Mindful Activities and CBD Oil are the Perfect Pairing. Here’s Why 

Did you know that taking CBD oil isn’t the only way to boost your endocannabinoid system? Wellbeing practices, like meditation and yoga, naturally boost your bliss molecules. So does exercise, and eating certain foods like cocoa and turmeric. So, when taking your CBD oil each day, pairing it with wellness rituals or even incorporating it into recipes can improve results.

It’s important to realise that wellness rituals are so much more than a luxury – they can play an essential part of setting mind and body up for a positive and productive day, particularly when you involve CBD oil. By taking this holistic approach, you will support your endocannabinoid system to help maintain balance in all areas of life. Then, with stress diminished, focus upped and niggles soothed, you’ll be far better placed to get the most out of yourself, in both work and play. 
 
Sticking to a daily ritual can also help you be consistent with taking your CBD (which is vitally important if you want it to work!). What’s more, giving yourself even just a short time each day to collect your thoughts, release any tension and position yourself into a joyful and grateful mind-set can also go a long way in transforming your emotional and physical health. In fact, this sort of practice is thought to be so effective at easing a range of concerns that many doctors are now prescribing meditation, gardening and mindfulness as first line therapies, ahead of anti-depressants.

Ready to create your own CBD ritual? Here are a couple of mindful activities for you to try at home, alongside your daily dose:

Mindful CBD Ritual: Learn a Craft

Repetitive motions or thought processes that provides enough of a challenge to keep you focused, but not so much that it’s stressful, is the Goldilocks Zone when it comes to ‘active’ brain downtime. Giving your mind a chance to process thoughts in this way has been shown to have a huge, positive impact on mental health.
 
There are plenty of crafts that meet this criteria, knitting being one of the most favoured. If you’ve not tried it, don’t knock it! Taking a few drops of CBD before clacking away with knitting needles is extremely relaxing, and satisfying too.
 
One 2007 study conducted by Harvard Medical School’s Mind and Body Institute reported that knitting lowers heart rate by an average of 11 beats per minutes and induces a “enhanced sense of calm” akin to yoga. In addition to the action of knitting being beneficial and the perfect activity for downtime, leaning how to create something with your hands provides a real confidence and mood boost too.

Active Downtime with CBD oil: Try a Crossword

Many people think of crosswords as a sort of ‘brain training’ activity, rather than a restful one, but there is actually insufficient scientific evidence to suggest brain training as we know it can significantly improve one’s higher-order cognitive ability. There is, however, plenty of evidence to suggest that tasking your brain with an achievable puzzle will give it the chance to slip into the ‘default brain network’ (DBN) (the state in which our mind performs this essential processing).
 
The key here is paying attention to how you feel when doing a crossword. If you find playing these games calming, this could be the perfect downtime choice. If you find them too strenuous, steer clear – you’d be better off slipping off into a daydream instead (another way to access DBN!).

Taking CBD oil may have the potential to further enhance your focus in both of these activities, and beyond! 

A 2020 study conducted by UCL researchers noted that CBD can increase blood flow to the Hippocampus - the region of the brain associated with memory, decision making and emotion. Furthermore, the CBD molecule directly activates dopamine receptors – something pharmaceutical drug Ritalin also does, which researchers have found to be extremely helpful in increasing attention span in study subjects with ADHD.
 
Want to learn more about how to enhance your CBD experience? Check out our expert guide.