Marijuana is more popular and accessible than ever. Consumers enjoy this famous green plant to relax, destress, and boost overall health, but does weed affect your workout?
This burning question is common in the athletic community, and the potential wellness properties of weed continue to emerge. Want to find out more?
We delve into what marijuana can do for you and whether it impacts your performance positively. Discover if growing female marijuana seeds at home for a personal stash is worth it to help you reach your workout goals.
Grab a towel; it’s time to get moving.
Reduce inflammation
One of the reasons medical marijuana use is rapidly increasing is its potential anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show the non-psychoactive compound CBD helps ease inflammation. Is weed healthy for athletes in this regard? Most definitely.
After you exercise, inflammation in muscles is common. Other athletes suffer from autoimmune conditions, like Chrohn’s disease and psoriasis. CBD holds huge potential for treating these, making exercise more comfortable.
Many athletes prefer not to smoke, as this can cause other health-related issues and may affect performance. To reap CBD’s benefits without inhaling it, try topicals and tinctures to treat specific areas of your body.
Treat muscle spasms
Doctors recommend medical marijuana to patients with muscle spasms due to Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. Similar benefits may help athletes who are experiencing spasms.
Studies on rodents further demonstrate how CBD helps with muscle recovery and reduces spasms. How does smoking weed affect athletes this way? There’s currently no scientific evidence it works on humans, but you can likely find relief from symptoms.
Lower pain and soreness
Due to the anti-inflammatory benefits mentioned above, cannabis can help reduce pain and soreness in your body after exercise. Anecdotal reports from patients suggest marijuana aids in alleviating chronic and acute pain, making it an ideal replacement for OTC meds.
When you feel hurt during exercise, especially during endurance activities, you feel like you’ve reached your limit and decide to stop. As a human, you tend to use only 40% of what you’re capable of—cannabis helps you tap into the other 60% by numbing pain receptors.
You’re more likely to reach your targets and push through barriers if you hurt less. Over time, your fitness levels increase, boosting your performance simultaneously.
Boost focus and motivation
Athletes sometimes find it hard to get in “the zone” for many reasons. If you’re new to exercise, putting yourself in the mood to start physical activity is tough.
Some athletes experience anxiety and stress before major events, hindering their accomplishments. Anecdotal reports claim marijuana and sports performance go hand in hand when it comes to concentration and feeling positive.
Patients with anxiety and depression report how stress levels dramatically reduce after consumption, and it can help athletes the same way. Weed allows you to remain focused on one task without negative thoughts clouding your judgment.
If you struggle to get motivated, a small dose of marijuana does the trick. Cannabis interacts with your endocannabinoid system and produces euphoric feelings like those experienced during exercise. If you’re apprehensive about going out for a run, your mindset soon changes.
Improve sleeping patterns
How does smoking weed affect athletic performance when it comes to a good night’s sleep? Maintaining an ideal slumber pattern is essential to being in peak physical and mental condition. When you’re tired, you perform poorly and experience more negativity.
There’s no doubt THC makes you tired, but that’s not what you want just as you’re heading out to exercise.
Getting the right balance depends on the type of marijuana you consume. Indica strains make you relaxed and more likely to doze off, whereas sativa cultivars boost you physically and encourage you to get things done. When evening arrives, you feel ready to drift off to sleep.
Other athletes suffer from frequent night awakenings, leaving them dreary the next day. Experts claim CBD may help REM sleep disorder, keep you asleep, and beat daytime fatigue.
What happens when you consume too much?
While most reports support marijuana as an excellent way to boost performance, too much can have the opposite effect. How does weed hurt athletic performance?
When you over-consume, you may reduce muscle mass, having a negative impact on your body. Certain marijuana strains, mainly indicas, make you sleepy, which isn’t how you want to feel pre-workout.
If you accidentally consume more than you planned, you need to know how to reduce your high. Consider these ways to feel better:
- Drink a glass of water and enjoy a healthy snack like fruits, nuts, or cheese.
- Partake in a light exercise like walking to keep your mind off negative feelings.
- Relax and get some sleep. You should feel better when you wake up.
- Distract yourself with another hobby. Listen to music, watch a funny movie, or enjoy an adult coloring book.
Opt for a high CBD, low THC strain to reduce the chances of negative feelings. THC is what provides the psychoactive effects weed is famous for. CBD produces plenty of feel-good sensations but doesn’t make you “high.”
Reach new heights and accomplish your goals
Does weed affect your workout? There’s no doubt it does, and it’s mostly good news. With a small dose of cannabis pre-exercise, expect better focus and to feel less pain. Weed can aid your recovery with its anti-inflammatory properties and improve sleep quality.
Remember to monitor your dosage and don’t consume more than you need. If you start to feel negative effects, drink water and eat a snack. Keep busy with light exercise or a hobby, and sleep it off if you need to.
If you want to see if cannabis improves your performance, start with a tiny amount and gradually increase if necessary. We hope this medicinal plant helps you blast through your targets like it has so many other athletes.
