When is the Best Time to Take CBD?
If you came here for an easy answer, sorry - we can’t really give you one. Like so many other things in life, CBD is complicated, and it’ll take some experimentation on your part before you can settle on a daily routine.
How Body Chemistry Determines When to Take CBD
We can’t emphasize the importance of listening to your body enough. Because everyone has unique genes and bodily needs, you need to pay close attention to how your body responds.
We’ll get into that shortly, but first, let’s discuss some of the reasons why CBD affects everyone differently. These factors can help you decide when and how much you should ingest.
Genetic Makeup
Researchers from the Sackler Institute of Developmental Psychobiology at Weill Cornell Medicine found that about 20% of Americans with European ancestry possess a mutation that reduces levels of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme that breaks down anandamide. Anandamide is the naturally occurring “bliss molecule” associated with mood enhancement and fear reduction.
In other words, 20% of Americans have more anandamide than the rest of us, meaning 20% of Americans can handle stress better than others. But before you write off genetics as unfair, consider this: CBD is probably less effective for these people due to their genetic makeup and naturally higher levels of anandamide.
That doesn’t mean CBD can’t help them, it just means they should use CBD for other reasons than to calm down, such as post-workout recovery or pain management.
If you find out you’re one of the (lucky) people who produce more anandamide naturally, give our 500mg CBD lotion or CBD pain relief stick a try.
Lifestyle and Personal Health
The way you live directly affects how your body absorbs and responds to medicines, supplements, and other substances. Depending on your lifestyle, you may respond to CBD differently than other people, and the way your body reacts will have an impact on when you should take CBD.
Here’s why lifestyle matters (when we say “lifestyle,” we mean diet and stress levels):
- If you’re constantly stressed or often feel anxious, you’re predisposed to physical side effects like digestive problems, cardiovascular issues, healthy fluctuations in weight, and sleep disorders. CBD could help mitigate these issues thanks to a bodily system called the ECS (endocannabinoid system). When a stressed person takes CBD, the molecules in CBD bind to receptors throughout the body and prevent anandamide, the “bliss molecule,” from being broken down.
ughout the body but synthesized in the brain, meaning CBD could relieve mental and physical stress. If you tend to feel anxious in the morning and throughout the day, try one of our CBD wellness products as soon as you wake up. Depending on your individual needs and healthcare provider’s advice, you can take more CBD at another point in the day.
- Diet also plays an important role in how and when your body absorbs (and benefits from) CBD. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are the essential fatty acids that your body needs to function, and they affect how your body will absorb CBD. People whose diet is low in essential fatty acids will have a stronger reaction to CBD than people who have a higher concentration of Omega 3 and 6 in their diet.
Biological Sex
This one always seems to come up, but it makes sense - men and women have different amounts of different hormones at different times, so no one should really expect the biological sexes to share the same effect from taking CBD.
Women are generally more receptive to CBD than men, and here’s why:
- The central nervous system (CNS) processes pain differently in men than in women.
- Women have a higher nerve density than men. One study found that women averaged 34 nerve fibers per square centimeter of skin, while men averaged 17 per square centimeter.
- Men have much higher levels of testosterone, a hormone that essentially lessens the effects of external pain stimuli.
- Women tend to experience symptoms that CBD helps with (hormonal imbalance, inflammation of the skin, and mood changes) more often than men.
So what does that imply for the best time of day to take CBD? Basically, women may enjoy more benefits by syncing their CBD use with their menstrual cycle. For example, if a woman always experiences mood swings the week before her period begins, she can take a bit more of the supplement than she would any other week.
Of course, both men and women should speak with their doctor before taking any form of CBD. Your doctor will give you advice on how to safely take CBD based on your bodily needs, and those needs are different between men and women.
Biochemistry
Everybody has that friend who can drink coffee at 7 pm and still have a good night’s rest. Just like any other substance (caffeine, alcohol, ibuprofen, etc.), CBD is processed differently by every person who takes it.
The strength and duration of CBD depends greatly on your unique biochemistry, which is why you’ll probably need to try a few different forms and doses of CBD before finding the one that works best for you.
Keep in mind that other factors like age, stress, and environment can alter your body’s biochemistry, also altering your body’s reaction to CBD.
Factors that Determine the Best Time to Take CBD
Now you’re going to have to do a little soul searching. Ask yourself why you want to take CBD. Have you been feeling anxious or unable to sleep? Do your muscles feel tired and achy from exercise?
After asking yourself why you want to take CBD, think about what you want to achieve, or the desired effect you wish to achieve by using it. For example, your ‘why’ could be “I want to be more rested and ready to take on the day.” Your ‘achievement’ could be “I want to sleep at least 8 hours every night.”
Once you have your goal, you’ll have a much better idea of when to take your CBD. In the example above, you’d want to take CBD soon before going to bed. If your goal is to feel less anxious and have a clear mind for work, you’d want to take CBD in the morning, or at least 30 minutes before heading to work, whatever time that might be.
Purpose isn’t the only factor that will help you decide the best time of day to take CBD; form and dose are just as important.
Form
Capsules, tinctures, lotions - the choice of pure, natural CBD products is yours, but you’ll get the most out of your product by using the right form at the right time.
For potent effects that come on quickly in as little as 15 minutes and last for 4-6 hours, 1000 or 3000mg CBD tincture may be your best bet. CBD in a tincture is administered sublingually (under the tongue), allowing maximum absorption through the vessels and capillaries in the mouth. If you want to feel the effects of CBD as quickly and potently as possible, try a tincture.
Capsules, such as Medsana’s CBD oil for energy and CBD gel caps for sleep, are a good option for people who prefer a gradual release throughout the day. CBD capsules are ingested orally, meaning they have to travel through the stomach, intestines, and liver before absorption into the bloodstream. These may take a little longer than our tinctures, but the benefits are no less.
Unlike tinctures and capsules, topical CBD is not absorbed into the bloodstream. These products do help soothe tissues, skin, and muscles, however, making them invaluable to athletes and others who exercise regularly.
Dose
Remember, there’s no easy answer to the question “When’s the best time to take CBD?” because everyone’s bodies are different. People don’t absorb nutrients or supplements the same way, and some people may require a significantly higher starting dose than others.
As a rule of thumb, it’s safer to start with the lowest amount of CBD and work your way up from there. Keep in mind that you need to take the CBD consistently; only taking it once and quitting because you didn’t notice any effects won’t do you any good.
Taking CBD in the Morning
Rise and shine! Taking CBD in the morning can help boost your mood, increase your productivity, promote a healthy appetite (no more skipping breakfast), and encourage workouts (if you’re a morning workout person).
Taking CBD in the Daytime
More and more people are weaning themselves off coffee and turning to CBD for their mid-afternoon pick-me-up. If you find yourself dozing off at your desk, try Medsana’s CBD oil for energy. If you’re beyond stressed and can’t find the mental clarity to get your work done, try our CBD tincture packed with 1000 or 3000mg of pure, THC-free CBD.
Of course, it’ll take some trial and error before you figure out which is the best time to take CBD in the day. If you have a big presentation to give at work, maybe don’t take CBD for the first time an hour before.
Taking CBD at Night
If you take CBD right before going to bed, you obviously won’t be able to monitor how you feel throughout the night. But you will be able to tell if you’re taking too much CBD by noticing how you feel in the morning. For example, if you slept well but still feel groggy two hours after waking up, you might consider cutting your dose in half.
Many people have found that CBD works wonders for their sleep schedule. To promote healthy sleep and relax after a long day, try Medsana’s CBD gel caps for sleep.