If you think about it, most people don’t take CBD just to take CBD.
They take CBD to feel a certain way — and hopefully live a certain way, too.
We can’t speak for everybody, but most people take CBD in hopes of growing as people and becoming the best version of themselves.
And guess what? This approach seems to be working.
But it gets even better when you combine CBD with yoga. Both CBD and yoga are mental+physical catalysts that can help you truly thrive. Here’s how to experience this combo for yourself.
- Yoga and CBD: shared history?
- Yoga for the endocannabinoid system
- CBD + yoga = amazing
- CBD + yoga for focus
- CBD + yoga for calmness
- How to live in the moment
- The best CBD products for your yoga routine
Yoga And CBD: Shared History?
The practice of yoga goes way back. It emerged alongside Hindu spiritualism thousands of years ago — it’s nearly as old as history itself!
Here’s the interesting thing: the same Vedas, or holy books, that mention yoga also mention hemp. (Hemp, of course, is the super-cool plant that provides us with CBD.)
“[Hemp] is one of the five essential plants mentioned in the Vedas, along with soma and barley,” testifies Dr. Uma Dhanabalan. “It is part of our medicinal and spiritual culture. In Ayurveda, it was used to improve memory, against leprosy, and many other things. […] This is a medicine, and it has to be treated as such.” [1]
Hemp and yoga have a shared history. Could there be a good reason why the Vedas mention them both?
Modern science hints that there is. Let’s unravel this reason by zooming out a little bit and looking at the human endocannabinoid system.
One of the endocannabinoid system’s (ECS’s) most important facets is an endocannabinoid called anandamide. This molecule gets its name from ananda, the Sanskrit word for bliss. High anandamide levels make a person feel naturally blissful! [2]
The term yoga originates from Sanskrit, too. It’s the Sanskrit word for union — the union that comes with really knowing yourself. All of yoga’s major terms and principles, in fact, come from this ancient language. [3]
Maybe it’s only fitting that the endocannabinoid system and yoga overlap in their etymologies.
Why? Because the ECS is what makes yoga’s benefits possible in the first place.
Yoga For The Endocannabinoid System
And this relationship goes both ways. In other words, the endocannabinoid system facilitates yoga’s best benefits…and yoga makes the endocannabinoid system work even better.
A study appropriately titled Care and Feeding of the Endocannabinoid System describes this relationship. According to the study, activities like massage therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and healthful eating may all strengthen the ECS: [4]
“Stress management may reverse the effects of chronic stress on eCB signaling. . . . Clinical anecdotes suggest that [techniques like] meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises impart mild cannabimimetic effects.”
Even stretching can trigger anandamide production in the muscles being stretched! All in all, the endocannabinoid system is highly adaptable.
It seems to respond to yoga perfectly — triggering a whole host of mental and physical benefits. If yoga gives you clarity, calmness, peace, or bliss…you probably have your endocannabinoid system to thank. Maybe it’s not so surprising that the Vedas mentioned both yoga and hemp after all.
CBD + Yoga = Amazing
The Vedas make it pretty clear that hemp was given to humankind to increase our joy and personal freedom and help us overcome the inevitable stresses of life. [5]
So, what really happens when you combine CBD and yoga? All sorts of potentially-great stuff:
Let’s dive a little deeper into some of CBD + yoga’s best benefits.
CBD + Yoga for focus
It’s hard to stay focused on your purpose in today’s world. Physical and digital distractions of all sorts bombard our minds and fight for our attention.
Thankfully, a good CBD + yoga routine could help. One 2018 study showed that CBD may reduce addictive tendencies (think checking your phone every 5 minutes) and assist your brain in forming new, healthier habits. [9] “CBD may be highly effective” as an anti-addiction “therapeutic,” the study’s authors stated.
CBD + yoga for calmness
The CBD + yoga combo is also highly calming.
Interestingly enough, this particular effect seems to work via the gut. What’s the connection, you may ask? A healthy gut produces less serotonin and more dopamine, resulting in a calmer, stabler, more empowered mental framework. [10] This is exactly the sort of state that CBD and other cannabinoids (especially CBG) seem to promote.
Yoga may foster gut-health-mediated calmness, too. Studies show that it increases blood flow to the digestive tract. [11] Poses like the seated twist may be especially effective for this. Of course, yoga’s meditative aspects are also great for quieting the mind and fostering feelings of peace and calm.
How To Live In The Moment
If yoga had a single ultimate goal, it might just be to live in the moment.
This is harder than it might sound. Staying mindful enough to be fully present in the now takes a lot of practice. Once you reach this mindful state, though, everything shifts. You get more focused and less anxious. You find yourself in a state where things just seem to flow.
So, how can you learn to live in the moment? Practicing yoga, taking CBD, and meditating is probably your best bet. Doing all these things on the regular will help you live in the moment and break free from the anxieties of the future and the regrets of the past!
The Best CBD Products For Your Yoga Routine
Some CBD products complement yoga better than others. Dosage also matters — since CBD gets more relaxing the more you take, large doses of CBD might be best for your yoga practice.
Here are three of our favorite yoga-friendly CBD products:
- CBD Tincture
- CBD Wellness Gummies
- Relief and Recovery Roll-On
CBD Tincture
Our CBD Tincture is our most popular product for a reason. It’s simple — with just two ingredients — and ultra effective. To get the most out of your yoga routine you may want to opt for the high-strength 3,000-milligram version.
CBD Wellness Gummies
Our CBD Wellness Gummies use broad spectrum CBD and a host of botanicals to directly counter stress. We think you’ll find their lavender especially relaxing! If you’re having trouble really getting into your yoga flow, taking a few gummies before your next session could help.
Relief and Recovery Roll On
As relaxing as it is, yoga can involve a little bit of physical discomfort. Taking your body out of its literal comfort zone through challenging stretches is a part of what makes yoga so effective.
IF you’d like a little help with this growth process, however, then CBD might be just the thing. Applying our Relief and Recovery Roll-On to stubborn muscles or joints before your next session can help your stretches. It features a delightfully soothing blend of CBD, arnica, and menthol. When in doubt you can always just bring this product to the yoga studio — its roll-on format makes it super simple to apply.
Summing Things Up
All in all, yoga and CBD have a whole lot in common. They share their history, have many of the same effects on mental and physical health, and even both work via the endocannabinoid system! Why not combine them? If you’re anything like us, we think you’ll like the combo.
