As 2024 fast approaches, lots of us think about setting New Year’s resolutions to improve our physical and mental health. In fact, setting a New Year’s resolution is an incredibly popular practice, with 30 million people around the UK estimated to have made resolutions last year. The most common resolutions include improving fitness, improving finances, improving mental health and losing weight, with others looking to spend more time with friends, learn a new skill or improve their work-life balance. What you might not know is that Cannabidiol (CBD) may support and help you to achieve your goals for the New Year — and onwards.

Unsure what CBD is? Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is one of the natural compounds found in the cannabis plant. Unlike delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is a non-psychoactive compound and does not induce the “high” often associated with cannabis. Instead, CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) to regulate several of our cognitive and physical functions, including stress, anxiety and pain. CBD comes in several different forms, including oils, gummies and topicals (products applied to the skin).

Let’s look in more detail at how CBD can support and enhance your New Year’s resolutions.

1. Quit Smoking or Vaping 

There are around 5.4 million adults in England who still smoke, and it remains the leading preventable cause of premature death. Quitting smoking can be tough — on average it takes 30 attempts to succeed — but can be made easier with CBD. 

A range of scientific studies have shown that CBD can help to modulate the rewarding effects of nicotine and other drugs, and can help individuals to battle addiction by reducing cravings. For example, recent research from Washington State University on the Inhibition of Nicotine Metabolism by Cannabidiol (CBD) and 7-Hydroxycannabidiol (7-OH-CBD) suggests that CBD could inhibit the metabolism of nicotine, and therefore curb cravings for the substance. 

In addition to this, CBD can help to reduce anxiety and stress. While cigarette smokers are often triggered to smoke by stressful, anxiety-provoking situations, CBD has been shown to have anxiolytic effects, meaning that it can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. 

Unlike nicotine replacement therapies, CBD is also not addictive. This means that individuals can use CBD to help quit smoking without becoming dependent on another substance.

While more research is required to fully understand the relationship between the two, incorporating CBD into your plan may help you to quit. Traditional CBD products, such as oils or gummies, can produce the above mentioned effects, but you can purchase CBD vapes to mimic the sensation of smoking, which can make it easier to quit. 

Read our full post on Can CBD Help You Quit Smoking? here.

2. Go Sober

Similar to how CBD can help to modulate the rewarding effects of nicotine, it is thought that CBD can help individuals to go sober. This is for two reasons —

1. CBD mimics lots of the “positive” effects of alcohol, such as taking the edge off a social situation or relieving pain, without the negative side effects. This makes it an effective, natural alternative to alcohol. 

2. A 2017 study suggested that CBD reduced the reinforcing properties, motivation and relapse for ethanol (alcohol) in mice, which suggests CBD may result useful for the treatment of alcohol use disorders.

Whether you’re taking part in Dry January or going sober for good, CBD might make this process easier. If you’re looking to mimic the taste and sensation of alcohol, simply shake together your usual mocktail ingredients, and then add a drop of CBD oil (or your specific dosage), and stir to finish. Alternatively, there are several non-alcoholic CBD drinks available on the market that can mimic the drinking sensation.

You could also switch out the wine glass for a cup of CBD tea or coffee – these are rich in taste and can give you a natural boost or help you to unwind.

3. Exercise More

In a survey by Forbes, 48% of people said that improving fitness is a top priority in 2024, and 38% wanted to lose weight. For individuals aiming to exercise more in the New Year, CBD can offer support through its proven anti-inflammatory properties. 

How? Well, when you engage in exercise, you can get microscopic tears in your muscle fibres. The body’s response to this stress is to increase inflammation, which leads to delayed onset of soreness in the muscles (DOMS). It is thought that, by interacting with the endocannabinoid system, CBD can help to reduce inflammation, and in turn, reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery times.

A 2020 study found that trained athletes who took CBD post-workout recovered quicker, and also reported significantly less muscle soreness at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post-workout.

Another 2018 review of studies, which looked at studies conducted between 1975 and March 2018 on various types of pain, concluded that CBD was effective in overall pain management and didn’t cause negative side effects. CBD is also thought to reduce sports performance anxiety (SPA), improve focus and improve sleep – both before and after a workout.

Choose from CBD oils which can be taken orally, or topical CBD products which are applied directly to the affected area for targeted relief from aches and pains.

Applying a pain relief wrap or roll-on can help to provide relief for a range of painful ailments, including sore muscles, tight joints, and general aches and pains. 

4. Improve Mental Health

Over 35% of people have a New Year’s resolution to improve their mental health in 2024. CBD has been recognised as a potential aid for mental health conditions in recent years, with emerging studies showing that CBD can help to treat depression, seasonal affective disorders, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. This is, in part, because of its anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties and its ability to slow or stop the degradation of serotonin which is thought to regulate and improve our mood, as well as help us to sleep better. And the science supports this —

• Of 387 current or past-CBD users, 42.6% use CBD for anxiety and 37% use CBD for stress. Of those 42.6%, 86.5% responded that they felt less anxious. And for those using CBD for stress, 92.2% responded that they felt less stressed. 

• Another 2020 study of 400 CBD patients in New Zealand observed an increase in overall quality of life, a decrease in perceived pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms, as well as an increase in appetite and better sleep.

• In a 2019 case series, researchers evaluated the effects of CBD treatment in 72 adults with either anxiety or sleep problems and, after 2 months, 78.1–79.2% of participants reported improvements in anxiety symptoms, and 66.7% reported improved sleep.

While more studies are needed, preliminary evidence also suggests that CBD may have neuroprotective properties and could stimulate synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis which plays a role in the development and treatment of depression.

From battling addiction to better stress and pain management, CBD’s versatile properties make it a promising addition to your wellness routine in the New Year. However, before you dive in, it’s important to consider several factors, such as potential interactions with medication.

Considerations

If you’re considering using CBD to support your New Year’s resolutions, there are some key factors to keep in mind when choosing a product.

• Medications: CBD has the potential to interact with certain medications, so it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before taking CBD.

• Type of CBD: Broad-spectrum CBD is a great option for those who want to experience the effects of CBD without consuming THC, the psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. Clinical reports suggest that broad or full-spectrum CBD may have a better effect due to the number of cannabinoids and other plant compounds they contain that work together, otherwise known as the entourage effect. 

• Type of Product: CBD products come in various forms, such as oils, topicals, capsules, edibles, and vape pens. Choose a delivery method and dosage that suits your needs. 

• Dosage: Finding the right dose and administration method can be a trial-and-error process as results can vary significantly from person to person. Start with a low dose and gradually increase it while monitoring its effects.

• Source and Quality: Choose CBD derived from organically grown hemp, as this ensures minimal exposure to harmful chemicals. You should also look for third-party laboratory reports to verify how pure and potent your product is, and to ensure there are no contaminants.

• Individual Variability: The effectiveness of CBD may vary from person to person; what works for one individual may not work for another.

Recommended Products

Need additional help? Take our CBD Quiz for product recommendations in minutes, or read our full guides on How to Choose the Right CBD Product and The Different Types of CBD. 

We are Purity Hemp, the UK’s #1 Online CBD provider. Backed by science, and built on the principles of traceability, transparency & trust, we are dedicated to improving the health & wellness of people around the world. We are proud to be one of the only companies to guarantee full traceability from seed to shelf with our premium range of CBD products, tested by third-party, independent quality control analysts.

Sources

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• Nasrin, S., Coates, S., Bardhi, K., Watson, C., Muscat, J.E. and Lazarus, P. (2023). Inhibition of Nicotine Metabolism by Cannabidiol (CBD) and 7-Hydroxycannabidiol (7-OH-CBD).
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