CBD for studying: does it help in studies?

The stages of study and the previous processes to which we submit our knowledge of a given subject to judgment are vital to our personal and professional growth. For days, weeks, or months we strive to internalize facts, dates, and stories, and concentration becomes imperative for success. There are several agents that enhance our ability to study; could CBD be one of them? Does cannabidiol help improve our ability to study?

Why can it be so difficult to concentrate when working or studying?

The first obstacle to overcome when we study is concentration. If we are not able to fix our attention, it will be impossible for us to study a certain subject in depth. And yet, concentrating is the most complicated thing. Numerous external and internal agents hinder our ability to concentrate.

Stress, nerves and anxiety are some of the most common detractors of concentration. And during the study process, when we put pressure on ourselves to internalize a certain subject, or to devour extensive information in a short period of time, that nervousness only hinders our ability to concentrate.

In addition, nowadays, we are exposed to an endless number of external stimuli that encourage our agitation. The constant exposure to screens, the unbridled consumption of information or the noises of the city push us, constantly, to dispersion. To be involved in a thousand things at the same time, and none of them at the same time. To not being able to fix, from tranquility, our attention on a single focus.

How does CBD work in the brain?

CBD, a non-psychotropic cannabinoid produced by the cannabis and hemp plant, interacts with our body through the endocannabinoid system. Through this neurotransmitter system (similar to the nervous system, but with other functions), when we consume CBD some responses are activated in our body and in our brain.

These responses that cannabidiol awakens in our body and brain have to do with many of our physiological processes. CBD consumption, for example, modulates our pain, stress, mood, anxiety and even mobility processes.

Benefits of CBD for studying

The main benefit of CBD for studying could be to reduce anxiety and stress, which will allow us to concentrate more easily. Cannabidiol also has mood-enhancing, pain-relieving and inflammation-reducing properties. And the happier we are, and the less our body “bothers” us at the time of studying, the better performance of the study process we will be able to obtain.

Problems falling asleep

Rest is vital to be able to concentrate, and therefore to be able to study. If we have insomnia problems and we do not get a good night’s sleep, fatigue will be one of our worst enemies when it comes to concentrating. In this sense, some clinical studies have been carried out, during which it has been proven that the consumption of CBD not only prolongs the time of sleep, but also improves the quality of it, and therefore offers a more restful rest, because it reduces the REM phase of sleep (that first stage when we fall asleep during which most dreams and nightmares occur).
Chagas, M. H. N., Crippa, J. A. S., & Zuardi, A. W. (2013). Effects of acute systemic administration of cannabidiol on sleep-wake cycle in rats. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23343597/

Anxiety and stress

Anxiety and stress are some of the worst enemies of concentration. Unbridled thoughts and overwhelm almost completely block our ability to concentrate. And, as mentioned above, thanks to the endocannabinoid system, CBD is able to modulate our states of anxiety and stress. In the absence of more extensive clinical studies, it is already known that cannabidiol has properties to modulate anxiety and stressful episodes, thanks to its anxiolytic properties.
Esther M. Blessing et al. “Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders.” 2015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/?ref=3egect2mop

Less pain generates greater concentration

Pain is a great enemy of concentration, because it is able to fix it all on the same point. When we are in pain, we cannot think of anything else but that part of our body that hurts us and it is very difficult for us to divert our attention to another point. That is why it is so important not to suffer any kind of discomfort in order to be able to concentrate and study. On this point, CBD can positively affect our ability to concentrate thanks to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which will help to mitigate our pain.

How to use CBD to study?

The use of CBD products for human consumption, or as a food supplement, is not yet regulated in Spain; nor is its use in medical cannabis programs contemplated, yet. Even though the World Health Organization, through an Expert Committee on Drug Dependence already concluded in 2017 that “CBD is not addictive”, “does not produce adverse psychoactive or cardiovascular effects”, and that it has “promising therapeutic uses”, medical guidelines on how to consume cannabidiol to improve study processes have not yet been set.

While it is true that CBD can be used topically (for muscle inflammation, for example, and to mitigate pain), also by ingestion via CBD oils or by inhalation through CBD flowers, how to use it to study has no scientific or medical guidelines, yet.

Practical tips to help you improve your studies

Here are some practices that you can easily carry out, which will help improve your ability to study and concentrate. Consuming cannabidiol before going to sleep, resting during the day, following a healthy diet, doing sports or breathing consciously are some of them.

CBD at night

Due to its relaxing and anxiolytic properties, CBD can be a good ally to fall asleep. This cannabinoid could reduce our anxiety, so consuming cannabidiol at night would be a practice that would help us to sleep, and that would act against our insomnia problems.
Alhola, P., & Polo-Kantola, P. (2007). Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/

Take regular breaks

Taking a break during our daily activity, and stopping for a moment our activity helps us to reduce stress, and will allow us to fall asleep more easily during the night. Take your eyes off the computer for a few minutes, get up from your chair and stretch your legs for a while, put your cell phone away and don’t be productive without a break. Resting, albeit little, often will keep us more focused.

Taking care of your diet

We are what we eat and depending on whether we ingest nutrients that nourish our organism, or eat things that only satisfy our hunger, we will be able to respond in a more energetic, and therefore productive, way to our daily tasks. In times of study, feeding our brain with a healthy diet is vital to obtain good results.

Regular exercise

Physical exercise not only improves our physical condition and helps us to charge us with oxygen, but also helps us to produce hormones such as dopamine, serotonin or endorphin that improve our mood and allow us to be happier and calmer. Depending on our physical shape we can practice one discipline or another, at different intensities. From a leisurely stroll to a long run, depending on our capacity, will help us to be more relaxed and concentrate more easily.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is a very important mechanism to help us calm down. Not the unconscious breathing, those inhalations and expirations that we exercise without realizing it constantly to survive, but a conscious breathing. Focusing our attention on how the air enters our body and how it fills our lungs and inflates our diaphragm can be a very relaxing exercise. Doing a prolonged and calm breathing for a few minutes decreases anxiety in most cases.

Frequently asked questions

How can concentration in learning be increased?

To increase concentration during learning, relaxation can be practiced since a calm state of mind will help us to focus our attention more easily. Practicing sports, resting regularly or getting quality sleep at night will increase our ability to concentrate while studying.

What increases concentration and performance?

A clean work environment, a list of tasks or focusing on a single job, and not multitasking, increases the ability to concentrate as it makes it easier to focus attention, thus improving performance.

Bibliography and Digital Sources

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