CBD: Does It Make You Feel Spacey? We clear up this question once and for all.

How does CBD make you feel?

Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a popular natural remedy many use for many possible benefits. It is one of the 113 cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa. In recent years, the wellness industry has experienced a boom in CBD-infused products, thus piquing the interest of consumers worldwide. With many having reported trying it or using it on a regular basis.

However, I am sure you want to know. CBD: does it make you feel spacey? What are the effects of CBD on the human body? How to use it effectively? How does CBD make you feel? This comprehensive guide will answer all your questions about CBD, its effects, and what to expect.

Understanding How CBD Makes You Feel – Does it make you feel spacey?

CBD’s impact on the human body is an intriguing subject. The human body’s internal makeup is similar, but the way CBD interacts with it can be pretty unique. This uniqueness stems from various factors like the dosage consumed, the strain of hemp used, the product’s growth environment, the extraction process, and other ingredients included in the product.

As a very basic and simplified explanation, think of the effect of CBD as being similar to the experience when you take something like Paracetamol (Acetaminophen). The onset of CBD in many results in the disappearance of symptoms and a return to a more ‘normal’ state, more ‘you’.

Legally manufactured CBD products in the UK, such as CBD oil, will not make you high. CBD oil lawfully sold in the UK contains little to no THC, the psychotropic compound associated with a heady, almost drunk feeling you can get from consuming marijuana.

However, stronger doses of CBD (1,000mg+, far more than would ever typically be consumed) may induce a slight light-headedness as it circulates in your bloodstream and interacts with the receptors in your body.

The feeling is mostly caused by the endocannabinoid called Anandamide, which is also known as the ‘bliss molecule’. CBD interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body, which changes Anandamide’s usual position in those receptors, allowing it to flow freely. CBD also inhibits the enzyme that breaks Anandamide down, which helps it to circulate around the body.

When THC is present, it occupies the receptors, preventing Anandamide from settling in, and leading to an even greater sense of bliss. However, not everyone experiences this light-headedness. Those with acute pain, anxiety, or sleep insomnia may instead feel a sudden sense of balance, pain reduction, soothing calm, or energy boost.

It’s interesting that many people who use medical marijuana for acute distress, pain or anxiety, even with higher levels of THC present, experience a feeling of restored balance or inner calm. Experts theorize that this feeling may come from the regulation of a very new term and theory known as ‘endocannabinoid deficiency.’ It is a very common problem when our bodies fail to produce and deliver adequate amounts of Anandamide and other endocannabinoids. This deficiency can cause various cognitive and physiological issues such as memory problems, pain, stress response issues, and loss of appetite.

There are a number of factors that are thought to cause endocannabinoid deficiency, such as lack of good-quality sleep, a poor diet and prolonged chronic stress. CBD products simply help your body find balance.

What is Anandamide?

Anandamide is an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter that is also known as the bliss molecule. It is produced by our bodies and is involved in various physiological processes such as mood regulation, appetite, and pain perception. Anandamide binds to cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, which are found throughout the body and brain. When present, anandamide activates these receptors, leading to a range of effects such as pain relief, improved mood, and reduced inflammation.

Starting Your CBD Journey: What’s the Most Effective Way?

The most effective way to consume CBD comes down to personal choice. The most common method is to start with CBD Oil Drops. Taken sublingually (under the tongue). It is easy to administer all you have to do is place 4-5 drops under your tongue and let it absorb for around 60-90 seconds before swallowing the excess.

When buying CBD products, it’s crucial to choose a high-quality product from a reputable brand. Preferably, opt for a broad-spectrum CBD oil, which contains other minor cannabinoids and terpenes present in the cannabis plant (hemp plant), rather than a CBD isolate.

Be cautious of brands that misrepresent Hemp Oil as CBD Oil – they definitely are not the same!

How will CBD make me feel?

As CBD is a very personal effect and experience, it is hard to say exactly. Some people will feel energised and focused. Others will feel relaxed and calm. Some may feel sleepy. If usually will encourage the feeling that you body is most in need of at that moment in time. So go with it and let it do its thing. But smart low and build up over time steadily with the dosage to allow yourself to control the feeling bit by bit.

How Does CBD Affect People Differently?

Why do some people ask, does it make you feel spacey? But some people say they feel nothing.

It might seem odd and confusing that some people use CBD to relax while others use it as a pick-me-up. This unique property of CBD products can be attributed to two factors:

Cannabis is pleiotropic, meaning it elicits various effects through numerous molecular pathways and interacts with multiple receptors throughout the body.

Cannabis, though not officially labelled as an adaptogen, contains cannabinoids that work in an adaptogenic manner. They adapt their function based on the body’s needs, whether physical, chemical, or biological. Cannabis, along with other adaptogens like Ginseng, Ashwagandha and Reishi mushroom, help to bring the body back into balance, support your body in moderating its stress response, help lower inflammation, and can even help enhance mental performance. Interestingly, they can possess opposing qualities, depending on your body’s needs, such as being stimulating and relaxing at the same time, depending on what your body needs.

Does CBD Provide Pain Relief?

There’s a lot to learn about cannabinoids, but what we do know is that it’s their synergy with each other (the entourage effect) and additionally with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that delivers the results people endlessly talk about. They’re a supportive helping hand to encourage your body to function as it should.

The ECS spans the entire body and is considered one of the most essential and complex networks, it is similar in that regard to the Central Nervous System (CNS) and Immune System, that all work alongside each other. The receptors that make up the ECS have been found within the CNS and Immune System and are now known to regulate mood, pain, inflammation, appetite, and coordination, among many other functions.

Because of this, many CBD users have claimed that they find CBD to be highly effective when it comes to helping with pain management and pain relief when taken internally via a CBD Oil and also when applied topically as a CBD Cream or CBD Balm, as receptors are remarkably also found in almost every skin cell throughout all lipid layers.

Can CBD Be Addictive?

While the changes to your body after taking CBD oil may be remarkable, this doesn’t mean CBD is addictive. It’s a game-changer. Numerous studies have shown that CBD is not addictive at a molecular level. In contrast, evidence suggests that CBD may help combat and suppport treatment for existing addictions to substances such as tobacco, nicotine, alcohol, and even opioids.

A 2013 study published in the Addictive Behaviours journal found that participants who were given a CBD inhaler to use every time they felt the need to smoke went on to reduce their number of cigarettes by 40%, whereas those with the placebo showed no difference.

In 2019 a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry stated the effects of treating long-term opiod users with CBD. The results staggeringly showed that those who used CBD experienced significantly fewer cravings and anxiety induced by the drug cues.

Mixing Alcohol and CBD: Is It Safe?

Mixing cannabis with alcohol is usually advised against; however, this is not the case when it comes to low-THC or THC-free CBD products. While marijuana with alcohol might leave you feeling worse for wear, CBD is thought to have the opposite effect by soothing alcohol-induced depression and anxiety for a more relaxed buzz.

According to a 2013 study in the Journal of Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour, CBD reduces the neurodegeneration drinking can cause. In 2014, another study published in the Journal of Free Radical Biology and Medicine additionally revealed that CBD looks to help protect the liver by inhibiting oxidative stress and increasing the destruction of damaged cells.

Can I Take CBD with Other Medications?

The potential of CBD for those on medication could possibly be great or not good at all. CBD has a fantastic safety record as a food supplement, even in high doses, far higher than those recommended for daily administering. Unlike many pharmaceutical medications, there’s little to no chance of serious harm if you take a bit more than you mean to.

However, some studies have indicated that CBD has the ability to block a family of enzymes called cytochrome P450, which is important to note as they are responsible for metabolising (and therefore eliminating) 70% to 80% of pharmaceutical drugs in the liver. Always consult a medical professional for expert advice.

Are There Any Negative Side Effects of CBD?

A huge and ever-increasing number of studies looking into cannabidiol are now being published on a continuous basis, and the vast majority of them are pointing towards and agreeing that CBD is a pretty amazing compound in almost every respect. But as this is still a relatively new science (the Endocannabinoid System was only discovered in the 90s) and widespread use of concentrated CBD is a very recent thing, we are always learning.

So far, the World Health Organisation deems CBD as perfectly safe, without risk of dependency or abuse and full of promise for a wide range of medical uses.

There is only one clinical trial showing negative side effects and that has been through using illogical and extremely high doses of Epidiolex, an FDA-approved CBD prescription medication. The study looked at daily doses equivalent to 1,360 mg (more than an entire bottle of most CBD products) and even that only exhibited very mild symptoms such as dry mouth, decreased appetite and gastrointestinal distress. There have been no globally registered deaths or fatal illnesses or injuries linked or caused by CBD.

However, it is important to be wary of poor quality CBD products, largely, these will be made with CBD isolates. When purchasing CBD products, always look for organic growing methods and transparent lab reports published on their website, to ensure you are putting only the best into your body.

For How Long Do The Effects of CBD Last?

You’re probably wondering how long does CBD last – this greatly depends on what form of CBD you take (i.e. oil, capsules, gummies, vapes, edibles etc). using cbd oil drops sublingually (under the tongue) makes sure the CBD enters your bloodstream fast, and you’ll start to feel the effects really quickly and generally within 5-10 minutes. Capsules and cbd edibles take a bit longer to get to work (up to 90 minutes) due to having to go via your digestive system, But they’re a really great method for a slow, steady, accumulative build up.

Once the consumed CBD is in your system, however, it gets there, it will reach what’s known as ‘elimination half-life’ (the time it takes to reach half the dosage in your body) which is in 18 to 32 hours. But that is to say, that you won’t feel it as strongly during this whole time as you do when it first gets going (what’s called ‘active life’).

HOW LONG UNTIL I FEEL THE EFFECT OF CBD?

You have ordered your new CBD oil, it arrives beautifully packaged, you unwrap it, start to take it, and wonder; ok so how long until I feel the effect of CBD? It takes an average person at least 6 days of consistent use to build up the required CBD levels in the body to feel an effect from CBD. Obviously like with everything, there are people who will be at either end of this spectrum, but on average its 6 days. It really does mean that consistency is key with CBD to get the most benefit from it.

How to Ensure You’re Getting the Best CBD

Choosing the best CBD products can be a confusing task, but a few easy checks can help:

Ensure the source of the CBD is clearly labelled as hemp or Cannabis Sativa L. As this form of the cannabis plant is naturally lower in THC and is the only legal variety of CBD for non-medicinal products in the UK and Europe.

CBD oil should ideally be made from broad-spectrum CBD extract, to benefit from the entourage effecty, meaning that there are other minor compounds present, as naturally found in the hemp plant. This more natural form is believed to be more beneficial than ‘purified’ CBD isolate.
Look for current laboratory analysis reports (sometimes called Certificates of Analysis or COAs) for your products. These should show the levels of CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids.
Organic is always better. Hemp plants are very good at sucking up toxins from the soil.

Look for well-known third-party accreditations, reviews, and awards to verify the brand’s legitimacy.