Have you ever stared at a blank document for ages, read the same email over and over again, or failed to hit your workout and wellness goals all because you couldn’t summon enough focus?
You’re not alone. No matter what achievement you’re working towards, success requires attention, care, and concentration. In short, focus. But occasionally, focus can feel just out of reach or in limited supply—especially if your lifestyle or body feels out of balance. If you’re looking for a simple, sustainable way to amp up your alertness, CBD use might be the key to unlocking your powers of concentration.
That’s right, CBD isn’t just the champion of sleep support, ache relief or stress and anxiety reduction. Some research suggests that it might also help boost brain power and sharpen your mental clarity and focus.
Below, we’ll explore how CBD might be able to steer you out of brain fog and contribute to greater cognitive function.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- CBD may help balance our bodies – Whether in the form of CBD capsules or CBD gummies, experts theorize that CBD ingredients may help promote wellness and balance throughout our bodies, supporting the smooth functioning of processes like sleep, ache relief, and memory.
- CBD may ease distracting stressors – By supporting tranquility, restful sleep, and ache relief, CBD may help us focus more on the tasks at hand (and focus less on physical and mental discomfort).
- CBD may boost wakefulness – Studies have shown that low doses of pure CBD may impart a stimulating effect, while a high daily dose may be successful in promoting feelings of calm and relaxation.
- CBD may be used in different ways – Between capsules, oils, gummies, edibles, and topical CBD treatments, there are diverse CBD products and dosages designed to support a broad spectrum of needs. Your preferred dosage and administration method will likely depend on your relationship with focus and your tastes.
CBD AND THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM
To get a clear sense of how a CBD product might work to enhance focus, it might be helpful to take a moment to unpack what exactly it is and how it functions in the body.
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound that’s found in the hemp plant. Because it’s non-psychoactive, it doesn’t have an intoxicating effect.
Translation? Consuming CBD for focus won’t make you feel high, or out of it, or any version of off-kilter.
Instead, experts suggest that CBD has a balancing effect—working to preserve and protect the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS, a complex system of molecules, enzymes, and receptors that regulates myriad bodily processes and functions, including:
- Sleep
- Mood regulation
- Eating
- Temperature control
- Discomfort
- Inflammatory response
- Immune response
- Energy metabolism
- Learning
- Memory
While the intricacies of the ECS haven’t yet been fully disentangled by research, many experts contend that the system helps keep our bodies in homeostasis—or on an even keel, to put it simply—and allows for the smooth running of a wide range of physiological systems.
By suggesting that CBD will prevent endocannabinoid molecules from breaking down, some experts raise the possibility that consuming CBD might support the various processes that the ECS plays a part in, like sleep, ache relief, energy, and brain function.
Beginning to connect the dots between CBD and focus? While we have your attention, let’s take a closer look at the stimulating potential of the compound.
HOW CBD BOOSTS ENERGY AND FOCUS
You may have seen CBD marketed as a sleep-supporting, ease-inducing supplement that may help promote restful slumber and relaxation.
How could it be possible then, you might be wondering, that CBD could also be used as an energizing booster?
How to improve concentration using CBD comes down to dosage.
Studies suggest that CBD has a biphasic effect, which just means that your experience of the compound—the benefits you notice, the sensations you feel—will likely depend on the amount that you consume.
While higher doses of CBD may indeed increase sleep duration and provide a tranquilizing effect, lower doses have shown promise for their stimulating, wakefulness-boosting properties.
CBD also may support energy and attention by promoting our overall wellness.
CBD Alleviates Uncomfortable and Stressful Distractions
Like everything else in our bodies, our cognitive function is not isolated. It’s empowered by each of our internal systems and external realities—the rest we enjoy, the balance we strive for, and the self-care we engage in. It can also be negatively impacted by a range of factors, including stress, discomfort, and exhaustion.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the compound’s potential as a focus-sharpening, galvanizing supplement, let’s explore CBD’s other usages and effects—and how they might impact our attention spans.
- Relieves discomfort – Burgeoning evidence, including a 2018 study of mice with spinal cord injuries, suggests that CBD may help alleviate soreness and inflammation. Compelling information, yes. But how does it connect to a cognitive issue, like focus?
If you’ve ever experienced aches, you know that they can make it challenging to concentrate on anything else. Whether chronic or short-term, physical discomfort demands massive stores of energy—leaving sufferers exhausted and depleted of critical brain space that they might otherwise dedicate to their work, relationships, or wellness pursuits. If CBD can soothe our physical discomfort, it may also help us reclaim our focus—and fuel our journeys.
- Eases stress – Some studies suggest that CBD may be useful for promoting feelings of ease and relaxation. In fact, in one 2019 study, CBD offered marked relief for mice with anxiety. Good news for uneasy mice—and promising news for stressed-out, inattentive humans.
You see, while short-term stress may inspire us to get a last-minute assignment completed ASAP or sprint to the finish line, long-term stress reliably derails our cognitive function—making us tired, cranky, and unfocused. It follows that by supporting feelings of tranquility and ease, CBD may also alleviate the negative impacts of stress on focus.
- Supports sleep – According to research, getting enough hours of restful sleep can clear the cobwebs from our minds—promoting sharper focus, memory, and problem-solving in the short- and long-term. When we don’t get enough sleep, or if our sleep quality is lacking, our brains miss out on crucial R&R, becoming overworked and overwhelmed.
Although research is in the early stages, CBD has shown promise for its potential to support sleep quality and duration. So, by helping us reach rejuvenating sleep, CBD may also help us feel recharged and focused during the day—eager to launch back into our passion projects and recommit to our training goals.
HOW TO USE CBD IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
If you’re interested in incorporating CBD into your daily routine to improve your focus, you have a vast array of options—all tailored to different needs and outcomes. To help you decide what dose or method might be right for you, it may be helpful to consider your relationship with focus.
If you’re wondering, how much CBD should I take for focus? Run an inventory on your lifestyle and body, asking yourself:
- Does my brain fog creep in after late nights or poor sleep?
- Do my achy joints and tense muscles demand a considerable amount of mental energy?
- Could it be that my long-term stress is finally catching up with me?
You may not be able to pin down a lack of focus on any single external or internal factor. Everyone struggles with concentration and motivation at some point, and many of us naturally encounter more difficulty focusing than others.
If you do suspect that sleeplessness, stress, or physical discomfort may have something to do with your decreased motivation, you may find it helpful to try out higher dosages that support relaxation and tranquility.
Or, if you’re after a quick, natural boost to carry you from a demanding workout to your desk, a stimulating lower dose may be just what you need.
Types of CBD Products to Take for Focus
CBD products run the gamut from soothing balms to delicious snacks. CBD potency can vary, as well as the ways they interact with your body. Let’s break down the types of products that you’re likely to encounter:
- Topicals – CBD-infused lotions, gels, and bath products may be compelling options if achy muscles or inflamed joints have impacted your focus at work or during workouts. These topical CBD products offer support by helping to restore balance to targeted areas and might be just the thing for bouts of distraction and discomfort.
- Oil – CBD oil tincture typically comes in a small bottle with a dropper. Made by combining hemp extract with another oil (usually coconut or hemp seed oil), these products are easily and swiftly absorbed into the bloodstream. Plus, the droppers make it simple to measure out consistent doses.
- Capsules – Some folks run into trouble with the taste and texture of certain CBD oil products. CBD capsules, on the other hand, offer tasteless, easy-to-use, and unobtrusive support as well as controlled doses. It’s worth noting, however, that because the CBD in capsules is released during digestion, they might take longer to start working.
- Edibles – Edibles might just be the tastiest way to support focus and sustained wellness, with products that include CBD gummies, cookies, and chocolates.
FOCUS THE POWER OF CBD WITH RESILIENCE CBD
At work, in the gym, at home—you’re a champion. You endure marathon workdays and killer workouts with integrity and determination. Even on those days where you are searching for how to get motivated to workout, you still show up, pushing past exhaustion and distraction. But even champions can benefit from a bit of support, whether from your trusted spotter at the bench or your trusted CBD.
At Resilience CBD, we’re motivated to help athletes harness their fullest potential. That’s why we’ve formulated our high-quality, third-party tested oils, edibles, and topicals with your moving body in mind—striving to aid in your recovery, hasten your rebound time, and empower you to rise to every occasion with a balanced body and rejuvenated mind.
