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.