3 Advantages of Using CBD for Muscle Recovery
Stretch. Use a foam roller. Eat a nourishing post-workout meal with a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. Try chocolate milk or a protein snack, then wash it down with tart cherry juice. Think about getting a proper sports massage. Take a cold shower. Jump into an ice bath.
Oh, we should mention that we’re listing a few steps you might want to start implementing after you go to the gym. As far as advancing muscle recovery goes, they’re good. Real good, in fact.
Just don’t forget to incorporate a little CBD, or to acknowledge its relevant advantages, like how:
1. It possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Soreness is a side effect of the stress you put on your muscles when you exercise, and it’s usually referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness — or DOMS for short. DOMS is normal, often beginning within eight hours after a new activity or a change in activity. How long can it last? Up to 24-48 hours after your workout, depending on who you ask. The pain is caused by inflammation within the muscle. Thankfully, CBD can help manage that same pain by affecting the brain's response to your pain signals. That’s because cannabinoids (such as CBD) attach themselves to specialized receptors in your brain and immune system. These receptors receive signals, mostly chemical ones, from various stimuli and assist your cells in responding. At the end of the day, this response creates undeniable anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
2. It also possesses anticonvulsant properties.
As we just pointed out, muscle soreness is one post-workout side effect. Muscle spasms are another. They occur when your muscles contract involuntarily, and can be as alarming as they are painful. They could convince you that you’ve experienced a muscle injury when you haven’t, especially if you have one right after you’ve wrapped up a gruelling session. Fear not. Similar to how it’s considered an anti-inflammatory, CBD is also believed to boast a few anticonvulsant qualities. That means it can help ease the muscle spasms that routinely materialize after exercise. Muscle cramps, too. Incidentally, this whole anticonvulsant thing further renders CBD as an emerging, and credible, treatment for epilepsy. We’ll get deeper into that some other time.
3. It can enhance sleep.
When it comes to the aftermath of a hard workout and those precious muscles of yours, we’ve covered off soreness, spasms and cramps. Wondering what will allow your body time to repair and grow muscle tissue? If you guessed sleep, then congratulations. But what if the aforementioned soreness, spasms or cramps make it too difficult to get some solid shut-eye? You know where we’re going with this, so let’s just say it: CBD could save the day! Credit goes to the anti-pain perks we’ve discussed, plus its anti-anxiety elements. There’s also its ability to promote relaxation. What’s more, research out there tells us that by interacting with receptors in the brain that govern the body’s daily sleep/wake cycles, CBD might affect sleep directly.
Want to know more? See 3 Ways Cannabis Can Help You in the Gym or how its beauty benefits. See more of Blissed on our Instagram Page @beblissed.
This article was written by The Blissed Team.
This article was published November 5th, 2019.