How CBD Can Help Maximize Your Workout Sessions

How CBD Can Help Maximize Your Workout Sessions

CBD has been touted for some time as a natural way to support your overall health and well-being, and the latest scientific research backs this up. Since it works with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which helps regulate bodily processes including sleep, metabolism and muscle formation, CBD has wide-ranging benefits, from soothing muscles, helping you feel more relaxed and supporting healthy sleep. Though you may not have thought to carry CBD in your gym bag, the compound can actually make your workouts more effective. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of taking CBD before workout sessions and how it can play a larger role in your overall exercise routine.

Start the Night Before

When it comes to your workouts, science suggests that getting enough sleep can affect the quality of your exercise, and vice versa. In fact, the two have a dynamic relationship. Getting sufficient sleep can help you exercise more effectively, and exercising can help you experience better sleep quality and duration. Your body needs sleep for optimal muscle and tissue recovery. Without it, you’ll not only feel soreness and aches for longer, but you may experience compromised motor, cognitive and physiological functions.

Furthermore, your body releases human growth hormone (HGH) every two hours during sleep. HGH helps promote healing and recovery, and skimping out on your Z’s can decrease the amount of HGH your body produces. If you didn’t get a good night’s rest and feel a little sleepy, try taking a nap before or after your workout to give you a boost of energy.

Use CBD To Help With Sleep

Studies indicate that CBD may promote healthy sleep cycles by helping your body manage its levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), as well as promoting feelings of general relaxation. Whether or not you struggle to get quality sleep, CBD can act as a safe and effective aid to help you get a good night’s rest.

Taking a CBD oil enhanced with melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, can further improve your sleep. At Level Select, we’ve engineered the most effective THC-free broad-spectrum formulas according to sleep science, so that you can reach peak performance. Try taking one dropperful of Level Zzz: 2400 mg CBD Oil Drops With Melatonin (which contains 40 mg of CBD and 3 mg of melatonin) right before bed, or pop two berry-flavored Restful Sleep CBD Gummies With Melatonin for 25 mg of CBD and 3 mg of melatonin 45 minutes before sleeping.

Take CBD Before Workout Sessions

Using a CBD product before a workout can help relieve any symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and set you up for a smooth post-workout recovery. Here are some ways you can use tinctures and topicals as a part of your pre-workout supplementation.

CBD Tinctures

Though exercise decreases your body’s production of cortisol at night, an intense workout will temporarily spike your cortisol levels due to the amount of stress that’s being placed on the body. Since CBD can help you manage cortisol levels, try taking a dropperful of Level Select CBD Oil Drops about half an hour before your workout. If you take CBD right before — or even during — your workout, you can expect it to settle into your body by the time you’re ready for your cooldown, or even after you’re done exercising. Be sure to work your way up to a CBD serving size that’s right for you.

CBD Topicals

CBD topicals can offer targeted relief for some of the soreness that comes with weight lifting, running and other forms of exercise. Though you can (and should) certainly apply a topical after a workout session, applying a thin layer of Level Select Sports Roll-On or Sports Cream can help reduce some of the stiffness and soreness that would otherwise affect your workout. Rub your choice of topical into sore areas about 15 minutes before you exercise to allow the CBD to penetrate your skin and interact with the cannabinoid receptors in your pores.

woman workout

Other Tips To Maximize Your Workouts

Taking CBD and getting plenty of sleep aren’t the only answers to better workouts. In addition to using CBD, the following healthy habits and workout tips can help you take your performance to the next level:

  • Drink plenty of water during your workout and throughout the day.
  • Stretch before and after exercising to help with muscle stiffness.
  • Eat a balanced diet with plenty of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats.
  • Try foam rolling to alleviate muscle soreness.
  • Use compound movements at the gym to target multiple muscle groups.
  • Keep a gym journal — including how many hours you sleep, the time you take CBD or apply a topical, etc. — to track and measure your results.
  • Make sure you’re building recovery days into your workout routine.

Follow us at @LevelSelectCBD on social media for more information on CBD and our Level Select products.

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"Level Select CBD has been an instant game changer for me."
Rickie Fowler
professional golfer
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