How will CBD make me feel? Why take CBD and benefits, explained

You’ve probably heard of some of the benefits of CBD oil by now. Maybe from a friend or colleague, someone in the health and wellness industry, in documentaries, anecdotes, or in scientific research papers and from your own research.

But you might not have made up your mind if it’s something you’d like to try for yourself. Answering frequently asked questions by our experts, we’ll go through and clarify some of the most important benefits that taking CBD can have and how it might make you feel, to help you decide if it’s for you, or not.

At a glance:

Why should I take CBD?
What are the health benefits of CBD?
Can CBD help with anxiety and sleep?
Does CBD really do anything?
How does CBD make you feel?
Will CBD make me drowsy?

Why should I take CBD?

There are so many reasons for taking CBD, from general wellness to sleep and mental health concerns, which we'll explain in more detail below.

Did you know? Over 80% of our customers take our products to help manage sleep, stress and anxiety. Read about other customer experiences using CBII via the Yotpo-verified reviews on our website.

What are the health benefits of CBD?

Anecdotal evidence and early research indicate that CBD may assist with stress, anxiety, sleep, mood, short-term pain relief, inflammation, muscle recovery, epilepsy, and seizures.

According to Julie Moltke, a medical doctor specialising in sleep and stress management:

"CBD helps to keep the haemostasis - the balance in the body.” - Dr Julie Moltke

Mary Biles, author and cannabis writer, explains: “Right now, everyone should be taking CBD to support their wellness. It’s a great tool for wellness, as long as it’s accompanied by other things.”

If you’re curious about taking CBD for wellness, we’d recommend incorporating it into your morning or evening rituals to see the difference it can make in your life.

Everyday wellness

One thing many people who take CBD, or who are considering taking CBD don’t realise is that CBD is not a reactionary tool, only to be used as and when you feel you need it.

While many people take it for managing things like sleep and anxiety, without the side effects of prescription medication, it’s actually a fantastic natural supplement to incorporate into your daily routine to help you feel your best every day.

Its slower build up in the body means that it’s most effective when taken regularly. And it’s likely that the longer and more regularly you take it, the bigger difference you’ll notice.

CBD and mental health

The pressures of modern society have brought about a mental health crisis. In such a stressful and demanding world, many of us are working longer hours than ever, spending less time with our families, on hobbies, sports and other things that help us relax and de-stress.

Often, things that are essential to our wellbeing as humans, like physical exercise, spending time in nature or with the people we love, relaxing or having the time to indulge in other things we’re interested in are put to one side because of work or day-to-day demands. This extra stress can also prevent the restful sleep our bodies need to function properly and it can have a negative effect on our brain and mental health.

Poppy Jamie, co-founder of mindfulness and wellbeing app Happy not Perfect, found that less than 15% of the people she interviewed in her own market research could stick to the demands of meditation, a common recommendation for mental wellbeing. She believes that CBD, along with a good self-care ritual is important for mental health.

“The great thing with CBD is that it is tactile. You can touch it and feel it, whereas mental health is quite in the head. It does aid relaxation, it’s that ritual element and I think rituals are really important to support mental health.” - Poppy Jamie

Can CBD help with anxiety and sleep?

Preliminary research as well as overwhelming anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD’s soothing properties can help us manage our anxiety and sleep. In a study of 72 adults that battled with anxiety and poor sleep, 79.2% saw decreased anxiety while 66.7% had improved sleep after taking CBD.

Another study by Dr Julie Moltke, a medical doctor who works with stress reduction found that over 40% of people she worked with use CBD for stress or anxiety.

Dr Chandni Hindocha, an internationally award-winning research fellow in clinical psychopharmacology at UCL, says:

“In terms of psychopharmacology, we do know that CBD definitely, at high doses, affect sleep and anxiety.” At lower doses CBD will not sedate you, but it might help you relax in a more holistic way." - Dr Chandni Hindocha

How does CBD make you feel?

Since everyone is different, there isn’t one singular way that CBD can make you feel. It can also depend on what you’re taking CBD for. For some people, it may make them feel less anxious, quieting the daily noise and worries that whiz around in their head.

Mary Biles, holistic practitioner and author of ‘The CBD Book: Essential Guide to CBD Oil’, says:

“It’s feeling in a balanced mood. It’s your body doing what you want it to do. You don’t ache when you get up in the morning, you’ve got energy. All these things are about balance, and that’s what CBD is about.”

For some people, this can mean getting a more restful night’s sleep, helping them feel less tired during the day and as a result more energised and able to concentrate. It really depends on your own individual body chemistry and reasons for taking CBD.

This is why we always recommend that if you’re new to CBD, you trial different strengths first using a starter kit before making a decision on the best dosage for you.

I am worried about starting CBD because of how it may make me feel

Many people report feeling worried about how to begin their journey with CBD because they're worried about how it may make them feel and whether it could affect how they feel at work or how they sleep at night.

As CBD is non-psychoactive, there's no need to worry about CBD having any cognitive impact or making you feel tired or sleepy so you can start with CBD whenever suits you.

If you're new to CBD then it's a great idea to begin slowly with a starter kit and take it in the evening, about one to two hours before bed.

Does CBD really do anything?

While clinical research is still fairly limited at this stage, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that CBD can be beneficial for our mental and physical health. However, it’s not a medical cure-all or and should be incorporated alongside a healthy lifestyle for the best results.

Will CBD make me feel drowsy if I take it during the day?

CBD is not a sedative so it will not make you feel tired or lethargic, but simply relaxed. CBD simply works with your own body's endocannabinoid system to regulate the body's natural functions. This means if you take it in the evening when your body is winding down for bed, you may enjoy a deeper sleep.

If you take your CBD during the day when your body is awake and dealing with stress or trying to focus, CBD can help your body accomplish its goals, such as making you feel calmer or improving your focus.