Autumn has arrived, and a lot of us are adjusting to the
colder weather, shorter days, longer nights and step back from the busy social
calendar that seems to come with the summer months. Not only that, but our bodies are working
hard to maintain homeostasis as the outdoor changes affect our systems, more
than we may realize. With the change in
season comes new environmental allergens, heightened exposure to pathogens, and
a need to stay warm and utilize calories efficiently to ensure that we are able
to feel our best as the temperatures continue to drop.
What Does CBD Have to Do with Seasonal Changes?
Like we just said, it’s important for the body to maintain
homeostasis as we adjust into new seasons.
Without our body’s ability to self-regulate all kinds of physiological
processes, we wouldn’t be able to maintain a consistent internal temperature as
the weather gets colder, or simply maintain a healthy immune system as we
become more likely to develop infections, for example. Plus, a key part of this self-regulating
pattern is achieved through the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid
system (ECS) is a system of the body that consists of cannabinoid receptors
and endocannabinoids, with endocannabinoids attaching to cannabinoid receptors,
which are located throughout all systems of the body. Endocannabinoids are molecules made within
the body that exist as part of the endocannabinoid system, but many of us seem
to be deficient, which is where plant-derived (phyto) cannabinoids
come into the fold, like cannabidiol (CBD).
The role of these cannabinoid receptors is to regulate adjacent
processes of the body to keep us in homeostasis, regulating one individual
bodily process at a time. This includes
processes that are vulnerable to seasonal changes, like our internal
temperature, our digestive system which uses caloric energy differently
depending on the weather, and our immune system that is more prone to dealing
with pathogens during colder times of the year.
Another critical process handled by the ECS is our circadian
rhythm, which could otherwise go out of whack as our exposure to daylight
changes with the seasons.
Cannabidiol in particular is known for the way in which it
offers anti-inflammatory
and immunosuppressive properties through regulatory actions via the
endocannabinoid system, showing us that the cannabinoid can offer the immune
system what it needs to keep us from being extremely vulnerable to infectious
diseases that become more common during the cold months. Keep in mind that this also shows positive
implications for those who are prone to seasonal allergies at different times
of the year.
CBD has also been demonstrated to act as a means
for regulating our circadian clock, which like we said, can become thrown
off balance when the days get shorter, and our exposure to sunlight
changes. Our exposure to both light and
dark influences our sleep patterns, as our body needs sunlight to feel awake
during the day, and begins producing melatonin when it gets dark out.
CBD even supports the endocannabinoid system’s ability to
maintain endocannabinoid levels in the body, like anandamide, which regulates
things like internal temperature and mucus production – two things that are
critical during the cold months. Without
a regulated internal temperature, our bodies would become colder when the
temperatures get lower. And, without
adequate mucus production, the dry air of the chilly season would cause more
respiratory distress than it already does, causing more coughing, breathing
difficulties and irritation along the respiratory tract.
Try CBD as We Move into a New Time of Year
Essentially, our bodies work harder than we realize when the
seasons change, and if we’re not properly supporting our endocannabinoid
systems, we can be more prone to feeling “off” at certain times of year, by
getting sick more easily, struggling with sleep or struggling to maintain
warmth as the temperatures drop. CBD products can be taken daily all
year round so that no matter what the season, we feel as close to maintaining
homeostasis as possible. Again, by
supporting the endocannabinoid system with cannabidiol, we’re strengthening its
ability to keep us feeling our absolute best.
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