
Top Benefits of Cannabis For Your Athletic Performance
Cannabis is now more accessible and popular than ever before. More and more states are now legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes. And some states are even considering legalizing its use for recreational purposes. Well, I would say that cannabis is a magical herb that can be used for both medical and recreational purposes. It has many therapeutic and medical benefits. You can get a medical marijuana card in California to buy medical cannabis for a state-qualified condition.
It can be used to manage various symptoms associated with these conditions. And some of these benefits of cannabis can also help your athletic performance. I bet you are not aware of them. But today, you will learn about all these benefits.
‘The Lazy Stoner’ Stereotype
Since the legalization of cannabis in various states of the United States, researchers are working to learn more and more about this magical herb. We have debunked several myths and misconceptions about cannabis until now. One of the very popular myths is “the lazy stoner.” The stereotype of cannabis users being lazy and overweight is still believed by a lot of people. But on the contrary, cannabis can be used to enhance your athletic performance. But this does not mean that cannabis is going to provide you some kind of extra strength or something. Do not expect to smash records. Cannabis works in other ways, and we are going to learn about that in this article. Here is a list of some of the top benefits of cannabis for athletic performance.
Benefit 1. Cannabis Helps in Reducing Pain And Soreness
Cannabis is known for its ability to alleviate pain. Now, it is hard to perform to the best of your abilities if you are dealing with some kind of pain. If you are looking to succeed, you need to be absolutely fit. But it is common for athletes to sustain injuries every now and then. Some of the most common problems that athletes have to face are muscle soreness, stiffness, and joint pain. This is where cannabis has shown many positive results.
Cannabis has the ability to reduce pain, whether it is chronic pain or acute pain. This helps athletes to recover faster from their injuries and get back to their training. Cannabis is the best alternative to the dangerous opiates used for pain relief. These opiates are habit-forming and have dangerous side effects. On the other hand, cannabis is a natural alternative to them. Cannabis can help you deal with all kinds of pain, from chronic pain to acute pain caused by some injury. Studies show that cannabis has analgesic properties that help in providing relief from pain. Cannabis can also help build your body’s immune levels, hence providing benefits to your overall health.
Benefit 2. It Helps in Reducing Inflammation
If you are an athlete, you will be very much familiar with the inflammation of muscles and joints. This is something every athlete has to deal with on a regular basis. Inflammation can put a hindrance on your performance and training. So it becomes obvious for every athlete to deal with it in the fastest way possible. And cannabis can help you do exactly that. One of the most promising areas of cannabis research is its ability to manage joint and muscle inflammation.
There are over 100 cannabinoids present in cannabis, and two of the main cannabinoids are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD is the non-intoxicating cannabinoid, which means it does not produce the “high” associated with cannabis. CBD is also very effective in easing inflammation. It can also help people suffering from autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, and lupus. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can help you get over your injuries quickly.
Now, many people do not prefer smoking cannabis but want to reap the benefits of CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties. These people can choose topicals and tinctures for locally targeted recovery. This allows you to use cannabis without ingesting it and with no worries of getting high. You can use it in highly concentrated doses for the specific area where you are experiencing inflammation or pain. The anti-inflammatory and healing abilities of CBD can help you recover from any injury in a shorter period of time.
Benefit 3. It Can Help in Treating Muscle Spasms
Another recurring problem for athletes is muscle spasms, and it can become an intruding factor for their performance. Thankfully, muscle spasms are another area of medical application for cannabis. Studies have shown that medical cannabis can help in treating muscle spasms related to conditions like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. And the same benefits can also help athletes deal with the contraction of muscles.
Cannabis has shown positive results in muscle recovery and can reduce muscle spasms. The reason behind this is probably the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis. So, you can consume cannabis to tackle muscle spasms effectively. You should not let these issues hinder your performance, and cannabis can help you do this. Cannabis deals with muscle spasticity efficiently.
Benefit 4. It Also Helps in Getting a Sound Sleep
As I mentioned above, the two main cannabinoids found in cannabis are THC and CBD. While CBD does not produce any high, THC is the main psychoactive compound. It is the main cannabinoid responsible for the high of cannabis that we all enjoy. There are many health benefits of THC as well, one of which is improving sleep quality. Studies have shown that THC can help people suffering from sleeping problems, like insomnia.
THC can help people with sleep apnea and can also suppress dreams. This is the main reason why so many PTSD sufferers use cannabis. Now, you would agree with me on getting enough rest is important for a good performance. Your body needs rest in order to remain energetic and fresh the next day. And 7 to 8 hours of sleep is necessary for your body to get that rest. This is where consuming cannabis can help you. Cannabis (THC in particular) provides relaxing effects and can calm your nerves. It can help in inducing sleep if you are finding trouble getting some sound sleep.
If you are suffering from some kind of stress, it can cause problems in sleeping too. And CBD has the ability to reduce the levels of stress. This can help in improving your sleep quality as well as its duration. Again, cannabis is a great alternative to other medications for sleep disorders. These medications can be habit-forming and come with various side effects. So, it is better to choose a natural alternative, such as cannabis. However, when talking about using cannabis for sleep, it is important for you to choose the right strain. Some of the best strains for sleep may include –
- God’s Gift
- Tahoe OG Kush (powerful stay at home strain)
- Northern Lights (the legendary cannabis strain)
- Critical Kush (one of the best therapeutic strains)
- Purple Kush (also have amazing pain-relieving abilities)