What Does CBD Feel Like?

What does CBD feel like? It's yet another of the most common questions that we hear from new and prospective users alike. And rightly so! Whether it's to see whether your dose is working or to know what you're getting into, it helps to have some idea of what to expect.

But it's a tricky question to answer, and many prospective users might be surprised by the simple reality: that CBD doesn't really feel like anything at all!

Instead, we suggest thinking about it in a different way: not "what does CBD feel like", but "what doesn't CBD feel like". CBD feels like an absence of pain, anxiety, and persistent worry.

Just Starting Out? What to Expect

For the vast majority of users, CBD's effects are subtle. In fact, many users may not notice immediate effects at all!

Some will notice a subtle sense of calm and relaxation, or a reduction in inflammation-based pain, about 30 minutes after taking their dose.

Others, however, may not notice a marked short-term reduction. But that doesn't mean that you're immune to CBD; rather, it reflects that noticing an absence of pain or anxiety is more difficult than noticing their presence.

However, things change a bit once you've taken CBD for a while.

CBD Builds Up In Your System Over Time

Like many botanicals or other supplements, CBD builds up in the body over time. That means that your first few doses won't work at full strength.

Many users who claim that CBD doesn't do anything for them are simply judging too quickly without giving CBD a chance to build up to full potency in their system.

That's why it's recommended you try CBD for at least a full week before making judgments about how it affects your stress, anxiety, or pain.

That's not to say that your first few doses of CBD won't have any effect. Many users report a meaningful reduction in their symptoms even after their first 2 or 3 doses! But it does mean that, whether your first dose has any noticeable effects, it's only going to get better from there.

What To Expect Over Time

Once CBD has built up in your system, you and your loved ones may notice a marked reduction in your levels of stress, anxiety, and pain flare-ups.

Again, it's a lot trickier to notice the absence of stress or pain than it is to notice their presence. As such, it may be useful to track your feelings over time or rely on others' observations of your demeanor and behavior.

To determine whether your current dose is working, it may be useful to track the frequency and severity of stress and pain flare-ups. If you notice a reduction in the frequency and severity of such occurrences, then it's a solid sign that your dose of CBD is working!

Even without tracking, your friends and family are likely to notice a subtle shift; the less you experience pain and anxiety, the more freer you are to be yourself, and that makes a difference when you interact with your loved ones!

Does CBD Make You Feel High?

When people ask, "what does CBD feel like?", they're often really asking some version of this question. Does CBD cause a high? Will I be impaired by CBD?

Luckily, the answer to this question is straightforward: CBD will not cause any feelings of intoxication, nor will it impair your mental processes in any way.

Note that that's true for any of the CBD products that you'll find on CBD Choice, including the full spectrum CBD products that we carry (more on what makes these special below).

Different Products May Feel Different

As with most other products, CBD products don't usually contain just CBD. Other ingredients are added in order to complement CBD's effects, and these additions may make a noticeable difference in the way that your chosen product feels.

For instance, many CBD sleep-aids also contain melatonin, CBN, or some other relaxation agent. Obviously, these products are going to have a more noticeable effect on your sense of relaxation and calm, as the supplemental ingredients work to get you ready for a night of restful sleep.

But even if you choose a traditional CBD product with no obvious supplemental ingredients, there's still one thing that may have an impact: your choice of CBD extract.

CBD Isolate vs. Broad Spectrum vs. Full Spectrum

There are three types of CBD extract that are commonly used in CBD products, and the extract you choose may have a meaningful effect on what CBD feels like in your body.

Note that all forms of CBD originate from the cannabis plant. When manufacturers extract the CBD from the plant, they make a choice about whether they also want to extract other hemp compounds. The resulting extracts are referred to as follows:

• CBD Isolate: The purest form of CBD, CBD isolate contains absolutely no other hemp compounds.
• Full spectrum CBD: Contains not only CBD, but traces of all other compounds in the hemp plant, including traces of THC (CBD's intoxicating cousin).
• Broad spectrum CBD: Identical to Full Spectrum CBD, except all THC has been carefully removed.

What to Expect From the Different CBD Extract Types

Depending on the type of CBD extract in your CBD product, your dose may feel slightly different in your body. In general, CBD isolate is the most subtle, while full and broad spectrum extracts may be increasingly more noticeable.

That's because hemp's other compounds synergize with CBD, creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. This is called the "entourage effect", and many users swear by full or broad spectrum products as offering the very best that CBD has to offer.

Of special note: some users are particularly affected by THC, the psychoactive component of the hemp plant. Full spectrum extractscontain trace amounts of THC, but far too little to cause noticeable intoxication. However, THC-sensitive users may feel it more strongly than others and are encouraged to instead try a THC-free CBD product.

What Does CBD Feel Like? In Closing

"How does CBD make you feel" is, rightly, one of the most common questions that we hear from new and prospective users. And unfortunately, it's a difficult question to answer.

CBD doesn't feel like much of anything! It's non-intoxicating, and it's not meant to give you a few hours of euphoria or an escape from your day-to-day. Instead, CBD is meant to remove the pain and anxiety that are keeping you from being fully yourself.

So what does CBD feel like? It feels like being fully yourself, unburdened by several of the common stressors and deterrents that weigh you down in your day to day.

Here are a few other tips to keep in mind:

• Different CBD products may have a different effect, and some may be more noticeable.
• The biggest difference comes down to whether you're using CBD isolate, full spectrum, or broad spectrum CBD products.
• CBD builds up in the system over time, so its benefits will likely be stronger after your first week or two of regular usage.
• It can be useful to track the frequency and severity of your pain and anxiety flare-ups, starting before you begin using CBD.

At the end of the day, CBD isn't about how it feels. Instead, it's about getting rid of other stressors and annoyances that can get you feeling less than your best. It's an undeniably subtle effect, but one that can be truly revolutionary for those who give it a chance.