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8 WAYS TO BEAT WORK STRESS WITH CBD

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Written by Jen Keehn

 

Dr. El-Hajj

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sandra El-Hajj

Stressed out at work? You’re not alone…

Your workplace is your primary source of stress, studies find. Heavy workload, strict deadlines, and difficult bosses can have an impact on your overall mental health. When the stress you deal with accumulates, it starts translating into your physiology, and health issues begin to arise.

The American Institute of Stress explains that more than 83% of working Americans suffer from stress in their workplace. The result is not only translated into their wellbeing but, also into financial losses. Big US companies lose an average of 300 billion dollars yearly due to absenteeism and increased medical health insurance policies1.

Generally, 58% of Americans say work is a significant source of stress2, and most Americans rank at a 4.9 out of ten when it comes to their stress level3. While attention is directed toward men and their stress levels, women are more likely to be stressed and their stress levels are higher than men: comparing 5.1 for women with 4.9 for men4.

All this stress and its high incidence rate lead people to start digging for solutions. While some resort to known prescription drugs, others believe in the power of natural medicine. Seeking a natural solution has been one of the reasons behind the explosion of CBD onto the scene.

Studies and countless testimonials keep explaining how cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive compound found in hemp and cannabis, is becoming an increased go-to for people looking for a solution to their stress.

We all desire to have a more stress-free life and seek the ability to start enjoying our daily routine and lives as much as possible! Since the majority of us have to work, we are all going to have to deal with the stresses of working almost daily.

So, a key to happiness becomes a personal choice many of us make to eliminate these offensive mental daggers that lead to an overabundance of stress in our work situations. Trying CBD for stress at work could be a solution for you as a way to combat your stress levels reaching a heightened state that could lead to long-term mental and physical issues.

So, how does CBD lend itself to reducing work-related stress? Let’s dig in to explain.

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Decrease Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals produced by the body overwhelms the natural healing process. So, there would be an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants5. While oxidation is a normal process in the body, oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance that would lead to damages to the body’s cells and DNA.

Oxidation tends to increase when we’re emotionally and/or physically stressed. But, if you are living a healthy lifestyle, such stress should not affect you much. For instance, if you’re following a healthy diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants, your body would have the right tools to fight off this offensive reaction. The same would happen if you are an active individual who exercises routinely.

For those who have bad habits, they would probably feel the signs of oxidative stress including6:

Oxidative stress can lead to several health conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, insomnia, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and more.

Taking CBD may be able to help due to the countless antioxidants found in both hemp and cannabis. A 1998 study found that both CBD and THC contain antioxidants acting as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of oxidative neurological disorders: neuroprotective antioxidants7. Through these, CBD plays a major role in the prevention of several neurological diseases. So, to sum it all, CBD can help reduce oxidative stress, which can help reduce stress at the workplace.

Reduce Anxiety

                                                  Read: How to Use CBD for Anxiety

Aside from chronic pain, one of the main reasons people resort to CBD is to reduce anxiety. CBD has been shown to be effective in the treatment of several anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder8. Seeing that stress and anxiety go hand-in-hand, reducing your anxiety can also have a significant impact on your stress levels at work.

reduce anxiety

Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

Generalized anxiety and public speaking anxiety are two distinctive types of anxiety. There are actually five different types of clinical anxieties. Generalized anxiety, also known as GAD, means that the person is experiencing elevated levels of extreme anxieties over a prolonged period of time. However, people with public speaking anxiety also referred to as performance anxiety, might feel fine all the time until they have to get up in front of a group of people and give a presentation or a speech9.public speaking If speaking in public is part of your job description and the thought of speaking in front of others leaves you sweating and shaking, CBD could be a lifeline you’ve been looking for.

Studies find CBD to be highly effective in managing public speaking anxiety while providing an anxiolytic effect for individuals experiencing a stressful situation.

Increase Focus and Concentration

Stress levels at work can take a serious toll on many things including how focused you are. If you feel like you’re in a fog half the time at work, you do not need to worry because you are not alone!

Whether your lack of focus is the result of poor sleep (which work and life stress can contribute to), dissatisfaction at work, lack of physical exercise, or ADD/ADHD; the inability to focus can become extremely stressful. It would affect the quality of both your life and work.

Several studies have looked at the effect of CBD on ADHD with positive conclusions. More studies are ongoing to pinpoint the exact mechanism by which it succeeds in doing so.

Even if you aren’t one of the 30-60% of American adults who suffer from ADHD, keeping your focus at work isn’t always easy10. CBD has shown to increase focus and concentration, which can in turn help manage work-related stress. 

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Stimulate Mental Clarity

CBD has shown to be an excellent aid for improving brain function. Before you dwell on how CBD can affect your brain functions, it is important to understand how your body utilizes this naturally-occurring chemical from cannabis. Some studies indicate that the body has a system that can regulate physiological and cognitive processes: the endocannabinoid system helps to maintain homeostasis. What studies show is that CBD contains chemicals that mimic the functions of the endocannabinoid system11.

A study found that CBD helps promote neurogenesis in the brain, a process in which new brain cells are constantly created7. In other words, taking CBD can help create new brain cells!

So, for those who hit rock bottom by mid-afternoon and still need their focus to continue their tasks, taking CBD sublingually can surely have a more accentuated effect than sipping on your regular coffee. CBD will help you find mental clarity while dissipating stress.

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Improve Sleep

Lack of sleep is one of the largest contributors to stress that exists. A 2017 study showed that CBD holds promise to improve REM sleep and reduce daytime sleepiness. If you find yourself exhausted at work, CBD could help by promoting more sound sleep at night, so you can get done during the day what needs to be done12.

improving sleep

Control Emotional Eating

Most Americans suffer from what is referred to as emotional eating. This happens when you spend your entire day eating snacks that are not -so-healthy! If this is your case, then CBD is probably something to look for including in your habits.

While THC (the psychoactive compound in cannabis) has shown to increase hunger, CBD actually regulates appetite and assists in controlling mindless stress snacking. Research has shown that CBD and THC have opposite effects on feeding patterns.

emotional eating

Energy Boost

Because CBD is known to empower cells in the body that can make you feel tired throughout the day, this natural component can give you the added energy boost you need to make it through a stressful day at work.

Through increased focus, a reduction in anxiety, and an overall feeling of balance and wellbeing, CBD offers an excellent, all-natural energy boost that can help decrease stress and rock your workday.

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Final Thoughts

Workplace stress is real. We all feel it from time to time, some of us more than others.

If you are trying to manage the many ways to decrease work stress and create a healthier environment at work, CBD could be exactly what you need.

It’s legal in 50 states and does not create a dependency relationship. It is literally changing the lives of millions of people across the globe every single day. Are you ready to discover how CBD can eliminate work stress in your life? But before doing so, consult your doctor to make sure that this is the best option for you.

For those looking to beat work stress with CBD without ending up with any trace of THC, CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD products are your best choice.

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References

1Milenkovic, W. (2019, September 25). 42 Worrying Workplace Stress Statistics. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://www.stress.org/42-worrying-workplace-stress-statistics 

2Ray, J. (2020, November 30). Americans’ Stress, Worry and Anger Intensified in 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://news.gallup.com/poll/249098/americans-stress-worry-anger-intensified-2018.aspx?utm_source=link_wwwv9

3Stress in America: Paying With Our Health (Rep.). (2015, February 4). Retrieved December 22, 2020, from American Psychological Association website: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2014/stress-report.pdf

4Stress in America: The State of Our Nation (Rep.). (2017, November 1). Retrieved December 22, 2020, from American Psychological Association website: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2017/state-nation.pdf

5Casas-Grajales, S., & Muriel, P. (2017, March 10). The Liver, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128042748000436?via=ihub

67 SIGNS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS. (2016, November 28). Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://karma-clinic.com/7-signs-of-oxidative-stress-2/

7Hampson AJ, Grimaldi M, Axelrod J, Wink D. Cannabidiol and (-)Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol are neuroprotective antioxidants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Jul 7;95(14):8268-73. doi: 10.1073/pnas.95.14.8268. PMID: 9653176; PMCID: PMC20965.
 
8Skelley JW, Deas CM, Curren Z, Ennis J. Use of cannabidiol in anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2020 Jan-Feb;60(1):253-261. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2019.11.008. Epub 2019 Dec 19. PMID: 31866386.
 

9The Differences Between GAD, Performance Anxiety, And Social Anxiety. (2019, August 21). Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://www.gokick.com/blog/kick-your-fear/differences-gad-performance-social-anxiety/

10Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Associated Treatment among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016. Melissa L. Danielson, MSPH1; Rebecca H. Bitsko, PhD1; Reem M. Ghandour, DrPH2; Joseph R. Holbrook, PhD1; Michael D. Kogan, PhD2; Stephen J. Blumberg, PhD3. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Published online before print January 24, 2018.

11Kate, M., & Author, D. (2019, April 24). 5 Ways Cannabidiol (CBD) Can Boost Your Brain. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://thebestbrainpossible.com/cbd-brain-endocannabinoid-supplement/

12Babson, K.A., Sottile, J. & Morabito, D. Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature. Curr Psychiatry Rep 19, 23 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0775-9

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