Intro to CBD: What Does CBD Oil Feel Like?

Just about everybody today has heard of CBD as a wellness product, but what does CBD oil feel like? Because it comes from the cannabis plant, some people wonder if it’s at all like smoking marijuana.

Does CBD get you high? Can it make you lose control of your mind at all? Is it safe to take CBD oil and drive a car? What does it feel like?

The good news is that CBD oil contains no psychoactive properties. In fact, only one of the many cannabinoids in the cannabis plant is psychoactive, and that’s THC. While cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, and CBN can elicit a physical sensation, they won’t impact cognition the way that THC does.

CBD won’t get you high, but it does offer some profound benefits. Since it was discovered a couple of decades ago, scientists have uncovered its positive effect on anxiety, inflammation, sleep, and even digestion.

Why CBD Feels the Way It Does

Taking any drug triggers the production of hormones and/or enzymes in your brain. With CBD in particular, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the system that is affected. As one of the mammal class’s oldest evolutionary mechanisms, the ECS has receptors all throughout the body.

When the endocannabinoid system is active, people can feel calm, relaxed, restful, and have an easier time digesting food. At the end of the natural process, the brain produces enzymes to clear out the hormones and let the brain regenerate. With CBD oil, those enzymes are held off for just a little longer.

This prolonged production of brain chemicals can affect the muscles, the gut, and even aid with mood.

Enough Already—What Does It Feel Like?

CBD oil feels different depending on how you take it. By vaping, the compound quickly enters the bloodstream through the lungs’ intricate network of alveoli and capillaries. With edibles such as a turmeric gummy, the process takes a little longer and can be altered as the stomach digests the CBD.

Once the CBD oil makes it to the bloodstream, it gets right to work. It’s important to note that no two people will have the same experience. All bodies process the drug differently, and there can even be interactions with medication for some.

In the beginning, many people report feeling a mild warmth start to course through their body, similar to that sensation you have after eating a holiday feast. It may even feel tingly, though not to the point that it’s significant.

Next comes a gentle drift into relaxation. While THC has a reputation for putting people on the couch for hours at a time, CBD doesn’t have this effect. Sure, it’s relaxing, but there’s no feeling of lethargy associated with it. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ll feel energized to get up and take care of your to-do list.

Physiological Sensations

CBD oil does some strange things to appetite, and the jury’s out on whether it makes people eat more or less. Because it affects certain dopamine receptors in the brain associated with food, it can make a difference. In fact, hemp oil’s first use in folk medicine occurred during a dysentery outbreak when doctors administered it to help sick people keep food down.

Mood can also be affected by CBD. Again, it is not psychoactive like THC is, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change the way you feel for a while. Some people take CBD oil to help improve their mood, but it won’t have the same effect on everyone.

After a couple of hours, your enzymes come in and slow things back down, leaving you with a lingering feeling of calm. In the hours after the effects wear off, taking another dose may leave you disappointed, as it won’t be as potent or effective. The brain has to recover.

CBD Is Not Psychoactive

Part of why CBD is so popular is because it doesn’t put users out of control of their minds at all. People don’t get high, so there’s no risk of suffering a bad trip or feeling frenzied like there can be with THC.

The lack of this side effect makes CBD a great choice as a medication for those who suffer from some severe forms of epilepsy—those who take it won’t feel the mind-altering effects of marijuana.

The Long History of Hemp

History credits the Chinese with first using hemp oil thousands of years ago. As a wellness supplement, they found that it could help energize the body while aiding in functions like digestion, sleep, and reducing inflammation.

Today, CBD oil is commonly taken as a daily supplement. It is non-toxic, rich in omega fatty acids, and can even help to detoxify the body. As a mild supplement, it is safe for daily use and will not put users at risk of long-term health risks.

Oral ingestion of hemp oil isn’t the only way to use it, either. Its protein-rich structure makes CBD oil a good candidate for beauty products, including face masks and serums. Some athletes like to use CBD topical creams as a post-workout salve.

How to Take CBD

Just because you can’t get high on CBD doesn’t mean you can be careless about how to take it. Find a space where you are comfortable when you try it for the first time. That way, there won’t be any anxiety navigating the world.

Be smart. Start with a dose of no more than 20 mg for your first time. That will be enough for you to feel, and if you want more, increase the dose on the next day.

With edibles, you will probably feel the CBD take effect somewhere within a half hour or so. If you take it on an empty stomach, it won’t take that long. If you vape, you’ll start to feel the CBD in about 5 minutes or less.

Enjoy yourself. Take the chance to go stroll outside. Pet a dog, put on an album you love, and breathe in all the relaxation that you can feel from CBD oil. If you’re unsure or fearful about what is to come, don’t worry. 20 mg is a small dose, and once you know how it feels, the fear will have room to subside.

So, What Does CBD Oil Feel Like?

You’ve decided to try CBD, you know what you want, and you’re ready to buy. Now what?

The first step is to find a good vendor that can sell you a quality product. Don’t just buy the cheapest supplement you can find—it won’t work well. Too many people bought their first CBD oil product via the “Price: Low to High” method, and when it didn’t work, they dismissed it as snake oil.

The right vendor will have a large selection of organic products and lots of positive customer reviews lauding their quality. Read the lab reports, too, as these will have detailed information about whether or not toxic or unsafe chemicals were used to grow the hemp.

Good luck!