What is CBD?

CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid (a chemical compound that binds to receptors in the central nervous system and acts as a messenger) derived from the cannabis plant that can promote relaxation and offer relief from a vast variety of ailments without imbuing users with the “high” feeling often associated with marijuana consumption.

What can it do for gamers?

Due to its ability to soothe tension, balance mood, provide pain relief and promote recovery, CBD has become a coveted natural solution to aid gamers with their focus, sharpen their skills and strengthen their mental acuity. Even more impressively, CBD is able to boost performance and mitigate ailments without the harsh crash associated with “traditional” performance enhancers.

As the popularity of video games has grown, technology has staggeringly advanced and game developers continue to push the envelope on what we’re able to do, learn, and experience virtually. Now with more than 2.75 billion active gamers worldwide, gaming is no longer a mere pastime but rather a constantly evolving cultural experience, an immersive lifestyle that has effectively transformed the entire entertainment landscape. Gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry with legitimate leagues and massive tournaments, many offering enormous cash prizes.

But while video games are still considered by many to be a way to unwind, they don’t always come stress-free — in fact, even casual gaming can bring its own stresses; both mental and physical.

Anxiety, depression, altered sleep schedules, as well as physical aches and pains are some of the most common side effects associated with habitual and competitive gaming. Additional risks such as blood clots, heart disease, and obesity are also present for those who aren’t careful to moderate their gaming sessions. Regulating time spent in front of the screen is the most effective way to reduce these risks, but supplements like CBD can prove to be powerful allies in the fight.

Focus

The link between video games and cannabis is nothing new, for years a significant percentage of gamers have claimed that smoking or consuming marijuana prior to playing not only amplifies their gaming experience, it actually enhances their skills. In a world where situational awareness, undivided concentration, and lightning fast reflexes are vital, cannabis in the form of CBD can prove a valuable tool for honing focus and maintaining optimal performance over extended periods of time.

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Anxiety

In addition to sharpening focus, CBD is often said to “quiet the noise” and help players overcome anxiety; whether it be social anxiety from interacting with friends in person and strangers online or the performance anxiety often associated with competitive gaming. Alternately, it can help others effectively manage rage and aggression triggered by certain games or the nature of competition.

Competitive eSport gamers, like traditional athletes, demand a lot from their bodies and have to withstand immense pressure to perform. In a stressful industry that doesn’t always promote the healthiest lifestyle, it can be easy to let general health and wellbeing fall by the wayside. Demanding schedules, compounding stress, and the intensity of competition can often escalate existing depression and anxiety.

As a mood regulator, CBD works to combat these conditions and help you remain calm, cool, and collected when slaying even the most overwhelming slew of villains. Because CBD kicks your endocannabinoid system into gear, rather than let your brain get overstimulated, your body knows it should be working to return itself to equilibrium by keeping you calm and relaxed.

Pain Relief

Physical aches and pains commonly associated with gaming include carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as well as chronic neck and back pain. CBD applied orally or as a topical acts on cannabinoid receptors to reduce inflammation and, ultimately, pain. Over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol and Advil work by attempting to block pain receptors; CBD, on the other hand, attaches to the body’s system of cannabinoid receptors and triggers natural chemical reactions, anti-inflammatory responses, and the release of endorphins which results in safe, effective treatment of inflammation and pain.

Sleep Aid

In addition to easing pain and soothing anxiety, CBD is also known to promote restful sleep. Gaming often demands long hours and has a propensity to disrupt sleep schedules and rest cycles. The blue light emitted from computers and televisions has the capacity to alter cognitive function, disrupt circadian rhythms and create insomnia-like symptoms that can stubbornly stand in the way of restorative sleep.

A sleep-deprived brain can leave a gamer with a noticeable decrease in reflex time and impaired hand-eye coordination, but it could also lead to more serious conditions and risks — namely, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure and stroke. CBD can help users get better, more restful sleep and reduce these risks by supporting the endocannabinoid system as it works tirelessly to ease your mind, maintain bodily functions and regulate circadian rhythms as you sleep.

CBD is a safe, natural supplement that can work wonders for the body and mind. Its lack of side effects and ability to relieve pain, ease tension, aid restful sleep and support the body’s natural systems make it a tried and true asset to gamers playing everywhere from their basements to the big leagues.

Sources
Harvard Health