Most of us have dabbled in yoga at least a time or two, but have you ever tried to pair yoga with CBD? Yoga has been around since ancient times, helping people find balance, peace, and restoration. CBD has become a household name when it comes to adopting calming, tranquil vibes — anytime of the day.
So, how can you combine the wellness benefits and “chill” of CBD with yoga? We’re going to explore a few different ways you can do this, but first, let’s take a look at some CBD basics.
What Is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It’s one of many cannabinoids found in the hemp plant, with CBD being one of the non-psychoactive ones — meaning you get no “high” feeling from using CBD. Many love CBD for the effects it produces within the body, often described as therapeutic.
CBD works in collaboration with the body’s endocannabinoid system — a complex, cell-signaling system that works through receptors, enzymes, and endocannabinoids. The primary purpose of the endocannabinoid system is to maintain homeostasis throughout the body. It controls some of the body’s most important functions, like sleep, pain, immunity, and mood, to name a few.
Most notably for this article, CBD provides calming vibes that enhance the quality of any yoga experience.
What Is Yoga?
Yoga combines stretching with light meditation in an effort to form a union between the mind, body, and spirit. During the yoga practice, you strive to achieve balance, proper breathing, meditation, and stretching.
Different Types of Yoga
There are tons of yoga techniques and practices available for you to explore. They all offer their own benefits and challenges. Let’s look at some of your options.
Bikram Yoga
Most times, you’ll find Bikram yoga in a warm, humid environment. This technique offers over 26 different yoga poses and is an excellent option for those looking to shed a few pounds in a short amount of time — you can burn up to 600 calories in one class!
Anusara Yoga
This is one of the most recent yoga methods, invented by John Friend in 1997. The Anusara yoga practice is more based on spirituality, directing you to focus on your mind, body, and soul. Still, this method increases inner strength and flexibility, tones muscles, and relaxes the mind and body.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is one of the oldest forms of yoga, dating back at least to the 15th century. This method concentrates on slower, more relaxed, focused yoga techniques. Beginners find this class helpful in exploring relaxation and focus during yoga.
Vinyasa Yoga
This yoga practice focuses on building strength and increasing muscle mass throughout the body. You’ll find this technique in both humid and non-humid environments.
Why You’d Want to Pair CBD With Yoga
Yoga offers lots of benefits that improve your overall health and wellness levels. Think about it. All those people you see running around with yoga pads aren’t in it for cool yoga pants alone!
All jokes aside, practicing yoga is a gentle exercise that provides a wide range of benefits. Most of all, yoga enhances your inner awareness and helps you adopt a more mindful approach to your everyday life.
Yoga Benefits:
- Improves core strength, balance, and flexibility
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Contributes to heart health
- Improves sleep quality
- Enhances energy levels
- Provides a boost in mental alertness and mood
- Reduces stiffness in the body from inactivity
As you can see, there are more than a few ways yoga can improve your well-being. If you want to take advantage of some of these benefits, let’s look at some ways you can pair yoga with CBD.
1. Prep the Mind and Body With CBD Tea
If you start your morning with a calming cup of tea, why not swap it out for a cup of CBD tea? It’s just as simple to make since most CBD tea varieties come in the same kind of tea bag. Or better yet, infuse your favorite tea with a CBD Wellness Tincture. This allows you to customise your serving size down to a fraction of a milliliter, giving you the exact amount you need to have your ideal CBD and yoga experience.
CBD teas are considered edibles, since they have to travel through the digestive system. In light of the onset time edibles usually take, you’ll want to drink your tea 30–90 minutes before you plan on getting into those yoga poses. Tinctures enter your system much quicker, because they are absorbed through the capillaries under your tongue — so you can have a quick cuppa much closer to class time.
2. CBD Topicals for Tight, Sore Muscles
Some people experience muscle discomfort when learning yoga poses. This is where CBD topicals come into the picture. CBD topicals work their way through multiple layers of skin, allowing you to target any particular area that’s feeling tight and tense after your yoga workout.
There are plenty of CBD topicals to choose from: creams, lotions, balms, sprays, and bath bombs are some of the most common. When you’re done working out, rub some of your cream (or other product type) on the affected area and feel the cannabinoid content begin its work, providing soothing relief for aches and pains.
3. A Wellness Tincture for a Pre-Yoga Boost
Depending on what time of day you choose to stretch it out, you may find yourself in need of a boost. Adding our CBD + CBG 2:1 Wellness Tincture to your routine gives you a healthy serving of nutrients to enhance your overall well-being. Each serving contains a 2:1 ratio of CBD to CBG, as well as healthy serving of curcumin and coenzyme Q10.
Combine your Wellness Tincture with your favorite smoothie recipe to take advantage of the combined effects of CBD, CBG, and yoga.
Main Takeaway
If you’re looking to get back into the swing of a fitness routine, yoga is a great starting point. It’s a gentle workout that focuses on stretching and strengthening the muscles. If you’ve been inactive for a while (like most of us), you’ll see this helps you get back into the swing of things.
CBD topicals address post-workout soreness, so you can keep your eye on your newfound fitness goals. And CBD tinctures and edibles are a great way to bring a chill, focused mindset to your session.
So, if you’re looking to increase your zen, CBD and yoga are an undeniable match. You’re in for a treat, no matter how you choose to combine the two!
Looking for the perfect CBD Topical to toss in your yoga bag?
Grab one of our CBD Balm Sticks!