Here, we’re going to discuss cat and dog anxiety and how CBD can help pets feel less anxious when their owners go back to work again. There’s a lot of discussion around pet anxiety these days, with many pet owners wondering if cannabis could also help this transition become less stressful.

Cannabidiol is a natural compound that humans have been using for hundreds of years, and while it’s not yet FDA approved, new studies are emerging every day regarding its efficacy.

Federally legal CBD comes from the hemp plant and doesn’t contain THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana that causes a “high” feeling). This means pets will not experience psychoactive side effects when they take it. That said, keep an eye on your dog for any changes in mood or behavior.

What Causes Cat and Dog Anxiety?

Pets can get stressed when they are alone, and common triggers can be eliminated up front. Some breeds of dogs and cats are more likely to exhibit anxiety than others, so it’s important for pet owners to be proactive.

Sometimes, your cat or dog’s anxiety is caused by factors outside of your absence. For example, when a dog’s previous owners abandoned them, they might show signs of anxiety and feel especially vulnerable.

Medications they’re taking could also cause them to become stressed more than usual, and it may be worth a call to your vet to determine if there is an alternative treatment if this is the case.

In addition to feeling anxious because they’re alone, environmental stress like thunder, house guests, nearby construction, and other loud noises your pet is going to have a harder time when left alone.

This can be an ongoing issue or something that’s purely situational. But it is important to keep in mind that if you’ve been working from home and are going back to your workplace, there is a good chance your furry friend will exhibit some anxious behaviors.

Signs of Separation Anxiety in Pets

When you’re at home with your pet, they may act perfectly happy, calm, and normal. However, when their human leaves for work for the day, anxiety can peak when triggers are introduced.

Not every homeowner comes home to a torn-up couch, plants all over the carpet, or trash that’s been raided. Unless they have a pet cam, they may not know their pet is bothered by their absence at all.

If you suspect something is amiss during the day, you may consider getting a cam to keep an eye on your pet. Some of them come with a speaker so you can use an app on your phone to say hi to your anxious dog. They will love hearing the sound of your voice!

So what are some signs of separation anxiety in animals? Some signs include:

• Destruction of objects in the home
• Drooling a lot
• Not eating like usual
• Barking and whining
• Excessive panting
• Self-harm (biting and scratching)  
• Urinating or defecating inside the home (or not in the litterbox)
• Restless when left behind
• Trying to escape
• Panting, pacing, and trembling

Pets may learn to adjust when their humans are gone and also learn new coping skills. But it might take time. If you are patient and do the things that you need to do consistently, then you and your pet can feel more at ease with this change and less afraid with time.

How to Calm an Anxious Dog or Cat

Relieving anxiety in pets requires a multi-pronged approach. You may consider using a medication or hemp oil to calm anxiety in dogs and cats, but working on calming the behavior is just as important.

One of the most important factors to keep in mind is that separation anxiety is based on fear in many dogs and cats, and not spite or anger. Your pet is afraid that you’re gone, and it’s impossible to explain that you’ll be back at a certain time and everything is okay.

Because of this, you should not punish your dog for bad behavior. Punishment only exacerbates the issue, creating more fear and stress, which will lead to more anxious behavior.

Let’s look at some other tips that may relieve your pet’s stress.

• Interactive toys that require your pet’s attention
• A safe space that’s comfortable and quiet
• Gates that keep him confined to a specific area of your home
• Soothing sounds, such as a white noise machine, music, or TV
• Room diffuser or pheromones
• A variety of toys/activities that keep him busy
• A comforting toy or blanket that smells like you
• Play with him before and after you leave
• Release excess energy with walks and exercise
• Give your dog or cat treats for good behavior

Creating less anticipation around your departures and arrivals is key. Remove cues that trigger an alarm when you leave, such as grabbing your keys or making a big deal about saying goodbye. And when you come home, don’t make it a big event–simply greet your animals and act as if you’ve been there the entire time.

If you have time to prepare, start leaving the house for a few hours at a time every day leading up to your first day back at work. This training will help your dog get used to you being away, especially if you gradually increase the time away over the span of a few weeks.

Creating this expectation can help identify anxiety behaviors, and you may have time to explore treatment options with your vet leading up to your departure.

And sometimes, a trip to your veterinarian is warranted anyway, to help rule out any other conditions that could be exacerbating this anxiety. There could be a physical health reason, such as pain, at play.

Why CBD Could Help Calm Your Cat or Dog’s Anxiety

CBD is a natural compound that can help calm an anxious dog or cat. It interacts with the endocannabinoid system in your pet’s body, bringing his nervous system back to homeostasis. Endocannabinoids can stimulate the production of serotonin, which is the molecule the body produces to regulate mood.

Dogs and cats can benefit from this natural cannabinoid in much the same way that humans do, with calming effects on their nervous system. It’s important to know that cannabidiol won’t get your pet high as THC would–it just helps them relax, and could help temper your dog’s anxiety.

CBD is a compound in cannabis that has some reported medical benefits, although studies on this topic are relatively new. It does not have the same psychoactive effects as THC. It can be found in hemp or marijuana, but if it is from hemp, then you are getting the medical benefits without the psychoactive effects.

CBD Can be Added to Food or Given Orally

As pet owners, we often find it ironic that our pets eat some pretty gross things, but when it comes to taking an innocuous pill or drops, they suddenly turn into Gordon Ramsey.

The nice thing about CBD is that it comes in various formulations for your animal friend. Supplements, chews, and tinctures can come in meat-flavored bites, and you will find unflavored products as well. So even if your canine is a picky eater, they may still be able to take it without much trouble.

It can also be added to food or given orally by dropping the hemp oil on the tongue. You will find many recipes online for adding it into foods like canned tuna and chicken broth, which make for a fantastic treat. If a homecooked meal on the menu doesn’t help ease your pet’s anxiety, we don’t know what will!

Why Quality Pet CBD Matters

It’s no secret that CBD has emerged in a huge way, especially since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp products. You can find numerous items related to hemp online, in dispensaries, and even at gas stations.

Sifting through them can become pretty overwhelming, and can be difficult to figure out where to start your search.

We can’t emphasize enough how much quality matters for your dog or cat. Because the FDA doesn’t regulate cannabis yet, there isn’t a lot of oversight in regard to the quality standards in the hemp plant itself, as well as the finished product.

Many reputable brands use third-party lab testing to verify quality, and we recommend you check out this article on what that means: How to Shop for the Safest CBD Products

Additionally, take a look at this article on how to use hemp products for your pet: CBD for Your Pets

While there are some things in life that are okay to buy on a budget, cannabis is not one of them. Some products slip through the cracks with heavy metals and other toxins, where others aren’t even CBD (reports have found things such as olive oil and hemp seed oil, for example).

When it comes to your pet, it’s always best to be safe rather than sorry. You want to give your anxious dog or cat something that is actually helpful to help calm them, and that’s healthy.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a better idea of what to expect with an anxious dog or cat, you can work on the steps needed to help them relax while you’re away. Create a solid routine to ease them into it, and try to eliminate any triggers that cause their fear.

When your pet feels stress, they can’t talk about it like we can, and they’re going to act in ways that they know will get your attention. While some of these behaviors are mild and easy to treat, others can cause stress for the entire family.

Regardless of the severity of symptoms, there are a number of ways to turn that anxiety into a calm and happy situation. From medications to training to supplements, and even CBD, you have the power to help your dog or cat find their happy place when you’re away.

Check out some of our products to see if any would work best for your pet. Whether you need something natural like hemp treats or want to try CBD oil drops instead, we want your four-legged friends feel less anxious during these transitions!

The post CBD as a Way to Help Pets with Separation Anxiety appeared first on Your CBD Store / Ripon Naturals.

The question that many people ask when they learn about CBD is what effect does it have on your brain? Let’s outline some of the ways that this phytocannabinoid works.

Receptor Systems in the Brain

The brain consists of a large number of specialized cells called neurons. A neuron connects to others through structures known as synapses which release chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters.

The brain’s ability to process information relies on the precise functioning of neurotransmitter systems, and researchers have discovered many receptors in different regions of the brain. A neuron can respond to a neurotransmitter in two different ways. They either contain receptors that fit the transmitter, or they do not.

It is known that the brain contains a system of neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids, which are part of regulating our ability to maintain balance and homeostasis. 

What Exactly Is CBD?

The CBD molecule is extracted from the hemp plant, which has less than 0.3% THC (which causes that “high” feeling). In fact, according to the Farm Bill of 2018, CBD must have less than this amount to be considered legal.

It is believed that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps regulate appetite and pain throughout the body and memory in some cases. It’s the system that regulates homeostasis, which keeps our bodies functioning at the status quo.

What does this have to do with CBD? Well, because it contains cannabinoids of its own (phytocannabinoids), which bind to receptors found all over your body. The endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors located throughout the body that help regulate things like appetite, pain, and memory.

The two chief cannabinoid receptors in the body are CB1 and CB2, though scientists have found more. The majority of CB1s are located within our central nervous system (CNS). They help regulate mood and pain coordination and other crucial functions such as memory loss or even seizures. Meanwhile, most of your natural immunity is regulated by the AB3 receptor, which also reduces inflammation and decreases pain.

CBD’s Effects on the Brain

CBD has gained notoriety because of its ability to target the serotonin receptors, which can help with disorders involving pain, depression, anxiety, and nausea. CBD also reacts with other neurotransmitters in your brain, such as dopamine–when it does so, this helps regulate behavior and cognition.

Experts are still not sure how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system. However, they can tell that it doesn’t bind to CB1 or CB2 receptors in the way THC does and arrives at this conclusion by examining its molecular makeup as well as observing biological reactions caused by a substance that is similar but different from cannabis extract.

Some experts believe it works because it prevents an enzyme called FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase) from breaking down natural cannabinoids such as 2-AG and anandamide. These compounds remain active for more extended periods. Others speculate that CBD binds to a receptor not yet discovered, which may provide another explanation of why some feel relief when using cannabidiol.

CBD’s Effects on Memory

Chronic inflammation has been associated with a broad variety of health difficulties, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It can also accelerate brain degeneration in patients with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, as well as neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

The good news is that CBD may help reduce this effect by slowing the deterioration of certain parts of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, as well as neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

A 2017 study published in Aging & Mechanisms of Disease found that CBD could slow the progression from mild cognitive impairment to full-blown Alzheimer’s disease. Another 2018 review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology suggested that “CBD may be an effective treatment for both early and late stages” of Alzheimer’s due to its ability to block amyloid plaque buildup while helping preserve neurons and synapses.

CBD and Mood

The use of CBD oil is on the rise due to its potential to calm and soothe, and may help support mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. However, many people are still not aware that CBD can also be used as a mood enhancer.

We have previously examined some of the means by which CBD affects your body; however, there are other ways to impact your mental health, too. It helps with stress relief by triggering serotonin receptors that produce more cortisol–a hormone responsible for emotions such as happiness or sadness.

This interaction could help you cope with emotional situations. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that CBD can be an adjunct treatment option for psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

CBD for Focus and Concentration

Most of us have trouble focusing for one reason or another. We find ourselves distracted by minor things, and often, we find ourselves working overtime to get back on track.

Part of the problem is that our lives are becoming more and more hectic. It seems like there is always something to distract you from your work or schoolwork, whether that be social media, your work IM system, or distractions from other things going on in your life.

CBD products can help with this problem because it allows for an increase in serotonin levels within the brain, which causes less anxiety while also increasing focus and concentration. This means that CBD may calm those nerves and provide clarity of thought when trying to concentrate on one task at hand.

CBD for Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. Nearly 40 million adults, or 18% of Americans aged 18 and older, suffer from anxiety. These disorders can make it challenging to carry out daily tasks and may even affect your ability to go about your everyday life.

CBD has been shown in studies to have anti-anxiety effects and introduce an overall feeling of calmness. In fact, it’s been found that CBD decreases activity in the limbic system (the part of our brain responsible for controlling emotions). And it also may help to reduce stress and depression, two other common causes of anxiety.

CBD May Help Reduce Anxiety from THC

THC is the essential psychoactive compound in cannabis, and while some may enjoy the brief high, some experience anxiety, which can lead to an overall unpleasant experience.

CBD may help reduce the anxiety caused by THC. In fact, a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology found that cannabidiol (CBD) reduces the anxiogenic effects of THC on rats.

The reason for this is not entirely apparent, but it could be because of how CBD affects the CB1 receptor site that THC binds to. This means that when you take a higher THC dose and combine it with a lower dose of CBD, you get more relief than taking just high doses of either compound alone.

How to Choose the Right CBD Products for You

When it comes to trying CBD for the first time, talking to your healthcare provider is always a good idea. When you take any medication, there are often cross-drug interactions that can happen. Checking with your provider and/or a pharmacist can help minimize these risks to keep our bodies safe.

The amount of CBD varies in different products, so it’s important to understand its concentration. For example, some brands only list milligrams (mg) on their bottles or capsules, while others specify how much percentage they have based on 100% total CBD intake. If you’re new to this product and want a low dose for your first try, then work your way up if needed!

CBD products are extracted by supercritical CO2 extraction methods and use various ways to aid their extraction. This technique utilizes carbon dioxide that’s been pressurized into a concurrent liquefied and vaporous form, acting to isolate cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material rapidly. Not only does this impact your health directly concerning CBD’s reported medical benefits, but you also get what you pay for when purchasing products that could potentially be harmful or ineffective if they’re not made from quality ingredients.

CBD is a relatively new product that has gained popularity for its medicinal uses and as an up-and-coming therapy. Lab testing by reputable companies gives assurance to users of safety and quality. Take the time to verify the company’s process is ISO-certified, independent, and third party. Lab-tested CBD eliminates toxins from getting into saleable products and ensures you’re buying a product that has been verified as USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, and pesticide-free.

And finally, use a CBD product that works for you. With so many types out there, including tinctures, CBD edibles, topicals, and more. Additionally, you will want to decide if you prefer a full-spectrum CBD that has less than 0.03% THC in it or a broad-spectrum that has 0% THC.

The post The Effects of CBD on the Brain: What You Need to Know appeared first on Your CBD Store / Ripon Naturals.

Companies worldwide are now downsizing and putting offices up for sale, making way for a new era in our workplace culture. At least 70 percent of large companies have reported that they plan to require workers to work from home permanently or for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, parents have had to maintain a full-time work schedule from home, look after their children when daycares closed, and homeschool their children because of school closures. Nearly 10 million mothers in the United States reported feeling burned out, and 2 million women left the workforce altogether.

Learning how to manage stress, anxiety, and burnout are of critical importance now. The World Health Organization reported that since the beginning of COVID-19, anxiety has moved up to the #1 disease in the world, surpassing depression.

In this article, we’re going to look at some of the ways that prolonged stress and anxiety can affect your health, as well as ways that you can help to manage.

The Symptoms of Stress and Anxiety

Imagine you’re walking down the street, and you see a bear 20 feet in front of you. This is a very unexpected sight, and you know that bears, while pretty adorable for the most part, are also very dangerous.

Immediately, your heart pumps faster, and your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone breaks down fat and converts it to blood sugar, which will provide you with the short-term burst of fuel you need to fight or flee.

Your pupils dilate, your breathing quickens, and your muscles tremble in anticipation. Blood moves away from the surface of the skin and increases in your brain, legs, and arms. Chemicals are produced that increase clotting, just in case you sustain an injury.

This. Is. It.

Then, just as you’re ready to make the most important decision of your life, the bear decides he’s just as scared as you are, and he turns tail and runs down an alley. Whew. The threat is gone, and in the next 30-60 minutes, your body resumes its usual operating function (aka homeostasis).

When Chronic Stress Leads to Burnout

But what would happen if there were bears everywhere, 24/7, and you lived in a constant state of fight-or-flight? Taking into consideration all the physiological processes that occur in imminent danger, it’s a very physically and mentally exhausting way to live.

Yet, so many of us do live like this every single day. This is precisely what a state of constant stress does to the body. This defense mechanism that was meant to protect us in moments of extreme danger has become a standard way for us to live day in and day out.

Over time, these acute symptoms turn into chronic stress. Your entire body feels exhausted all the time. You might suffer from chronic headaches, can’t sleep, and feel cranky. Aches and pains show up for no explainable reason, and your chest feels so tight that breathing can feel challenging.

You likely have a hard time concentrating, feel like your thoughts are all over the place, and maybe you’re overeating. And speaking of your digestive system, it’s likely you have chronic heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation.

Not to mention the fact that you’re getting sick all the time, have zero interest in those around you, and likely have a feeling of indifference. If you’ve got anxiety as well, your mind is probably flooded with worry, even when it isn’t about anything you can pinpoint. It just is.

When constant stress and anxiety have consumed your energy entirely, that’s when burnout sets in. It’s a feeling of utter depletion, and it allows for pessimism and cynicism to take over. Doing even the smallest things requires so much effort, leading to reduced productivity everywhere in your life.

More people than ever are reporting burnout post-COVID, and with so many working remotely, having access to leadership and other resources is more complicated than ever.

Taking charge of your mental and physical health through all of this is so important. It can absolutely be done, and if you make your self-care a priority, you can potentially reverse your feelings of stress and burnout and feel healthier and more productive.

We’ll cover some of the best methods of overcoming stress below!

Check in with Yourself Regularly

To start, check in with yourself every day. You might rate how you feel overall on a scale of 1-5, for example. Is there anything you can pinpoint that made you feel better or not-so-great? Write it down. Keep a stress journal, which can help you identify these patterns over time.

Every morning, set an intention for the day. This can be as simple as one word, such as joy, productivity, love, or calm. It might help write it on a Post-It and sticking it where you’ll see it throughout the day. If you’ve got little ones at home, get the kids on board with the word of the day, too! You can all check in with each other at the end of the day to see how you did.

Most importantly, be honest with yourself. Acknowledge that there are days you won’t feel very pumped for working from home, and that’s okay. And also be sure to celebrate your wins.

Set Boundaries

Working from home tends to make boundaries blur, not only with coworkers, but with family and friends.

Your leadership may expect you to be available outside of regular working hours or work more hours because of a reduced workforce. The people you work with are likely also suffering some form of stress, anxiety, or burnout, and may not have the same professional “filters” as they did before.

Friends and family who haven’t worked from home may not understand that you don’t have unlimited free time, and could call unexpectedly or want to take you out for a long lunch. Your partner may want you to take care of household chores because you’re right there.

These intrusions can lead you to feel even more stretched thin, but setting boundaries is the key to healthy relationships. When your office hours are done for the day, shut off your computer, turn off notifications, and use those hours to refresh. Communicate to coworkers that you will reply to any emails or calls the following business day.

Let friends and family know that you would like to spend time with them, but you do have to work during certain hours. And let your significant other know that while you are working from home, they need to treat it no differently than if you were commuting to an office.

Give Yourself (and Others) Grace

All of this is so new to us, so naturally, it will take some getting used to. Don’t expect perfection or maximum efficiency when it comes to your work schedule, your kids’ schoolwork, or in any other area of your life.

When your kiddo has a meltdown over something that would naturally have come easy to her, give the two of you a timeout away from the situation to process those intense feelings. Take a break together to have a snack, walk the dog, and refresh so you can come back with renewed hope. Giving and receiving care can go such a long way.

You and your coworkers are in entirely new territory, and balls will be dropped. You may feel upset at first, which is natural. But before reacting, give yourself a few seconds to breathe and process what has happened. Be active, and work toward a solution rather than becoming stuck in negative emotions.

Falling into pessimism is very easy for all of us right now, and while we don’t have to force ourselves to be positive, we can find a happy medium in being realistic.

Create New, Realistic Routines for Everyone

There are routines and schedules in your life that are absolute: your work hours, kids’ school hours, and so on. Stick to these to maintain a sense of normalcy, and create your schedule around these absolutes. As tempting as it may be, don’t allow your bedtimes to change. Staying up all night, sleeping in, and falling into other bad habits can be detrimental to the process.

If you recognize that you’re having a hard time falling asleep at night, create a routine around it. Eat dinner, take your vitamins, spend time with family, and then set a time where everyone has to begin their sleep hygiene. You might find that you enjoy a warm mug of chamomile tea with a few drops of CBD oil, for example. Turn off screens, put on bedclothes, and settle into bed.

Place the same importance on the times everyone wakes up, eats lunch, and takes care of other daily living activities. These rituals help to ensure that you’re taking the best care of your body possible.

Finally, schedule time for fun, relaxation, and other activities that you enjoy. These are usually the easiest things to take off your schedule when you’re feeling high levels of stress. But they’re more important now than ever, so honor this time and make it a priority.

Create Designated Work and School Spaces

When we thought working from home was only going to last a few weeks or months, we turned our bedrooms, closets, and dining room tables into home offices. These blurred lines were okay at the time, but as more permanence settles into these situations, more boundaries need to be set.

Your bedroom is a place to sleep. Your kitchen is a place to eat. Your living room is a place to relax. And most importantly, your office or school space are places to work and learn. When you’re working in your bedroom all day, it’s no longer a place to sleep—it’s become a place of productivity.

Not everyone has a home that’s set up for separate workspaces, so creativity is essential! Find a spot in your home that is quiet, and that allows for deep work. If a distinct location isn’t possible, create cues that signal working/schooling time vs. home time. This could include completely turning off computers, changing clothes, and other prompts.

Take Care of Your Body

Stress, anxiety, and burnout are so detrimental to your mental and physical health, so you will need to put in extra effort to care for yourself. These issues make us more likely to eat poor diets, drink too much alcohol, and take activity off the schedule altogether.

Above, we talked about scheduling time for fun and relaxation. Likewise, you will also need to put in the same type of effort to nurture your health. Nobody expects you to become an elite athlete, but taking even a 15-minute walk every day, and making an effort to stand at least once per hour can go a long way.

Instead of alcohol, try substituting with a non-alcoholic CBD cocktail or drinking sugar-free flavored sparkling waters. You may not be able to eat a super healthy meal every meal of the day, but you can start by eating one every night at dinner with the entire family.

It’s all about the baby steps. Don’t make changes too hard on yourself all at once, or you won’t be as likely to succeed. Lead by example, and your family members will be much more likely to follow suit.

Find Ways to Fill Your Well

Earlier, we discussed how burnout can lead to feelings of depletion. It would be overly simplistic to create a comparison to filling your car’s gas tank. But burnout is much more severe than an empty tank of gas, and more on par with never changing your vehicle’s oil.

You can probably chug along for thousands of miles before problems begin to pop up, and some of them are easy to ignore at first. If you’re like a lot of us, you might turn up your radio to ignore it, but eventually, your engine is going to have a blowout.

What could have been an easy, routine tune-up is now a costly issue that isn’t reversible in any way. You might have to rebuild your engine completely. Or worse, you will probably have to replace it.

The only major difference in this engine-burnout comparison is that you can’t replace yourself.

This is why you need to keep filling your well (aka change your oil). What brings you joy? What lights you up? What makes you feel fulfilled? Make a list of at least 50 things that can help you to refill your gas tank. Try reading, having a fun conversation with your family, crafting, or learning a new skill.

Final Thoughts

So much has changed in our lives, but living in a state of action can help us move out of a place of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, stressed out, anxious, and burned out. When you choose to be mindful about your health, the boundaries you maintain, and building a happy and healthy relationship with yourself and those around you, you’re so much better equipped to handle these changing times.

Remember that you’re doing the best you can under unprecedented circumstances, and give yourself and others grace when the going gets tough. Be realistic with expectations, which can help maintain the balance between optimism and pessimism.

Schedule time for happiness, self-care, and building relationships with your friends and family. And don’t forget to maintain your health on a regular basis!

At Ripon Naturals, we’re proud to offer an excellent selection of high-quality, third-party lab-tested CBD, CBN, and CBG products. Whether you’re interested in tinctures, edibles, topicals, or even a relaxing CBD bath bomb, we’ve got you covered!

The post Managing Anxiety and Stress When You’re Working from Home appeared first on Your CBD Store / Ripon Naturals.