Anxious? CBD for Anxiety

Do you ever find that a few days before your period starts you are more anxious than usual? That sinking, panicking feeling can set in just before your period due to a change in hormones.

Cortisol, which is linked to anxiety, increases before menstruation starts. This can cause those unwelcome and unnecessary bouts of anxiety.

Great. Another symptom that you can’t do anything about… Or can you? CBD for anxiety may people combat those anxious times.

How might CBD for anxiety work?

In a nutshell:

Could help your body use its serotonin
May encourage your body to use its natural chemicals
Increases prefrontal cortex activation which lowers activity in the Amygdala
May help you sleep and feel relaxed

CBD is thought to alter serotonin and give it a boost. If you don’t have enough serotonin then you are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. It uses your bodies own natural chemicals to to work to lower anxiety levels.

CBD also helps reduce anxiety in other ways, but first, let’s get deep. Get ready for some long words…

CBD is an Anxiolytic which is said to increase the prefrontal cortex activation, this then lowers activity in the Amygdala. The Amygdala is a set of neurons found deep in the brain, which is shown to play a big role in our emotions.

Lack of sleep can also contribute to feelings of anxiety. People with sleep disorders and insomnia are more likely to develop anxiety disorders. CBD has been found to help you relax, switch off and fall asleep. If you are just going through a spell of poor sleep, maybe due to stress, then this can also cause anxiety. A daily dose of CBD could help.

Anxiety and depression can occur during your monthly cycle due to hormone changes. If you use CBD daily, throughout your cycle, then you will help to banish the pain as well as those mood changes.

Your questions, the Doctors answers

Each month we ask the Doctor your questions you send in. Here are a few you might be interested in.

Q: “Is CBD oil suppressing my emotions? I’m usually tearful but haven’t cried since taking it.”

A: It doesn’t suppress emotions; it has a calming effect. It reduces anxiety and depression and increases serotonin which is one of the hormones of happiness. So, you get a calmer, more composed thought process.

Q: “Sometimes I cry out of nowhere totally unexpected. Is this normal?”

A: It can be due to overworking, exhaustion, sleep deprivation or anxiety. If suddenly, it has become more frequent and you are worried, you can consult a mental health professional without hesitation.

Is CBD oil suppressing my emotions? I’m usually tearful but haven’t cried since taking it.

Are there any studies on CBD for anxiety?

CBD for anxiety has been studied a fair bit. Some studies have looked at how people who took CBD felt more confident delivering a public speech to those who took the placebo. Another study writes: “current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders.”

Can CBD help with other period symptoms?

The unfortunate thing is, symptoms of your period don’t just happen during your period. They can affect your life right from day one of your new cycle as you lead up to ovulation and into your next period bleed. Symptoms can include:

Headaches
Insomnia
Depression
Anxiety
Cravings
Sleep issues
Pain and aches

Why do I get anxiety near my period?

Just before your period, hormones will be dropping off as your body prepares to do its thing. For example, your feel good hormone, progesterone, takes a nosedive just before Aunt Flo comes to visit.

Progesterone is known as a mood enhancer and even thought to have antidepressant effects. When levels of this hormone are at their optimum level it can promote feelings of calm, however, after this steep drop your levels plummet which may leave you feeling anxious, irritable and angry.

Another hormone that has a lot to answer for in pre period anxiety is cortisol. This stress hormone increases just before menstruation starts.

Enter PMS. Enter anxiety.

Anxiety and Sleep

When you are anxious you are much more likely to toss and turn in your bed as you try desperately to focus on counting sheep, rather than that feeling in the pit of your stomach. This is a vicious cycle.

Research has found that lack of sleep is actually linked to anxiety disorders. But if you are feeling anxious then you are less likely to sleep easy!

Period anxiety may be the cause keeping you up at night. For this, we use Pretty Peaceful by Our Remedy, which is a relaxing blend of CBD, geranium and lavender with a sweet orange flavour.

Can anxiety cause irregular periods?

When you are stressed or anxious it can cause irregular periods. This is because cortisol is released into the body which affects the levels of hormones and can therefore impact your cycle.

Thing is, your cycle is geared up towards bringing life into the world. If Mother Nature thinks there is a threat because your hormone levels are off then she can hold off ovulation.

Mother Nature doesn’t know you are stressed and anxious over a job interview or a looming deadline, she thinks there’s a Sabre Toothed Tiger after you!

To help avoid anxiety causing irregular periods try to reduce anxious feelings with meditation, yoga, CBD oil etc. Of course, if you need to, chat with your Doctor.

Remember, strenuous exercise can also cause cortisol levels to rise and irregular or completely absent periods. Read all about how to get your period back when it goes because of exercise here.

Anxiety and Nausea

How’s this for a double whammy – anxiety and nausea before period starts. Again, we have hormones to blame for these symptoms.

Just before your period starts and during prostaglandin will be circulating the body which can cause things like sickness, nausea, headaches and even diarrhea.

You might find you feel sick because your anxiety levels are higher, or anxious because you feel sick. This again, is a vicious circle.

What can you do to help anxiety and nausea before your period? Well one way could be to take a dose of CBD daily through your cycle. CBD is thought to not only help reduce anxiety, as mentioned above, but also reduce nausea. Research has found that cannabinoid oil may help to relieve and regulate nausea.

Anxiety and your work performance

Whether you are battling anxiety before your period starts once a month or every damn day, it can affect your work performance. Employees with even mild anxiety or depression can significantly increase impaired work performance and even long term absence.

Anxiety in the workplace may lead you to miss days at work, causing you to fall behind. Or it might make you less likely to put yourself forward for a promotion, or step up to a task. It can also impact your relationships with colleagues.

It is safe to say that anxiety can affect your work performance, even when it is mild.

There are ways you can help manage your anxiety in the workplace to prevent it from affecting your performance. Here are a few ideas:

Be open about how you feel. You might set up a meeting with your manager and explain how your anxiety is impacting your work
Understand your anxiety. Get to know your triggers and what makes you feel better. Could you go for a brisk walk to clear your head, write lists, set yourself small tasks and achievable deadlines.
Get to sleep. Lack of sleep can lead you to feel more anxious. Make sure you are having a proper wind down in the evening and getting a good amount of sleep.
Be present. If you find that you fall down a rabbit hole of worry, about things that haven’t happened and probably won’t, bring yourself back to the here and now with some mindfulness techniques.

Remember, if your anxiety is affecting your ability to carry on with day to day activities you might wish to speak with your doctor.

Another consideration with anxiety and work performance is to think about whether you actually enjoy the job you are doing. Is the job fueling your anxiety? Could you do something else that would make you happier?

Final thoughts

Dealing with anxiety isn’t always a picnic. However, there are ways to help you manage your symptoms. If you feel that anxiety is overwhelming, do not be afraid to speak to a professional about how you are feeling.

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