CBD Dosing For Stress: How Much Should You Take?

We’ve all felt stressed and unable to accomplish necessary tasks, especially in settings where productivity is essential. Whether you’re at work, at school, or a whole van full of relatives just appeared on your doorstep, you’ve probably felt a weird sensation in your stomach or the shortness of breath that accompanies jittery nerves.

There are ways to rid yourself of these feelings—alternatives to just drinking another cup of coffee and gritting your teeth until the day is over. Among wellness supplements, CBD stands out as a fast and effective form of relief for symptoms like stress and anxiety.

But the CBD space is fairly nebulous, making it hard to know what brands to trust, which products will work, and what steps should be taken to find the kinds of effects you’re looking for. Here’s our guide to help you choose a product and a dose that alleviates stress so you can be your best self.

What is CBD?

Although neither recreational nor medical marijuana has been legalized in the United States, in the past few years more and more states are passing legislation that legalizes cannabis in some form. And since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp production on a federal level, the CBD market has been growing at a lightning pace.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in cannabis plants that can offer therapeutic benefits when treating common ailments. Unlike THC, another cannabis compound, CBD doesn’t get you high or produce any of the anxious feelings some experience from using marijuana. CBD can work on receptors in your endocannabinoid system to reduce anxiety and provide stress relief.

Although it now seems almost ubiquitous, CBD has yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency doesn’t closely regulate the contents of products or the kinds of safety precautions brands are taking. Because of this, it’s good to do your due diligence and learn about the space before trying CBD.

What to know before buying a CBD product

As a consumer in the CBD space, you should be especially careful about what you’re choosing to put into your body. There are a dizzying amount of products to choose from. What’s more, they require varying doses, have several potency options, and enact different forms of relief.

The best brands—the ones you want to be on the hunt for—are the ones that self-regulate with third party testing. This involves sending products to a lab, where they are tested to ensure that what’s on the label is what’s inside the packaging.

If you’re considering taking CBD for stress, think about what application method you’re comfortable with and is most effective at relieving your symptoms. The rate of relief going from fastest to slowest is as follows: inhalation, sublingual, then CBD edibles.

If inhaled, the CBD will go straight into your bloodstream, yielding immediate effects. However, the effects may wear off quicker than those of other application methods. A drop of CBD oil under the tongue should take effect within 5 to 20 minutes. If you’re just looking for relief in specific moments of stress, using an oil or vape may bring the short term effects you’re looking for.

For those who feel the effects of stress and anxiety on a daily basis, you may want to try CBD gummies or capsules so you can get a consistent dose each day and feel long term effects. Gummies will most likely take 30 minutes to an hour before providing relief. But these effects are also the most long lasting. This type of product may help counteract anxious feelings before they even start.

If a CBD tincture or oil sounds like the right fit for you, check out our guide to the best CBD oils to buy online. Or, if you don’t know where to start, take a look at our New to CBD page. We invest in third party testing to find brands we trust, and include customer reviews and discounts to aid you in your journey to find the best product for your purpose.

Deciding on a CBD dosage

With CBD, determining the proper dosage can be difficult. Contrary to what you may have seen on labels or online, there is no one size fits all answer. The FDA has yet to establish a Recommended Daily Intake for CBD, and there is a large supply of factors that complicate dosing for the average user. One person might take 10 mg a few times a day, and another might take just one 50 mg dose.

With dosing, it’s important to pay attention to the serving size listed on the packaging. The concentration, or the amount of CBD in the product, will be featured on the outside of the product. You may need to use this to calculate the serving size.

Start with the lowest recommended dose and work your way up incrementally until you’ve hit a sweet spot where you feel like you’re getting the optimal form of relief. CBD dosing may also depend on your metabolism, body weight, and your desired effects.

The World Health Organization has determined that CBD has a good safety profile and is well-tolerated by most users. Even with very high doses of CBD, the most likely side effect is a feeling of drowsiness. CBD has the potential to restore function and balance to your body and your daily life. If you feel overwhelmed by stress and the fact that other medication or supplements haven’t been getting the job done, it may be time to give CBD a try.