Incorporating CBD into Meditation Practices for Enhanced Relaxation

Whether you devote 10 minutes to sitting on a cushion each morning or think about what you’re grateful for at the end of each day, meditation has a variety of benefits — from clearing mental clutter to imparting a sense of happiness.

If you’re looking for ways to broaden your meditation practice, consider complementing your meditation with CBD: a compound that works with your body’s endocannabinoid system to foster balance, mental clarity and a potent sense of well-being.

The synergy between CBD and meditation lies in the similar areas they work on in both body and mind. If you’re curious about combining the two, we’ll explore the many ways CBD can be used to enhance a wealth of meditation practices (and practitioner well-being) below.

CBD and Meditation: What’s the Connection?

Meditation has been shown to support a host of functions from emotional well-being to improved cognition and focus. Interestingly, its benefits significantly overlap with functions overseen by the ECS — the cell-signaling system that helps your body maintain homeostasis.

The ECS plays a vital role in regulating crucial functions like:

Mood
Sleep
Memory
Inflammation
Discomfort
Pleasure
Reward

One of the main reasons why CBD has attracted scientific interest is its potential to interact with and benefit the ECS. A growing body of evidence suggests CBD may help the ECS promote feelings of ease, relaxation and total well-being.

By combining meditation with the soothing properties of CBD, the pair has the potential to bring your current practice to a deeper level, no matter what you’ve been using it for.

9 Ways to Incorporate CBD into Meditation and Mindfulness Exercises

The good news is, there isn’t just one way to meditate: over eons, people have developed countless approaches to meditative practice, creating a plethora of options to suit every kind of personality and lifestyle.

#1 Ease Into Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing is a type of breathwork designed to bring you into a state of calm.

By taking deep breaths into your belly with a complete exhale, you activate and relax your diaphragm. This can help to “switch on” your vagus nerve which plays a crucial role in activating your parasympathetic nervous system.

Research suggests it may help usher in a host of benefits, including:

Relieving symptoms of nervousness
Combatting feelings of stress
Promoting an elevated mood
Encouraging better focus and cognition
Creating a sense of ease before sleeping

Deep breathing is said to work by cueing your “rest and digest” function: the side of your nervous system that allows for mental and physical ease. To encourage this state of calm, taking a CBD tablet daily may help you de-center stress and more easily enter a state of relaxation.

#2 Create a Pre-Sleep Nightly Ritual

Finding ways to transition before bedtime is crucial for helping you ease into rest. Daily meditation as part of a night routine can have a calming effect on the nervous system and tell your body it’s time to switch from “on” to easeful.

In turn, CBD has been lauded for its potential ability to lengthen sleep duration, preparing you for more hours of rest. You might try taking a CBD edible tablet or gummy at the end of a workday to mark the transition from activity to rest. For more information, you can refer to our guide on the best CBD for sleep.

#3 Take a Nature Walk (Walking Meditation)

If you struggle to sit on a cushion — or anywhere — for a traditional meditation session, consider trying a walking meditation. Walking meditations can be performed anywhere, though doing one out in nature can be especially pleasing to the senses.

Whether you take a simple stroll through your local park or a day trip to a neighboring reserve, try tuning in to each sense as you walk through your surroundings. For instance:

Sounds – Like the wind in the trees, bird songs or the sound of rushing water.
Smells – Like the fragrance of wet soil, ginkgo leaves or a smoldering wood fire.
Sights – Like the color of the foliage, clouds or the sunlight in late afternoon.
Touch – Like the texture of your sweater, tree bark or the fur of your animal companion.
Taste – Like the taste of a snack or cup of tea you brought along on your stroll.

CBD may help amplify your experience, promoting stress reduction and a more buoyant mood. Adding a daily tablet that won’t cause drowsiness to your regimen can reinforce walking and other active meditations.

#4 Calm Sore Muscles with a Progressive Relaxation

One type of meditation that emphasizes the body-mind connection is known as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). This can be done independently or with a guided audio or video.

In PMR practice, meditators tense and hold specific limbs or muscle groups, then release them (usually on an exhale breath). PMR is particularly beneficial for:

Encouraging healthy blood pressure
Relaxing before bedtime
Helping you recognize holding patterns (where you habitually retain physical tension)

Combining a CBD Topical — formulated as a rub, balm or roll-on — with PMR could help relieve muscles and joints from soreness or pain and heighten this meditation experience.

#5 Complement Your Yoga Practice

Yoga is a physical practice with multiple modern applications. One of its original purposes was to exhaust the body so that the mind could more easily enter a meditative state.

Today, many modern types of yoga have been developed with a range of properties, including:

Increasing muscle strength
Increasing flexibility
Increasing coordination and balance
Supporting an uplifted mood
Assisting with stress release

Many people believe they can’t practice yoga because they aren’t flexible enough, but yoga was developed to make you more flexible! As an added support, try massaging a topical such as CBD cream to sore or tense areas before or after your yoga practice to work against tender muscles and joints.

#6 Dive Deeper Into Visualization Practices

Many people have the misconception that meditation is about “clearing” the mind or “stopping” thoughts. In reality, many forms of meditation use focused thought to achieve a feeling of detachment from damaging psychological patterns.

Visualization meditations are an example of such a practice, and they’re one of the most versatile, beginner-friendly approaches to take. While there are many sub-types of visualization meditations, a few popular ones include:

Recalling a memory in detail that makes you feel loved, connected or happy
Envisioning a future version of yourself achieving a goal
Imagining your friends, family and the greater community as safe, peaceful, happy and free of suffering

CBD oils in particular could be an excellent ally if you’re starting a visualization meditative practice. Formulated to promote mental clarity, concentration and tranquility, these oils are taken daily to underwrite total, overall health: an excellent option for those just starting to explore CBD.

**#7 Open Your Heart ThroughMetta Meditation**

Originating in Northern India, metta is a Pali word that means something close to compassion. Metta meditations are intended to open the heart, promoting feelings of love and connection to others. Often, practitioners use a phrase or affirmation — something like “May I be at peace” or “May you be safe” — to stay focused and connected to these core sentiments.

CBD products designed to brighten mood or dispel stress can be excellent for clearing up mental clutter and preparing for this “heart-opening” practice.

#8 Break Up Your Day With Quick Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness is a perspective and approach to lifestyle that draws on some of the basic principles of meditation. Mindfulness practices involves devoting your attention to the present moment, ideally with minimal distraction or emotional attachment.

Some popular mindfulness exercises include:

Short body scans
Sitting and focusing on your breath for 5 minutes
Paying attention to sensations as you engage in simple household tasks, like washing the dishes

Simple mindfulness techniques like these can help reap some of meditation’s benefits when you don’t have time for a lengthy sit. However, it can take some time to make your meditation routine second nature, as it’s easy to get caught up in business and stress.

To remind you to practice, you might try adding a CBD gummy to a place in your home you spend a lot of time in, like your home office or bedroom dresser. Gradually, you can cultivate a mental link between that small “treat” and the long-term gratification of integrating mindfulness into your daily routine.

#9 Strengthen Your Mental Health With a Gratitude Practice

A gratitude meditation practice is the simple act of taking time to reflect on what you’re grateful for.

Whether it’s something small, like a funny video a friend sent you, or big, like a recent accomplishment, these practices work against what’s known as the negativity bias: your brain’s tendency to focus on the negative over the positive.

Using physical cues, like an uplifting phone background, or rewards, like a sweet treat, you can remind yourself that you have the power to pause and rewire your brain. Whether you bring a CBD roll-on on your morning commute or leave our CBD gummies for sale on your office desk, these small, tangible cues can be the beginning of changing your mind and transforming your physical and mental health.

Deepen Your Meditation Practice with Zebra CBD

Inspired to start taking your daily meditation practice to a deeper level? Zebra CBD products use premium hemp extract to create a variety of CBD vehicles, from oils that work systemically to balms you can apply directly to your body.

Whether you want to support your sleep hygiene or more easily enter a state of relaxation, explore the full Zebra CBD product catalog today to revitalize your path to total-body wellness.

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