Any professional athlete will tell you that there is no shortcut to succeeding in this field. You need to be disciplined, work hard and be passionate. These, in addition to traits such as humility, poise under stress, and resiliency are key traits for becoming a successful professional athlete. Cannabidiol (CBD) is neither a substitute for these traits nor a miracle supplement that will make you unbeatable. Even as popular as the substance has become, with many states legalizing it, there is still extensive research to be done regarding its benefits in the athletic field.
With the available research, however, we have come across an array of great benefits that are likely to help you whether you are a professional athlete or an individual who prefers leading an active lifestyle. Let us delve into the benefits.
Table of Contents
(i) Improved Sleep
According to an article found in the Internal Journal of Sports (IJSM), most professional athletes require more than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night. However, many tend to get less than 7 hours of quality sleep. Are you in this category? What is resulting in less than ideal sleep at night? A few of the common causes include excessive screen time, intense training, travel, stress, anxiety, etc.
While consuming Cannabidiol on a daily basis will not force you to turn off the TV an hour before bedtime as recommended by sleep experts, it can help put your body into the right mood for sleep. A case study done on 72 adults revealed that CBD consumption improved sleep time for about 67% of the participants, reducing both the time it to fall asleep and periods of wakefulness. This was achieved due to the role CBD plays in the endocannabinoid system in sleep regulation.
Further research is required, but the benefits experienced were partly due to CB1 receptors’ presence in the hypothalamus. This is a small part of the brain made of numerous nerve cells that serve as control centers for an array of activities including sleep. CB1 receptors are a vital part of the endocannabinoid system and are also found in the hypothalamus. No matter the precise specifics, if your sleep quality improves, you can be certain of a boost in your athletic performance.
(ii) Better Gut Health and Digestive System
Numerous nutritionists and athletic performance experts have observed that a good diet is imperative for success in this field. When you fuel your body properly, you provide it with the nutrients required to handle training demands and also be able to repair muscles after the session.
However, simply staying hydrated and eating the right foods is not enough to ensure essential vitamins and minerals will make their way into your body. To achieve this, you need to have good digestive and gut health.
When it comes to gut health, we mostly refer to microbiota. These are the microorganisms that reside in your gastrointestinal tract. A human has trillions of these micro-organisms, all of which have an impact on metabolic, neurobehavioral, and immune function.
Consuming a healthy diet is imperative for good gut health, which affects the body’s overall health and well-being. Sometimes, however, your body requires an extra hand, and this is where consuming CBD on a routine basis comes into the picture.
Scientists have studied the endocannabinoid system for its capability to impact gastrointestinal activities through the activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors. CBD has also been studied for its utilization as a way to treat inflammatory bowel conditions, which allows the good bacteria to multiply and benefit from overall homeostasis. The healthier your gut, the better the digestion and eventually your performance as an athlete. If you’re interested check out these guys for the most flavorful delta 8 carts
(iii) Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a state whereby the body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, also referred to as stress hormones. This occurs because of mental, physical, and emotional pressure. Any individual who has engaged in athletic activities, be it in an amateur or professional setting knows the emotional, mental and physical pressure involved in the field. Why you may ask? That’s because we call it for ourselves. It is the heart of the game.
Even if you are not a professional athlete, but partake in regular personal training and fitness, chances are you have experienced these. Run further, lift more, and do better! That’s the goal, right? While improvement is always welcomed, it becomes problematic when stress turns into anxiety on the regular.
Overlooking stress and anxiety puts you at a higher risk of developing an array of health problems and disorders. As an individual who is a professional or amateur athlete, you cannot afford this to happen. Although it is important to be in good physical shape, you cannot afford to overlook your mental and emotional well-being. It is important to maintain a balance in order to lead a healthy lifestyle overall.
The stress and anxiety CBD relieving effects have been reported by individuals who have been using the substance for a while, including Soul CBD users. Currently, research in this field shows promising results, even though it is still in its infancy. For example, cannabidiol has been shown to have substantial potential as a treatment for an array of various anxiety disorders. This is according to an article published in the Neurotherapeutics journal. Also, according to a poll done by Gallup, 20% of American citizens who consume CBD do it for the aim of alleviating anxiety. Another 5% do so to reduce stress. These are two conditions that hamper performance, particularly when it comes to physical activities.
CBD is clearly beneficial for athletes, even with research being in its infancy stage. While it is not a magic pill, it works great as a supplement, offering the above-mentioned benefits.
