We know it’s not fun to think about, but winter is just around the corner. The summer feels like it just got here and we all know how strange of a year 2020 has been so far. But like it or not, old man winter is going to be showing up in a couple of months and we have to be ready. In today’s article, we’re going over how CBD is useful during the winter months and how it may alleviate some of the conditions and issues that winter brings.

Specifically, in this article we’re covering how cannabidiol products may help the following:

• CBD and seasonal depression
• CBD and dry skin
• CBD for stiffness and soreness
• CBD and holiday stress
• CBD and viruses

Before we dive into the specific winter conditions that CBD products may help alleviate, it’s important to understand that CBD is best used as part of a preventive approach. If you choose to try CBD to help one of the problems we discuss, it will be more effective if you begin taking it now. Doing so will allow the cannabinoids to build up in your body, making them potentially more effective at strengthening your immune system before viruses strike, keeping your mood balanced prior to the winter blues, preventing dry skin, and so on.

CBD takes time to build up in your system so the earlier you start using it the better! 

CBD and Seasonal Depression

Seasonal depression is often dismissed as something made up or not serious, however studies have shown that seasonal affective disorder (otherwise known as seasonal depression) can have detrimental effects on your overall health. As a subtype of general depression, it can lead to the following symptoms:

• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Having low energy
• Having problems with sleeping
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
• And more

CBD has the potential to help. There have been several studies undertaken which have suggested that CBD may have a positive effect on anxiety and stress, both of which are related to depression. One study on the benefits of CBD in treating social anxiety disorder found that the group in the study which received the CBD had significantly less social anxiety than the group that did not receive the CBD (the placebo group).

Studies concerning workplace stress have similarly shown that CBD works to bring balance to the body by lowering anxiety and reducing stress induced inflammation. They concluded that CBD can be considered an effective aid in reducing anxiety and work-related stress.

There is also evidence that CBD may have a regulating effect on the body’s serotonin levels, inducing the body to produce more when necessary. This is important because serotonin deficiency has been linked to both anxiety and depression. Additionally, CBD has been shown to improve sleeping habits, which are also linked to mood disorders.

All of these studies and facts taken together indicate that CBD may help with seasonal depression.

CBD and Dry Skin

For many of us, the winter cold and dryness bring dry skin. This winter the dry skin will probably be even worse since we are all washing our hands more than ever. With skin, the possible benefits of CBD products are reported to include everything from wrinkles to acne to rashes to your everyday dryness.

When it comes to dry skin specifically, CBD has been found to have a positive impact on the regulation and production of oil in our epidermis. This study found that CBD acts as an effective sebostatic agent. That’s important because the sebaceous glands are responsible for oil production in the skin. Although the mechanism is not 100% understood or known yet, it is thought that CBD will induce your sebaceous glands to produce more oil when necessary, combatting the dryness that winter often brings.

CBD and Winter Stiffness

The cold weather brings joint stiffness, especially in older individuals. What’s more is that winter sports like skiing and skating often lead to muscle soreness and inflammation. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties have the potential to help both of these painful and uncomfortable conditions.

A trial undertaken by the pharmaceutical company Zynerba found that a CBD based topical drug provided pain relief to patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Daniel Clauw, MD, professor of anesthesiology at the University of Michigan and consulting doctor for this clinical trial, had this to say:

“I don’t think we have that many good drugs for pain, and we know that CBD has fewer side effects than opioids or even nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can cause bleeding and cardiovascular problems,” he says. “If I have an elderly patient with arthritis and a little bit of CBD can make their knees feel better, I’d prefer they take that than some other drugs.”

When it comes to muscle soreness after winter sports, CBD has the potential to reduce muscle swelling and to decrease the pain and inflammation associated with muscle healing. inflammation is a necessary response that allows our muscles to heal. However, too much inflammation can actually hinder recovery and hurt athletic performance. To prevent an over response by the body and to take advantage of CBD’s reported anti-inflammatory properties, many athletes will add CBD to their post workout supplements.

CBD and Holiday Stress

The winter brings the holidays, and the holidays often bring family and all the related stress that comes with that. CBD is thought to help stress through its interaction with the endocannabinoid system, which plays a vital role in our physiology, mood, and general day to day experience and perception. It helps our bodies maintain emotional balance in the same manner as serotonin and dopamine do. For this reason, it is also deeply intertwined with our body’s reaction to stress.

Closely related to stress is anxiety. The following studies have shown CBD’s potential for relieving anxiety, holiday related or otherwise.

• Here is a 2011 studythat found that CBD helped combat social anxiety.
• This 2015 reviewof 49 studies found evidence that CBD has strong potential as a treatment for general anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, social anxiety, and more.
• This study from 2019found that CBD improved 80% of the subjects’ anxiety and 70% of the subjects’ sleep in the first month.
• A 2010 studyfound that cannabidiol could reduce symptoms of social anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Brain scans of participants revealed changes in blood flow to the regions of the brain linked to feelings of anxiety.

For the majority of consumers, CBD is subtle and it takes time to build up in their bodies. As CBD is distributed throughout their endocannabinoid system, they may feel relaxed but not intoxicated. Others report feeling something similar to a “runner’s high”, which is essentially a flood of endorphins that lifts your mood in a completely natural way. These properties may help you deal with the stress around the holidays.

CBD for Viruses

To be clear, there is no evidence that CBD will kill the flu virus or the coronavirus or any other virus. However, there is evidence that CBD may help the symptoms of the virus and limit your immune system’s inflammatory response. In other words, it is thought that it tempers your body’s reaction to the virus, instead of fighting the virus itself.

As the research stands now, there is mounting evidence that the endocannabinoid system is intimately intertwined with our immune system. According to several studies, various immune system specialty cells have both types of endocannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2.

This means that both cannabinoids (like CBD and THC) as well as endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced endogenously within the body, hence “endo”) are able to bind to immune system cells. Furthermore, many researchers believe that endocannabinoids play a key role in immune function and in immune system homeostasis or balance. Maintaining this balance means that it may temper the immune system during an overreaction and stimulate during an underreaction.

Additionally, it is generally accepted that CBD has a positive effect on all different types of inflammation, ranging from skin rashes to arthritis to back pain to swelling. However, CBD is also thought to reduce inflammation that leads to things like excess mucus, headaches, and clogged sinuses.

Try CBD this Winter

If you haven’t tried CBD before and suffer from any of the winter-related conditions above, then you may want to give it a try. CBD products from reputable, trustworthy companies have no known negative side effects and are easy to experiment with. Try the high quality, independently lab tested CBD products from Urban Roots today!