Cannabis and yoga? CBD Yoga? These two household names share a much more storied history than many would initially suspect. 

Dating back as early as 2000 BC, yoga and cannabis have enjoyed a long history of mutually beneficial cooperation. Fast forward to the present day, and science is finally starting to take notice of the potential for interdisciplinary healing through nontraditional means such as yoga, cannabis and combining yoga with cannabis in the form of CBD yoga. 

Taking the mental, physical and spiritual discipline that yoga requires and reincorporating CBD into the mix as history suggests is becoming increasingly recognized as a strong defence against the ailments of physical pain and inflammation. More impressive still is how the combination can effectively mediate emotions, reduce stress and curb anxiety. 

Health Benefits of CBD Yoga

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Contemplating how you can incorporate CBD into your yoga routine or just curious about the benefits? We’ve delineated the many advantages this dynamic duo can provide into a short guide to help you ease into the practice! As always, it is highly encouraged that you speak with a trained medical professional before including a new substance or drug in your health routine. 

Let’s dive into the advantages.

Physical Health Advantages of CBD Yoga

Originally invented to affect self-awareness, enlightenment and an elevated mental state, modern practitioners have sought out the practice to also bring about greater physical strength and flexibility. In fact, a 2016 figure places the number of yoga practitioners in the United States at 36.7 million strong. The plurality of yoga studios and communal yoga sessions in urban centers across the country speak to this fact.

The figures for CBD Yoga practitioners remain largely unknown. What is known is that beyond simple flexibility and strength training, many modern practitioners of this ancient Indian practice engage in it for its proven track record of improving their cardiovascular health and alleviating their joint pain.

Making you more mindful of both your mental and physical state, yoga can serve to lower your heart rate through poses that required controlled breathing. The physical relief that CBD can provide can bolster your fitness and strength, making you more able to perform a plurality of poses as well as laying down the foundation for fantastic physical health. 

Emotional Health Advantages of CBD Yoga

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Unlike its psychoactive counterpart, CBD is a non psychoactive and non mind altering substance and isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when one ponders bringing cannabis into the yoga studio. 

This is unfortunate since cannabidiol (CBD) is the cannabinoid that most effectively treats a variety of anxiety disorders including OCD, social anxiety and PTSD. 

As a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, CBD is a natural antidepressant and can aid in regulating both mood and emotion after consumption. Combined with the already demanding meditative and self-reflective practices that yoga demands, including CBD in your yoga practices, can aid in fully immersing you in the CBD yoga experience, enhancing its therapeutic effects. 

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Mental Health Advantages of CBD Yoga

Able to mediate our emotions, reduce anxiety and curb depression in addition to providing physical relief, CBD yoga is sounding more and more like a holistic cure-all practice. In addition to this already impressive list of advantages, perhaps the most impressive and relevant benefit that CBD yoga can provide is its ability to reduce stress.

Within the western world, mental illness and suicide are both on the rise while conversely, access to mental health facilities and support centers are stagnating or worse yet, declining. In the United States alone, an estimated 8.3 million adults are said to be suffering from serious psychological distress

Able to significantly reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, incorporating stress-reducing yoga with CBD can offer great support in battling stress. However, do allow us the opportunity to reiterate that CBD, yoga or the two used in conjunction in CBD yoga is by no means a replacement for a trained mental health professional or therapist. 

CBD – mirroring yoga’s ability to lower cortisol, serves as a perfect candidate to be included in the already stress-reducing yoga studio. Consuming a CBD supplement or tincture before, during or after yoga could just be the extra push you need to confidently secure a victory over your daily stress and burn out.

How to Use CBD For Yoga

Consider starting slow at first and experimenting around with the amount of CBD used, the timing of when your system receives this powerful cannabinoid, and how you use the substance.

This last consideration is key with any physical exercise and should include a sort of warm-up and cool-down with tinctures or oils used ahead of class so as to boost mental acuity throughout and followed by creams or salves that can bring aching muscles relief so that you are more motivated for your mat-time tomorrow! 

A non-psychoactive component of cannabis, CBD is not addictive – so don’t be scared to test what works out for you, especially when it comes to your wellness. Never compromise on your health, and please do keep in mind that CBD, yoga, or the two used in conjunction with each other should never be substituted for a mental health specialist or therapist. Don’t be afraid to seek out support whenever necessary and to never neglect your mental health or physical wellbeing. 

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