CBD Gummies for Mood Enhancement: Find Your Balance

In a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers evaluating data collected in 2002, 2012, and 2022 found a significant increase in the number of people embracing yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and other "complementary" approaches to personal care, mood enhancement, and overall wellness.¹ As adults of all ages shift their attention to natural, plant-derived products to support multiple aspects of overall well-being, market analysts expect the CBD industry to maintain an 18% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2032 as consumers learn more about the cannabinoid's therapeutic potential.¹ 

Working alongside the body's endocannabinoid system (ECS), CBD gummies taken on a regular basis have the potential to help manage a variety of wellness concerns. Whether your current wellness routine is practically non-existent or you've managed to stay relatively consistent, CBD could be just what you need to support your wellness goals. According to a 2019 CBDistillery® survey of 1,900 customers, most CBD users report positive results for multiple aspects of overall health and well-being, including mood enhancement. Discover how CBD gummies can help enhance your mood and promote balance in your daily life. 

Understanding CBD and Mood Enhancement 

Cannabidiol (CBD) – the most abundant of 113 cannabinoids in hemp flower extract – is a pleiotropic plant element that interacts with at least 65 molecular targets in the human body.² The cannabinoid activates serotonin and GABA system receptors and is also shown to increase dopamine production.³ Although serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)  are crucial in numerous aspects of physical, mental, and emotional health, most researchers credit CBD's interaction with the ECS receptors for its impressive list of possible benefits for overall well-being. 

As the largest regulatory system in the human body, ECS signaling participates in nearly every critical function – everything from moods and emotional regulation to stress responses and sleep cycle regulation. Experts believe supporting ECS function with CBD helps restore equilibrium when internal or external stressors threaten to disrupt essential balance (homeostasis); therefore, enhancing your overall mood.⁴   

Benefits of CBD Gummies for Mood Enhancement 

Based on the feedback of nearly 2000 survey respondents, most CBD users report positive results using hemp-derived products for better sleep, relaxation, and discomfort after physical activity, all potential mood enhancers. But maybe even more impressively, based on the results of our 2019 survey, 89% report that CBD helps calm their minds, and 88% claim the cannabinoid helps with mild or temporary anxiety. An impressive 76% prefer CBD to alcohol for relaxation.  

You'll also find a significant number of preliminary studies detailing positive results in the lab. For example, in a 2017 investigation of the effects of CBD for mental health and emotional distress, researchers report favorable results in animal models.⁵  In a similar study published in Behavioural Brain Research, investigators also noted favorable effects and credited test subject improvements to the cannabinoid's ability to bind with PPARy receptors and the impact of those receptors on brain-derived neurotrophic factors.⁶ 

Modulating Stress Responses and Calming Temporary Anxiety    

Persistent stress causes a potentially detrimental elevation in cortisol. Over time, the impact on your immune system disrupts the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes. When that happens, your risk of developing serious health complications increases.⁷ Many stress management practices like yoga and meditation are also recommended for calming mild or temporary anxiety.  

A 2021 report detailing the results of multiple CBD studies highlights several mechanisms of action potentially beneficial for stress management and temporary, stress-response-associated anxiety.⁸  Although more study is needed to fully understand the scope of CBD's therapeutic potential for stress, the cannabinoid also appears to blunt the impact of cortisol through its influence on the "bliss molecule" anandamide.⁹    

Supporting and Protecting Neurological Processes  

The human brain is continuously processing information. Maintaining focus and mental clarity requires memory recall, multiple aspects of executive function, and the ability to filter distractions. The communication between the ECS messengers and receptors modulates the production, release, and activity of essential neurotransmitters impacting multiple processes related to neurological function.¹⁰    

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation play a critical role in brain aging and the progression of neurodegenerative disease. Current evidence suggests supporting ECS function with CBD could help protect the brain from the type of degradation that could compromise memory, learning, and cognition by reducing oxidative damage and suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators.¹¹ 

How to Use CBD Gummies for Maximum Effectiveness 

Making CBD a consistent part of your routine can truly impact how your mood fluctuates (or doesn't) throughout the day. Based on a November 2019 CBDistillery customer survey, daily CBD users found CBD to be more effective and felt the benefits sooner than those who use it as needed. Here's a few ways you can regularly incorporate CBD into your daily routine for maximum effectiveness. 

Start Your Day with CBD  

The key to making CBD part of a comprehensive strategy is consistency. The best way to ensure that consistency is to start your day with a CBD oil tincture stirred into your coffee, tea, or smoothie, or just hold a serving beneath your tongue for 45-60 seconds, then swallow. 

Keep the Effects Going Mid-Day  

Most people can expect the effects of their morning CBD to last 6-8 hours. When you want to keep the effects going strong, enjoy a second serving mid-day. If you'll be away from home, consider picking up a bottle of CBD gummies or CBD softgels. You'll get a consistent amount of CBD in a travel-friendly form. 

Support Meditation or Exercise    

If you prefer, you could wait on that second serving and time its administration to help calm your mind before meditation or to soothe your muscles before, during, or after exercise. With gummies and softgels, enjoy your edible about an hour before you plan to begin so the CBD has time to metabolize. 

Integrate CBD to Your Nightly Routine   

Deep, restorative sleep not only energizes your body, it's also essential for emotional regulation. Try integrating a serving of CBD into your nightly routine. It's non-habit forming and won't cause morning grogginess.  

Other Mood Enhancing Practices to Pair with Your CBD Gummies  

Controlled Breathing Exercises   

Controlled breathing helps promote relaxation by minimizing the impact of cortisol and adrenaline and calming stress responses. The technique is so simple (and inconspicuous) that you can use it anytime you feel your stress levels rise. Simply inhale slowly through your nose, hold for five seconds, then exhale slowly while relaxing your shoulders, abdominal muscles, and jaw.¹²   

Mindfulness & Meditation   

Mindfulness meditation promotes a sense of calmness and serenity through non-judgmental awareness of your feelings. Sitting in a comfortable position, focus on your breathing while inhaling and exhaling naturally through your nose. Notice any thoughts that arise but return your focus to your breathing when your mind wanders.¹³ Throughout the day, work on remaining fully present in each moment.  

Practicing Yoga   

Yoga focuses on alignment and breathing to help build muscle and enhance flexibility while promoting feelings of overall well-being. Studies suggest the ancient discipline helps reorient stress responses by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and diffusing the fight or flight response. As you move through your poses, your breathing slows, heart rate decreases, and cortisol levels drop.¹⁴ 

Choosing the Right CBD Gummies for Mood Enhancement 

It's easy to find CBD. It's sold just about everywhere. But whether you prefer shopping locally or ordering online, it's essential to know what to look for before committing to a purchase. The best products are made by companies investing in third-party batch testing through an independent lab. If you can't find a certificate of analysis (COA) while browsing a brand website, you'll want to shop elsewhere. 

You need that document to confirm the products you select have been screened for heavy metals, extraction residue, pesticides, and bacteria. Don't fall for misleading claims. Of the 75% of CBD brands labeling their products as third-party tested, only 13% batch test at least 90% of their products.¹⁵ 

Your moods and emotions are strongly intertwined with numerous aspects of your overall health and well-being. If you've been feeling disconnected or out of sorts, maybe it's time to consider investing in the mood-enhancing potential of a high-quality hemp-derived product from CBDistillery®.  

At CBDistillery®, you'll find an impressive selection of CBD oil tinctures, topicals, softgels, gummies, and CBD pet products. To learn more about some of the many potential benefits of supporting ECS function with our hemp-derived CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBN, and Delta 9-infused THC products, visit CBDistillery® to review industry studies, find answers to frequently asked questions, or schedule a personal consultation with an expert.    

References: 

1.     CBD Market Size. (2024) Global Market Insights. 

2.     Elsaid S, Foll B. (2020) The Complexity of Pharmacology of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Its Implications in the Treatment of Brain Disorders. 45 Neuropsychopharmacol 229-30 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0518-1 

3.     How CBD Works: CBD and Neurotransmitters (2019) The CBD Insider. 

4.     Sallaberry C, Astern L. (2018) The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator. 34(6) JYI 48-55. https://www.jyi.org/2018-june/2018/6/1/the-endocannabinoid-system-our-universal-regulator 

5.     Iffland K, Grotenhermen F. (2017) An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies. 2(1) Can and Cannabin Res 139-54. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2016.0034 

6.     Sales A, Guimaraes F, et al. (2020) CBD Modulates DNA Methylation in the Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus of Mice Exposed to Forded Swim. 388 Behav Brain Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112627 

7.     Basile L. (2021) The Relationship Between Cortisol and Inflammation. Health Central.  

8.     Henson J, Vitetta L, et al. (2021) Enhancing Endocannabinoid Control of Stress with Cannabidiol. 10(24) J of Clin Med 5852. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10245852  

9.     Appiah-Kusi E, Petros N, et al. (2020) Effects of Short-Term Cannabidiol Treatment on Response to Social Stress in Subjects at Clinical High Risk of Developing Psychosis. 223 Psychopharmacology 1121-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-019-05442-6  

10. Skaper S, Di Marzo V. (2012) Endocannabinoids in Nervous System Health and Disease: The Big Picture in a Nutshell. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 3193-3200. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0313  

11. Hickey J, Collins A, et al. (2024) Modulation of Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation by Cannabidiol (CBD): Promising Targets for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. 46(5) Curr Issues Mol Biol 4379-402. doi: 10.3390/cimb46050266. PMID: 38785534; PMCID: PMC11120237 

12. Cronkleton E. (2024) 10 Breathing Exercises to Try When You're Feeling Stressed. Healthline.  

13. Mindfulness Meditation: How to Do It (2023) Mindful Staff.  

14. Scott E. (2022) 13 Benefits of Yoga. Very Well Health. 

15. Harrington A. (2021) 25% of CBD Products Are Not Tested for Purity. Forbes.