WELLBEING | My 30 Day Naturopathica CBD Wellbeing Experiment

March 8, 2021 Shell Robshaw-Bryan

Home & Garden, Homepage Feature, Reviews, Sponsored Product/Stay, Wellbeing

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🕒 5 minute read

I write a lot about wellbeing here on the Camping with Style blog, because for me, camping is all about supporting my wellbeing, but it’s not the only thing I do to help me stay on an even keel.

Lockdown has been tough for us all and personally, I’ve experienced a spike in anxiety which has exacerbated my insomnia. I’d been researching CBD and just before Christmas, I actually bought some oil to try but I hated the taste so never took it again.

When I was approached by Naturopathica to take part in a 30 day CBD wellbeing experiment then, of course, I said yes!

I was gifted a 60 day supply and recorded how I felt each day over the course of the first 30 days, so I could share my honest experience with you. So read on if you’re curious about CBD and wondering whether it might work for you.

The Lowdown on CBD

Whilst CBD is now found in everything from (bafflingly) hair shampoo to body cream, there is still little hard evidence from clinical trials to go on. That’s because of course, large-scale clinical trials are expensive and largely only funded by big-pharma and their billion-pound businesses simply wouldn’t benefit enough, so there remains a gap in conclusive hard research.

Finding the right level for you can take some trial and error, whilst finding the right way to take it can be down to personal preference.

That said, there are plenty of smaller studies and heaps of anecdotal evidence that state numerous benefits of CBD. From calming anxiety and digestion through to better sleep, pain relief and improved mental clarity; though the benefits felt by one person, might be totally different to the benefits felt by someone else.

For this reason I personally regard CBD as an adaptogen, that is to say, it will benefit you in the way your body needs. Whilst not strictly classed as an adaptogen, it certainly shares many similar qualities and could help to explain why the effects felt by people can be so different.

My 30 Day Naturopathica CBD Wellbeing Experiment

The efficacy of CBD can be heavily influenced by the amount of CBD in the product, for most that’s around 5% which can be enough for some people to feel benefits whilst in other products the percentage can be much higher and some people might not see benefits until they choose a higher percentage product. Consider too that in general, the higher the percentage of CBD, the more expensive it will be.

Finding the right CBD product for you can take some trial and error, whilst finding the right way to take it can be down to personal preference.

There’s also the perception of CBD to think about. Some still worry they might be taking drugs, but actually, the active component of the cannabis that you’re perhaps more familiar with is THC which exists in just barely trace amounts in CBD, so it won’t get you high or leave you feeling impaired in the way smoking weed would.

Did Taking Naturopathica CBD + Capsules For 30 Days Work For Me?

After about a week of taking it consistently each day I noticed a difference. I felt energised, brighter and generally more positive. Sure, I’m a positive person anyway, but lockdown 3 was really taking its toll on me and after a few days of use, I felt a bit like a fog had lifted.

I realised I was feeling much bouncier, brighter and that I had more mental energy.

The last few months have felt quite dull and difficult and I’ve really not been myself, but I realised I was feeling much bouncier, brighter and that I had more mental energy.

After reading up, I decided to take mine at bedtime. When It comes to sleep, I’m perhaps the ideal person to gauge the impact of CBD. I am a notoriously bad sleeper even at the best of times and since entering perimenopause, sleep has become even more elusive.

Despite having an impeccable and well-practised bedtime routine, If I’m not resorting to emergency prescription medication to knock me out, I’m taking something like Nytol or Phenergan to get me off to sleep, so for me, apart from my usual 5HTP supplement, deciding not to take anything additional at bedtime in order to see how CBD impacted my sleep was a really big deal.

UPDATE 4 MONTHS ON: I recently spotted them half price on Amazon.co.uk and have stocked up again. I would honestly say they have had a huge impact on my ability to sleep and mental clarity.

There were a handful of nights when It didn’t help me drop off and at 3am I was still lying there wide awake, but, on many nights I fell asleep after taking just my usual 5HTP and a CBD capsule. I genuinely have not slept without some form of sleep aid on top of my 5HTP for the best part of 2 years.

For a normal sleeper that might not seem like a big deal, but for someone who often doesn’t fall asleep until the early hours, even after taking a double dose of Nytol (I really don’t recommend resorting to doing that by the way), sleeping without taking an OTC sleeping tablet is a really big breakthrough.

The sleep was very different to the sleep I’ve been getting for the past few years or so too. When my alarm went off in the morning I have found I’m usually in a very deep sleep and it weirdly has taken me longer than usual to get out of bed (usually, even with prescription sleeping pills I’m straight up in the morning!), so it feels like I’ve been getting proper, natural deep sleep for perhaps the first time in years.

Final Thoughts On Taking CBD

To be honest, with the days gradually getting longer and the increased meditation I’ve been doing lately, these things could also have contributed to my improved mood, so I can’t, in all honesty, say it was definitely down to the CBD alone, but, I do think it likely that it has played a role and has had a positive impact.

Naturapathica CBD Review — **Following my 30 day trial, I went on to purchase Naturopathica CBD+ Unwind**

As a psychology nerd I know all about the placebo effect which demonstrates just how astonishingly amazing and powerful our beliefs can be. Perhaps I wanted the CBD to work and am showing confirmation bias that has resulted in better, more natural sleep and an increase in positive mood? Frankly, I don’t care. Sleeping more naturally and feeling energised and clear-headed is priceless to me.

The real proof when testing out something that I’ve been gifted is always in whether I then go on to become a paying customer and I have since gone on to purchase Naturopathica CBD + myself (I went for the Unwind formula this time) as my experience with the product has been overwhelmingly positive.

I don’t get any kind of kickback for recommending them, but if you’re considering CBD, I urge you to do your research and Naturopathica are well worth considering.

Pros

I much prefer taking a tablet as I have tried oil previously and really didn’t get on with the revolting flavour
The CBD + formula includes other supplements and minerals, so you might find you can make a cost-saving and no longer need to buy other supplements you might take separately
Easy to take tablets and different formulas to try depending on what you want to benefit from e.g. better sleep, greater wellbeing, more energy etc.

Cons

£39.99 does seem quite expensive for a 1 month supply but it does compare to the price of similar CBD products

You can check out the full range of Naturopathica CBD supplements here.

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Shell Robshaw-Bryan

Editor & Owner at Camping with Style

Shell loves all things travel and outdoors and is a nature-loving, comfy-camping kinda girl. Shell started the Camping with Style blog after a serious snowboarding accident which left her with a broken back. Despite this she used the outdoors and healing power of nature to aid her recovery and she continues to spend time outdoors whenever she can.

From open water swimming, snowboarding and kayaking to hill walks and meditation, Shell shares her travels and microadventures here on the blog and in various publications she's written for, Shell has a particular interest in promoting wellbeing and the many benefits of nature therapy.

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