What is the Best Time to Take CBD Oil?

Tara DeVincenzo • January 24, 2019 • About CBD, FAQ

CBD oil has not only become a health and wellness staple, but it’s become a trendy ingredient for all the must-have meals and drinks of 2019. Some may argue there’s never a wrong time to take CBD, but truthfully its effects may hit people differently.

The best time to take CBD oil depends entirely on what effects you’re hoping to elicit. It’s not mind altering, so (unlike THC), it’s safe to take in the morning. CBD does have a reputation for being relaxing and in some people that translates to sleepiness.

Because of these relaxing effects, it’s widely used as part of an evening routine. Since CBD isn’t a stimulant like coffee, taking it at night won’t give you a restless night’s sleep that you’d get from caffeine. Some people find it’s useful for calming the body and the mind in preparing for a night’s rest.

However, many others use it as part of their morning routine or throughout the day to address problems such as anxiety or chronic pain.

How you use CBD is a personal decision. Everybody has different incentives for implementing it into their diets. It’s not enough to hope that it will help what you have in mind–you also have to test the waters and see how it will ultimately make you feel.

Morning

Is the morning the best time to take CBD? CBD oil in the morning can be great for one highly common ailment: relieving the anxiety of the day. The ease of taking a CBD gummy or dropper in the morning not only make it a mindless routine to follow, but you could also reap major benefits as the effects hit.

Whether you sit behind a desk or strap on an apron, you’re likely familiar with the sensation of feeling the heat of a proverbial work fire. Unexpected disasters happen, and CBD, as a relaxing cannabinoid, can help shake off the stress as it arises.

Even for days that there are no fires to put out, using CBD in the morning allows people who experience generalized anxiety to have a sense of zen as they tackle their duties. It’s believed to help cortisol levels stay balanced, giving you the opportunity to ward off overwhelming feelings before that can barrel through your day.

The jury is still out on CBD coffee, one popular way of getting a daily dose of CBD in the morning. Some believe that in moderation, both substances can be enjoyed together, others believe they can cause an interactive snafu. If you do suffer from anxiety, many healthcare professionals will advise that you cool it with the coffee. The caffeine can send your anxious thoughts sky high as it signals the fight or flight response.

Feel jittery? It’s most likely the coffee. Many people don’t look at coffee as the psychoactive stimulant that it is, but instead as a ritualistic practice with a nice dollop of cream and sugar. CBD can be a good routine to implement not in addition to, but in place of coffee.

However, many people are finding that CBD and coffee do go together–and several companies are even selling CBD coffees--so if you’re in a committed relationship with coffee, you may be able to mix the two. Though until more research is out, you do so at your own risk.

Afternoon

Is the afternoon the right time to take CBD? For those who hit the gym on their lunch break, it could be a perfect time. CBD isn’t a stimulant, nor is it a performance-enhancing drug. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits most cannabinoids but allows athletes to use CBD.

CBD is an anti-inflammatory bursting with antioxidants. These properties alone are thought to be useful in post-workout recovery and in turn translate to a good pre-workout supplement. Olympic athletes have been given the green light to use CBD as athletes tap into its healing powers and use it for their recovery.

The same way that CBD can get you through an afternoon workout, it can also help get you over the afternoon hump. While THC is believed to cause memory impairment, some research suggests that CBD can repair that. Using pure CBD in the afternoon may help keep your mind on track and your emotions grounded.

For those who have a big meeting or presentation, CBD swoops in as a saving grace yet again. Clinical trials show a decrease in public speaking anxiety in those with social phobias.

Even without a public speaking opportunity, an afternoon dose of CBD can also come in handy for those who experience generalized anxiety. This dose can be a follow-up to a morning dose or be the first of the day.

Evening

The best time to take CBD oil could very well be in the evening.

CBD is calming. It calms inflammation, it soothes seizures that begin in the brain, and as a most basic function, it can facilitate rest. After a long day of working hard or working just to keep your head in the game, nighttime CBD oil gives you the ability to zonk out.

Those who suffer from insomnia, especially related to chronic pain or anxiety, could find therapeutic benefits of using CBD to improve the quality of sleep. This non-habit forming option could be a saving grace for those who continually struggle when it comes time to relax and recharge.

As-Needed

For people using CBD for chronic pain or other medical conditions, or to deal with stronger issues like anxiety, taking CBD as-needed or several times throughout the day may be the best option. Only taking CBD in the morning won’t do much for 4PM deadline anxiety or chronic pain, so dosing throughout the day could be an option.

A dose of CBD oil will likely provide peak results within 4 hours of taking it. For some people, the effects can last longer while others may need another dose.

The Best Time To Take CBD Oil Is…

When you need it! Keep in mind, depending on what method of consumption you’re using, the time during which you’ll feel the effects will vary. Still, picking which time of day suits you most is completely personal.

The majority of users tend to point at evenings as the best time to take CBD oil, but that lies solely in its calming and insomnia-fighting effects. For those who experience anxiety, the best time is really any time an attack is coming on, or regularly during the day.

Using CBD is a personal journey. More research on CBD is appearing, but still, a lot of research is lacking. The full truth of its benefits and effects, both short- and long-term, is yet to be discovered.

CBD’s status as a non-threatening substance on the world stage gives hope for increased and improved research into CBD. That research can start with you at home. The first step is finding a reputable source to provide pure, hemp-based CBD oil. The second step is to take it and experience its many beneficial effects.