Can You Use CBD for Focus and Concentration?
If you struggle with focus and concentration, you’re not alone. Over 10% of Americans have serious difficulty concentrating, which can affect every facet of life, from personal relationships to workplace priorities.
If you’ve been seeking out natural solutions for your own constant distraction, you may wonder if there’s any value in CBD for focus and concentration. Cannabidiol has been garnering a lot of attention for its many purported benefits. But can CBD also help you focus?
The Research Into CBD for Focus and Concentration
Research into CBD for focus and concentration is currently limited. Very few studies have examined the specific relationship between CBD and concentration.
However, a number of studies have assessed the impact of CBD on conditions and behaviors that limit concentration. For instance, conditions like stress, chronic pain, and insufficient sleep can all inhibit focus and concentration.
By addressing the conditions that make concentration difficult, CBD may play a valid role in helping people to focus more effectively.
CBD and Wakefulness
A 2014 study from Mexico found that CBD—in small doses—has the potential to promote wakefulness or alertness. In some users, this might have the benefit of promoting focus in a manner similar to coffee—but without the jitters.
The researchers hypothesized that the effect is related to CBD’s impact on dopamine receptors in the brain. Dopamine has been shown to support focus and concentration. So by stimulating the dopamine receptors, CBD may help to trigger this effect.
The study does have its limitations, though, and the researchers noted that additional studies are still needed to better understand the mechanisms in play.
CBD and Sleep Regulation
To confuse matters a bit, CBD is also associated with sleep.
A 2018 study found that CBD was effective for improving sleep in insomnia sufferers, and other studies have found CBD to be especially effective for improving sleep in people living with chronic anxiety. In addition, drowsiness is recognized as a common side effect of CBD.
How can CBD promote both wakefulness and sleep? The answer may lie in the dosage. Cannabinoids have biphasic properties, meaning that they can have opposite effects at low vs. high doses. So while small amounts of CBD may promote alertness, higher amounts might help you sleep.
Lack of sleep is associated with a decline in concentration. So if CBD can help you sleep a little bit better at night, that, in turn, might help you concentrate more effectively during the day.
CBD and Anxiety
Anxiety is another major concentration killer. If your mind is racing with restless thoughts, you’re not going to be able to focus on the task at hand. CBD might be able to provide some support here.
As previously noted, multiple studies have shown a positive correlation between CBD and sleep in anxiety sufferers specifically. Other studies have shown CBD to be useful for anxiety support in general.
One Brazilian control study looked at 57 male subjects. Each participant was given 300mg of CBD oil or a placebo before a stressful public speaking event. The CBD was found to significantly reduce the test subjects’ unease, and the placebo had no effect.
More research is still needed to understand the relationship between CBD and anxiety. But if it does help, you might experience improved focus and concentration as a side effect.
CBD and Chronic Pain
Chronic pain and discomfort can also make concentration difficult. Studies have shown that CBD engages with the body’s cannabinoid receptors in a way that reduces the activation of pain signals to the brain.
In fact, CBD has been highlighted as one of the key cannabinoids responsible for addressing pain and inflammation. So if you can address pain with the help of CBD oil or a topical CBD cream (for localized support), you might help eliminate yet another barrier to concentration.
When it comes to using CBD for focus and concentration, the goal is to address the factors that inhibit concentration in the first place. CBD may be able to help with this on several fronts.
How to Use CBD for Focus and Concentration
Can CBD help you focus? In many cases, it just might. But if you want to get the most from CBD for focus and concentration, there are a few important factors that you’ll need to keep in mind.
Know the Cause of Your Struggle
There are many reasons why you might struggle with focus and concentration. If the issues include anxiety, lack of sleep, chronic pain, or something similar, CBD may be able to help.
But if you have a more serious underlying issue like ADHD, you’ll need to speak with a doctor first and foremost.
Purchase High-Quality CBD
It’s important to be a discerning shopper. When you purchase CBD online or in-store, make sure that the product is grown responsibly, third-party lab tested (with certification results to verify the quality of the product), and sold by a reputable vendor.
At Sound CBD, we’re passionate about offering only the highest-quality farm-to-table CBD available in our online CBD store. As a family-owned business, we take a vested interest in using the highest-quality manufacturing processes to create premium, wellness-oriented CBD in small batches.
No matter where you buy your CBD oil, make sure that the quality is dependable. Read product labels carefully, browse third-party reviews, and always check the certificate of analysis.
Explore the Potential of CBD for Focus and Concentration
Whether you’re new to CBD or you’ve been using it for a while, you owe it to yourself to discover if CBD can help you focus better.
There’s a lot we still don’t know about CBD for focus and concentration, but we do know that CBD offers an array of benefits and is safe. So explore the potential for yourself, and discover how the many unique benefits of CBD might help you concentrate a little bit easier.
