CBD's holistic mood support is personal testimony. People who use CBD report feeling more at ease than they do when they don't use CBD.
Techniques like yoga, journaling, and creative hobbies can also be powerful tools for managing emotional tension. CBD fits in with other healthy habits to help you naturally manage your stress levels.
What does the research say about CBD and anxiety?
CBD has been studied for its role in relieving anxious feelings. Since anxiety is a state of mind, it's difficult to clinically determine how well something works to impact an emotion. Study participants often self-report how they feel when they use CBD. A significant majority of participants reported that CBD improved their mood in a meaningful way.
While research is still evolving, early studies suggest that CBD may help promote a sense of calm by interacting with systems in the body linked to mood, relaxation, and sleep.
CBD and everyday stress
A study on CBD’s role in emotional well-being found that CBD may influence certain brain receptors involved in stress responses. This suggests that CBD could help the body and mind handle everyday tension in a more balanced way.
Studies have found that CBD works to balance mood, but researchers aren't exactly sure how it does so or how to calculate a precise serving size of CBD to promote a relaxing effect in everyone. Scientists studying CBD for this purpose are eager to conduct further research to uncover precise details.
CBD and overactive thoughts
One of the most common struggles with anxiety is the feeling of being stuck in a loop of overthinking. The mind races, thoughts spiral, and relaxing feels impossible.
Some research suggests that CBD may support a greater sense of calm by interacting with receptors linked to emotional processing. Studies show that CBD may influence brain activity in a way that helps ease mental tension and promote relaxation.
This could explain why many people say CBD helps them feel more present and grounded in their daily lives.
CBD and sleep
Sleep and emotional tension are issues that often go hand in hand. How well do you sleep if you’re feeling emotionally uneasy? This can create a difficult feedback loop when you consider that managing the day is far more difficult when you haven’t sufficiently rested.
Better sleep leads to reduced feelings of tension. Insufficient sleep can significantly exacerbate stress. You may feel better equipped to handle complicated situations when you’re well-rested. When you feel like you’re running on empty, even small roadblocks can feel challenging to overcome.
The same study that researched CBD’s potential effects on anxious feelings also reviewed CBD’s ability to promote more restful sleep, and the outcome was surprising.
The majority of participants in the study reported that they experienced improvements in their quality of sleep, even if they didn’t initially mention difficulty sleeping upon entering the study. Sleep quality improvement was the largest metric overall, even outshining promising reports of reduced daytime emotional tension.
Clinical research is ongoing, and outcomes are promising. Your experience with CBD may be different from the experiences of people using CBD in research studies. It's important to note that feelings of anxiety are very subjective, and yours may differ from the feelings experienced by study participants.
How to use CBD to ease emotional tension
CBD won't address the underlying cause of the anxiety you're experiencing. If you're nervous about a career move or a major life change, you're going to have to try to wait it out as calmly as possible.
Using CBD in conjunction with other holistic mood support strategies may make it easier to manage the tension you feel when dealing with temporary distress.
Start small and stay consistent
CBD works differently for everyone, so starting with a small serving and gradually increasing it based on how you feel is key. CBD's benefits are most apparent when used consistently. You may not feel noticeably different if you've only been using CBD for a few days. Give yourself a month or so to experience the full wealth of CBD's potential.
If you're new to CBD, start with a modest serving size for a few weeks and evaluate how you feel. If you believe you may need more CBD to achieve your wellness goals, you can gradually adjust your serving size over a period of a few weeks.
Use CBD at the right time
The best time to use your CBD largely depends on your needs and the type of CBD you're using. CBD often comes in daytime and nighttime formulations. If emotional tension is keeping you awake at night and you choose a nighttime CBD formula, you'll want to use it closer to bedtime.
If you're using CBD during the day, you can choose a daily use CBD product or an energizing CBD product. It's generally best to use these CBD products around breakfast time.
Pair CBD with other relaxation practices
CBD may work wonderfully to provide mood support, but it won't replace the need for other healthy self-care practices. Consider incorporating deep breathing exercises or meditation into your routine at times when you feel especially tense.
Long-term practices like journaling can help you manage your feelings by organizing your thoughts. Your journal will also serve as a record of your perceptions and growth, allowing you to see the full perspective of your resilience throughout a tough period.
The bottom line
CBD oil is a natural wellness supplement that many people are exploring for emotional balance, everyday stress, and restful sleep. While research is still developing, early studies suggest that CBD may play a role in soothing the mind, promoting relaxation, and helping with overactive thoughts.
If you’re considering CBD, develop a consistent routine, listen to your body, and pair it with other wellness practices for the best experience. It’s important to build a lifestyle routine that allows you to avoid unnecessary stress and prioritize your emotional wellness.
Taking care of your emotional well-being is just as important as taking care of your body. Small, intentional steps like mindful habits, natural supplements, and simple self care practices can make a big difference in how you feel each day.
Sources:
The endocannabinoid system: a general view and latest additions | National Library of Medicine
Diversity of molecular targets and signaling pathways for CBD | National Library of Medicine