When Is The Best Time To Take CBD Oil?
If you’re just starting out on CBD, you’ll want to know when it is most effective to take it. Unfortunately, there is no direct or exact answer to this because CBD is used for various reasons and affects everyone differently.
Someone who takes it to get a kick in the morning will have a very different experience than someone who uses it to unwind in the evenings. Put simply, there is no best time to take it that applies to everyone.
The vast majority of individuals take CBD twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening, sometimes just before going to bed to have it as part of their sleep cycle. Others take it three times a day by adding a dose at midday.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean you can or should do the same, as your own bodily conditions and what you intend to get from your CBD experience could dictate a very different dosing routine.
So, what is the best time to take CBD oil for you?
Read on to find out all we know.
Develop Your Own Schedule
The best place to start is to first determine what schedule is best for your CBD intake and the best way to do this is to experiment on your own. As a distinct individual with your own bodily requirements, your perfect dose will differ in both size, medium, and timing from any other person’s.
CBD has different effects because each person has a unique endocannabinoid system. You may take your CBD through a CBD skincare treatment, a sublingual oil, or a slowly-releasing CBD edible, as each of these methods will have a different impact on your CBD experience.
Regardless of your needs, you will start your experimentation by taking CBD in the way that seems most preferable to you. If you want CBD to be part of a relaxation routine, you might want to use it in the evenings when taking a rest.
If you want it as part of an energising experience, then taking it in the mornings (and maybe midday) could be best for you.
If you are using it as more of a responsive experience, hoping to feel the effects soon after you take it, then simply dosing as and when you feel you need to could be your best way forward.
This approach, while perhaps more satisfying by giving you an immediate response, does require you to pay more attention to how much you’ve taken in a single day.
Whatever you decide to settle with, you should never exceed the FSA-recommended limit of 70mg of CBD per day.
It’s also worth mentioning that you should consider experimenting with different brands and formats of CBD to see how each works with your body.
You’ll be surprised that a similar product from different brands can have widely different effects, particularly in the difference between broad-spectrum, full-spectrum CBD oil, and CBD isolate products.
This period of trying new things can be a little tiring, but it is the best way to find the perfect amount for you. To this end, we can confidently recommend the smaller-sized products offered by many manufacturers, such as CBD edible grab bags, which give you the chance to try a new CBD method without committing to a larger purchase.
Ways Of Taking CBD Oil
If you’re dead-set on CBD oil drops as the method for you, then it’s time to consider the way you want to take it. How you take your CBD oil will play a role in the frequency of your doses and their size.
All of this will inform your understanding of when exactly the best time to dose your CBD is.
A sublingual oil, also known as an oil tincture, is one of the fastest-acting CBD oil methods available. These often provide an effect within 20 minutes as they enter the bloodstream through capillaries under the tongue, bypassing the digestive system and directly interacting with the endocannabinoid receptors found throughout your body.
Many people will use a sublingual oil in the evenings or just before bed, working these fast-effects into their evening routine, but they can just as effectively be used in the morning and over the course of the day.
The other primary way of dosing CBD oils is through a topical application. Although many CBD manufacturers offer a distinct range of topical products, CBD oils can be applied topically for targeted effects on a particular part of the body.
This works by using a transfollicular method of entering the body, meaning that the CBD uses the hair follicles found throughout your skin. These provide a way of effecting the body that is perhaps less invasive than something like a sublingual oil, as well as being focused more clearly on one particular area, as a topically applied oil will not enter your bloodstream as fully as a sublingually applied oil will.
In general, an oil can be applied topically at any point in the day, although for obvious reasons, it should not be applied directly before washing or any strenuous activity that will cause the oil to be wiped away before it can take full effect.
You can also use CBD oil directly by applying it to your food. CBD oil often mixes well with conventional foodstuffs, mixing with the oils found naturally in food and often with no change to flavour or texture, along with minimal to no side effects on your immune system.
Some manufacturers sell savory-flavoured oils for just this purpose. These would, of course, coincide with mealtimes or whatever food routine you keep. Many people also add CBD oil to hot drinks such as tea or coffee to supplement their caffeine content.
Size Of Dose
As we have said, the size of your dose will vary depending on a range of factors, with everything from your body type to the way you take CBD oil effecting your dose size.
Some people prefer just two or three large doses throughout the day, while others prefer to micro-dose at frequent set times. If you’re brand new to the world of CBD, odds are you’ll be wondering about the perfect dosage size of CBD oil as well as the best time to take CBD oil.
There is no set measurement of how much CBD oil is right for any one person, nor is there any scale to indicate the right amount for you. Just like the timing, this will be a case of experimentation and trial.
When figuring out the right amount and the right time of day to take CBD oil, start small, with minor doses taken in your preferred way. Give each dose the right amount of time to kick in, and keep a careful note of how each dose makes you feel.
This will take a little bit of time and may come with some disappointment, as you may find that certain doses are simply ineffective for your desired effect, but it is without a doubt the best way to find the perfect amount for you.
It goes without saying, but it is also important to note the strength of the CBD oil you are taking. Stronger oils will require less of the product to deliver the same CBD hit, so keep this in mind when portioning your doses.
Our tip to “start with small doses” goes the same with concentrations, so we recommend a lower-strength CBD oil if you’re just starting off.
As you figure out the perfect size of your dose, the frequency will go hand-in-hand. Your experiments will help you figure out exactly how you react to CBD and which times of the day are best for you.
Remember, whatever frequency or dosage size you find to be perfect, do not exceed the FSA recommended limit of 70mg per day.
Consistency Is Key
As mentioned earlier, everybody reacts to CBD differently. The best practice is always to find an effective schedule to dose your CBD oil and stick to it, remaining as consistent as possible.
This will let you enjoy the full benefits of CBD in the most consistently effective way. Plenty of new CBD users make the mistake of trying it once or twice, multiple times a day, and then giving up because they don't feel it works well enough.
Although it can be difficult to keep this in perspective, it’s like starting an exercise routine and giving up after one week because you haven’t noticed an immediate difference.
The routine ingestion of CBD oil gives your body a chance to react optimally to this supplement. If you already take other supplements like multivitamins, try adding your CBD to this daily dose, such as taking CBD in the morning, to ensure you don't miss one.
Setting an alarm during your morning routine could also be helpful. If you are taking a prescription medicine, you should check with a doctor before taking any CBD product, including CBD oils.
It should also be noted that you should never take CBD if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or under the age of 18.
Summary
As we’ve explored above, there is no best time to take CBD oil that applies to everyone. We all react to CBD in incrementally different ways, so finding the perfect dose will be a matter of exploration.
Start it small and work your way up, trying different amounts and timings until you find the ideal balance for your unique situation. Once you do, be sure to stick to it to get the most from your CBD experience.
CBD can be a great part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle, but without a proper understanding of how it works, it can lose its impact. CBD is always a unique experience, something that will need to be tailored and adjusted to fit you in the best possible way, and that unfortunately means a bit of trial-and-error.
Timings are one part of this process; you may find that you need a different kind of oil or a different CBD product all together to get the best out of it for long-term health benefits.
In the end, your CBD journey should be an enjoyable one focused on your wellbeing, so don’t be afraid to try new things such as CBD gummies, CBD capsules, and any other type of CBD product (as long as it's from a reputable supplier), and then enjoy the wide range of experiences the CBD world has to offer.