Cannabis is a sativa plant that contains many chemical substances called cannabinoids. These cannabinoids include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes people to feel high, and cannabidiol (CBD), which has little or no psychoactive effects.
When used correctly, CBD and THC can help people recover from exercise. These effects help reduce muscle soreness and improve sleep.
It Helps You Eat
Cannabis can boost your appetite, which is good news for patients looking to gain weight and non-patients trying to maintain weight.
Your body is designed to regulate hunger and satiety through hormones like ghrelin and leptin. These hormones are released from your stomach and small intestine based on signals from your hypothalamus.
You feel hungry when ghrelin levels are high and satisfied when leptin levels are high. Both are released through a complex system partly controlled by the hypothalamus’s particular neurons (POMC neurons).
However, THC can override this process by binding to CB1 receptors in your brain and triggering these neurons to increase the release of ghrelin and other appetite-stimulating hormones. It explains why you feel hungry after smoking marijuana.
You can reduce how much you feel hungry after consuming cannabis by lowering your dose of THC or buying products that contain lower amounts of THC and higher concentrations of other cannabinoids, like CBD. You may also want to try different strains or varieties of cannabis from industry experts like WholesomeCo, as each type has a slightly different balance of cannabinoids.
If you are prone to feeling hungry after cannabis use, consider talking to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about ways to help control the sensation. Some foods and beverages can cause increased hunger, so avoiding these foods is essential.
It Helps You Relax
Stress and anxiety often cause problems in the body, leading to medical issues such as insomnia, heart palpitations, headaches, and other symptoms. Using cannabis as a relaxing agent can help you to calm down and reduce the anxiety caused by these symptoms.
There are different ways that the other cannabinoids in cannabis can affect your body. THC, for example, works through your endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for many of our natural feelings, like happiness and pleasure.
It also affects nerve receptors in the brain, which can evoke a calming effect on your nervous system. Some of these receptors are found in areas that control muscle movement, which could explain why people who rely on cannabis to relax always find it helpful for easing tight muscles.
But while THC can help you relax, high doses can ramp up your stress and anxiety levels, especially if you don’t use it regularly. So it’s essential to start with a low dose and increase the amount you consume over time until you find the right balance.
In addition to THC, cannabis has several terpenes that can affect its relaxation. These terpenes include limonene, pinene, and beta-caryophyllene. When combined with THC, these terpenes create a potent anti-anxiety effect. The key is to start with the proper combination of cannabinoids and terpenes at the correct dosage.
It Helps You Sleep
Sleep is essential to a healthy body and mind, but many people struggle with it. Fortunately, cannabis is one of the natural sleep aids that can help you get a good night’s rest.
Whether you smoke it or take it in a liquid form, it can help ease anxiety and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. It also can make you feel drowsy, making you less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
But it’s worth remembering that it’s not a cure-all, and it can worsen preexisting mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, so you should always speak with a doctor before using it. It can also interact with your medications; high doses or withdrawal from chronic use may increase your sleep problems.
THC and CBD have different effects on the brain, which can affect how you feel and sleep. THC has sedating effects that can make you feel relaxed and euphoric, while CBD has alert properties that can boost your energy levels and help you stay awake.
Depending on the strain, cannabis can help you sleep by inducing a hypnotic state. But it can also cause you to lose REM sleep, the fastest part of the sleep cycle that allows you to dream. Luckily, some products contain a combination of THC and CBD, which can work together to provide better sleep.
It Helps You Deal With Withdrawal Symptoms
When you stop using cannabis, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. These include irritability, anxiety, and mood changes.
The good news is that many of these symptoms will pass with time. However, if they don’t, seeking professional treatment is essential.
In addition to physical irritability and anxiety, people who stop using cannabis can feel depressed or have trouble sleeping. These feelings can be very disruptive and can make it challenging to stay sober.
It is why it’s essential to understand how cannabis withdrawal works so you can better manage your symptoms. While some of these symptoms can be uncomfortable, they typically fade away in a few weeks.