Strains to Help You
Relax
Every day, in almost every waking moment, our minds are bombarded with sensory overload.
There are noises, words and images coming at us constantly, from people we interact with, from the stuff on our various screens and most of all from our own minds, as we attempt to process all of it.
To relax, as Zen masters will tell us, means to turn off the “monkey mind” – all that chattering, noisy, frenetic stuff – and instead focus in on … nothing. When you can do that (and it’s hard: have you tried to meditate?), you can achieve the bliss of mental relaxation.
Cannabis, especially the THC cannabinoid that is the main psychotropic ingredient, is excellent at helping change the channel of constant information in your mind. The vast majority of cannabis users use it to “relax.”
The scientists (at least the few that have been allowed to study the cannabis-mind connection) tell us that THC can help users (especially in low doses) decrease feelings of stress and anxiety, elevate your mood, uplift and energize your mind, and keep you occupied in the present moment. In other words, help banish that monkey mind!
But other parts of cannabis and its close cousin, the hemp plant, contain helpful relaxation properties. CBD, the non-psychotropic cannabinoids, helps promote relaxation, reduces anxiety and seems to have important inflammation-reduction properties that help with muscle spasms and cramps. Many people find CBD an excellent substitute for THC.
And the terpenes in hemp and cannabis, the molecules that provide taste and smell of the plant, also seem to be very helpful in producing feelings of relaxation and contentment. Strains rich in myrcene, for instance, appear to add soothing effects. Linalool is another cannabis terpene with good credentials for stress and anxiety relief due to its relaxing and sedative properties. Among some users linalool seems to raise serotonin levels which in turn can have positive effects on overall mood.
