Menopause is a natural but tough time in every woman’s life. We’re now learning that CBD could be the answer to the uncomfortable symptoms it brings.
Around 1.3 million women go through menopause in America every year. Typically, it occurs between ages 40-55. The initial peri-menopausal phase usually lasts between 4-8 years. Many women experience a range of troubling physical and mental changes as they enter this period.
We’re hearing more positive testimonies on how CBD can ease menopause symptoms. To understand the benefits of CBD for those symptoms, let’s first try to understand better what the menopause is.
What happens during menopause?
Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause
Typically, menopause is diagnosed by having missed a period for 12 or more months. Common physical symptoms of menopause include night sweats, reduced sleep quality and hot flashes. Some women experience discomfort during sex as a result of increased vaginal dryness and thinning of the vaginal walls.
Menopause can also cause extreme changes in mood due to an abrupt disruption in hormones. This can lead to increased stress levels, anxiety and depression. There’s no cure for menopause because it’s a natural change that happens in the body as women age. So how can CBD deliver relief for women suffering with its symptoms?
Benefits of CBD for menopause
We know that menopause can result in mental and physical changes in the body. This can have a negative impact on women’s well being.
More research is being conducted all the time on the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Despite the fact studies are relatively new, researchers have found it is responsible for regulating functions of neural pathways in the body. This includes those responsible for pain, anxiety, hormone balance and more. This is where CBD’s role as relief comes into play.
CBD balances hormones
CBD is believed to help regulate hormones
ECS receptors are found in our brains, organs and body tissue. Some scientists have found that this system helps to balance body functions like the immune system, pain and our mood.
Research has shown that the ECS is responsible for functions like regulation of hormones. Menopause can disrupt the ECS. So it’s possible that CBD can help to reduce some of the symptoms of this transitional period.
Depression and anxiety
It’s been found that the ECS helps regulate stress levels and that this can play a role in how depression occurs. Depression and irregular moods are a common symptom of menopause.
One study saw that CBD can have a similar effect on our brains to antidepressants. For this reason, CBD could help to stabilize these chemical reactions in women who depression due to menopause.
A 2019 study has also revealed how CBD shows promising results in offering relief from anxiety. Another study this year also showed CBD’s ability to regulate anxiety and fear responses.
CBD may aid restful sleep
Another side effect of menopause is sleep loss. The quality of sleep in those going through menopause can get worse due to night sweats, anxiety and hormonal changes.
CBD can help you get a restful night’s sleep
How much CBD can improve your sleep all depends on the source of the disturbance.
One study illustrates how 40% of insomniacs suffer from disorders like anxiety and depression. With this in mind, if anxiety is disturbing the sleep cycle then CBD could provide the relief needed to help you drift off. Another study on the use of CBD for anxiety-related sleep disruption has also backed this up.
A different study has found how CBD can help you get a good night’s sleep. Participants were given controlled doses of 160mg and it was shown to help improve quality and duration of sleep.
CBD can help sexual discomfort
During menopause, some women experience sexual dysfunction and pain during intercourse. This can be due to thinning vaginal walls, decreased lubrication and changes in the pain-perceiving nerves.
Research has found that some natural compounds that occur in CBD are vasodilators. This means they increase blood flow. Therefore products like CBD lubricants or suppositories may help to increase blood flow to the pelvic area. Cannabis lubricant experts Foria say this keeps tissues healthy and moisturizes the vaginal canal.
Topical CBD is also known to fight inflammation, relax muscles and ease chronic pain. One study shows both CBD and THC target nerve receptors that help decrease pain. This can deliver greater comfort during sex so women can enjoy intimacy to the fullest.
Final thoughts
We’ve learnt how menopause is a tough phase of life which every woman goes through. The difficult physical and mental changes that happen can disrupt women’s overall feeling of well being.
It’s possible that CBD could be a promising treatment for some of the symptoms of menopause. This includes anxiety and depression, sleep disturbances and reduced sexual function.
Ultimately, more specific research is needed on how CBD reacts with the menopausal phase. But for now, at least there’s some potential relief at hand thanks to CBD.
