When you think of people who enjoy cannabis or marijuana, what comes to mind?
The stereotype of the lazy, snack-filled stoner laying on a couch is a dated trope.
Reported research in the international journal Nature found that four out of five survey respondents use cannabis before or after exercising. What’s even more intriguing is those survey respondents who used cannabis logged more exercise minutes per week than those who don’t. The study was inspired by research that found cannabis users experienced lower rates of obesity.
In one of the fittest states in the country, Coloradans love being active in the outdoors. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t setting some sort of fitness goal and achieving it. People in Colorado are known for spending their weekends hiking 14-ers, skiing downhill, backpacking in the backcountry, mountain biking on trails, or climbing up rock walls.
Coloradans also love to enjoy cannabis while they get active. There are even organizations that create events for those who love to hike or play disc golf while enjoying cannabis.
And Coloradans aren’t alone – it seems as if everyone is tapping into cannabis as a new fitness life hack. UFC fighters Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, and Nick Diaz are all open about their cannabis use, as is NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson and former Bronco Jake Plummer. And that’s just the shortlist – there are professional athletes ranging from Olympians to players with national sports organizations such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, PGA, and MLS who partake in marijuana.
High-performance athletes utilize cannabis to enhance training, speed up recovery, and improve overall wellness. But you don’t have to be a professional athlete to reap the wellness benefits of cannabis.
How Can Cannabis Help You Achieve Your Health Goals?
Here are three ways cannabis can supplement an active and healthy lifestyle.
1. Gain Workout Motivation and Focus
Staying fit, active, and healthy takes discipline. When the body is willing, but the mind is not, it’s hard to find the motivation to exercise.
Just a small dose of cannabis can help your mind bypass stress, negative thoughts, or lack of motivation. By clearing the mind and creating a strong mind-body connection, you can focus and get into the zone. It’s surprising how a small cannabinoid-fueled shift in thoughts towards the positive can be just the trick to rev up your motivation engine.
Once you get moving, the body starts pumping endorphins, and you’re not only feeling great, you are getting the work done. Cannabis can help you focus and experience your fitness on a deeper, more powerful level. Before you know it, you’ve finished that run, completed your class, or are ready for another round of strength-building exercises.
Of course, be mindful that a little bit goes a long way. Too much cannabis or the wrong strain can leave you feeling lethargic and tired rather than activated and motivated.
If THC is too much for you, try full spectrum CBD to reap the benefits of cannabis without getting the intoxicating or psychoactive effects you don’t want.
2. Sleep Better and Melt Stress
There’s more to a healthy lifestyle than just exercise. Before you can tackle any kind of fitness goal, the body’s basic needs must be met. That means getting the sleep you need to recover physically and mentally. During sleep, the body does the majority of its primary healing and growth.
Statistics show that most adults don’t get the seven hours or more of sleep they need each night. Modern life barrages the brain all day, from reading notifications after you wake up to doom-scrolling before bed each night. It’s no surprise people aren’t sleeping well.
Any number of challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and illness can get in the way of sleep. Unfortunately, many of these issues go hand in hand, and all are exacerbated by a lack of sleep. For those that are struggling to achieve the rest and wellness they need, this can present a challenging catch-22.
Research has found that helping with sleep issues is among cannabis’ top benefits. The naturally calming effect of cannabinoids relaxes the mind and body, helping you get to sleep and stay asleep.
While every person is unique, cannabis generally aids sleep health by:
- Relaxing the mind and body
- Relieving pain perception
- Reducing stress
- Improving comfort
You may be thinking that smoking isn’t the healthiest activity for an active lifestyle, and you’re correct. But smoking isn’t the only way to enjoy the sleep-promoting benefits of cannabis!
Modern cannabis products such as soft gel capsules, edibles, vapes, and gummies offer a smoke-free method of enjoying the restful benefits of cannabis. But different strains can induce different physical responses, so be sure to pick a cannabis product specially formulated for the evening like these nighttime cannabis gummies.
3. Recover Faster From Exercise
Keeping a healthy and active lifestyle requires discipline, but it can be difficult to maintain. It can be easy to skip days, then overdo it at the gym out of guilt. The next day, you’re likely to wake up sore and regretful.
When the ups and downs throw off sleeping patterns and daily stress finds its way into our lives, it’s even harder to find the energy to be consistent. The struggle is real!
The beneficial properties of cannabis can speed up recovery time after a workout. By reducing the expression of stress hormones such as cortisol and aspects related to inflammatory processes, cannabinoids help the body to recover from workouts faster.
Here are two bonus benefits of cannabis for healthy and active Coloradans to enjoy!
Providing Pain Relief
Cannabinoids boost the body’s natural pain-relieving mechanisms, providing an analgesic effect and improving physical comfort.
Cannabis’ psychoactive, intoxicating properties add to its comforting effects and also help improve mood, all of which synergize with cannabis’ benefits to sleep health.
Maintaining a Healthy Appetite
If you have an active lifestyle, you also know that you need a nutritious and healthy diet.
However, many people have trouble with their appetite due to issues such as anxiety, illness, and other problems.
Cannabis activates healthy appetites in those with a lack of appetite and might help those who struggle with eating enough.
Shop Best Colorado Cannabis Online
Are you ready to add cannabis to your active and healthy lifestyle? Start by shopping for the best cannabis online in Colorado here.
At Native Roots Marijuana Dispensary’s online shop you can browse Colorado’s most popular cannabis products and select from the top-selling cannabis strains.
If you’re looking for convenience, place your order ahead of time online, then pick it up at the Native Roots location nearest you. If you order online from the Denver location on Speer, it’s even easier to pick up – just head to the drive-thru!
Native Roots also offers delivery to those in the Denver area. Just place your order and select delivery. Delivery hours start at 10 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. every day.
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