CBD for Focus: Can It Really Help You Concentrate Better?

CBD has seen scientific support for its ability to treat several conditions like:

• Anxiety
• Sleep issues
• Pain

Today, however, there is a growing interest in using CBD to enhance focus and concentration. CBD is a natural supplement for various cognitive functions that comes without the side effects of things like stimulants, prescription medications, or even coffee. 

Several mechanisms enable CBD to potentially enhance focus and cognitive function, particularly as it relates to different causes of brain fog. These include anxiety, stress, sleep issues, dopamine levels, and more. 

CBD has anti-inflammatory effects, provides pain relief, can be used for neuroprotective effects, and works as an anti-anxiety and antidepressant treatment, all of which can improve focus and concentration. 

Other terpenes and cannabinoids in some CBD products, such as limonene, cannabichromene, or beta-caryophyllene, can be equally useful in offering pain relief, antioxidant properties, neuroprotective properties, anti-inflammatory properties, anti-anxiety properties, and boosting concentration.

There are several causes of poor focus and concentration. For many people, it is a mixture of anxiety and stress resulting in the all-too-common brain fog. With CBD for focus, you can find relief by reducing anxiety and improving concentration. 

Reduction of anxiety and stress

Anxiety disorders and chronic stress represent a sizable issue that has profound consequences. Some of the most common symptoms are difficulties with concentration.

With anxiety and stress, people struggle with things like intrusive thoughts and feelings, as well as dysregulated attention, concentration, and control. In terms of cold cognition, anxiety, and stress interfere with non-emotional control because of hyperactivity in the amygdala. This can result in things:

• Intrusive thoughts
• An inability to stay focused
• Poor concentration
• Attentional lapses
• Increased distractibility 

CBD for focus and attention can help reduce anxiety and stress levels, improving cold cognition and non-emotional control.

Improvement in mental clarity and alertness

CBD for focus and concentration can help improve mental clarity and alertness. There are several factors that can lead to diminished mental clarity and alertness throughout the day, such as:

• Poor sleep
• Mood imbalances
• Chronic pain
• Anxiety

By using certain CBD products, you can tackle several of these in a single product, like reducing pain and improving sleep or reducing anxiety and improving mood. When all of these things work together through synergistic products that capitalize on the Entourage Effect, you are more likely to see an improvement in your mental clarity and alertness because more of the potential contributors to reduced alertness are alleviated or diminished. 

Regulation of dopamine levels for enhanced motivation

In the midbrain, dopamine neurons are responsible for controlling positive motivation and how strongly an individual responds to rewards. These dopamine neurons communicate information that supports enhanced motivation. However, if the dopamine neurons are not functioning properly or there is an imbalance in dopamine, it can reduce motivation, with individuals no longer looking for rewarding situations or trying to learn new things that would provide a dopamine response as a reward.

Does CBD help with focus when it comes to motivation? Yes. With CBD, focus issues can be treated by improving motivation. With CBD products, you can correct dopamine imbalances, particularly low levels of dopamine that would otherwise leave you less motivated.

By positioning yourself to overcome low levels of motivation and naturally boost your motivation, you will be in a position to stay focused as your midbrain dopamine neurons search for new experiences and learning opportunities that offer such a reward.

Potential neuroprotective effects for long-term cognitive health

Research confirms that CBD has neuroprotective properties. There are several neuroprotective properties associated with CBD, particularly for neurological conditions, including:

•  Huntington’s disease
•  Parkinson’s disease
•  Multiple sclerosis
•  Antibacterial activity
•  Inflammatory bowel disease

Our Focus oil tincture has 1000 mg CBD and 20mg CBG, meaning you get the combined synergistic effects of neuroprotective properties, anti-anxiety properties, and anti-inflammatory properties, which can improve cognitive function and alleviate concentration issues. 

Each dropper contains 50mg CBD and 1mg CBG, so you can safely administer a daily dose when the need arises. 

These products are particularly useful for long-term health and long-term focus because they use avocado oil as the main carrier, offering superfood benefits with extra focus when you are busy. There are other terpenes included in the unique formula, including:

1. Beta-caryophyllene
2. Alpha-pinene

Both of these help to prompt euphoria, which can lend itself to improved motivation and focus. Other natural ingredients include Lion’s Mane, known for promoting overall health and offering antioxidants that clear away toxins that might otherwise impede focus. 

Those who are struggling with low dopamine and issues focusing have other options like nootropics or “smart drugs.” 

These are medicinal substances that are thought to improve focus and do so by improving the supply of glucose and oxygen to the brain, which can protect the brain tissue from neurotoxicity. Unfortunately, these types of focus agents also have several potential side effects, which include:

1. Anxiety
2. Insomnia
3. Depression
4. Dizziness
5. Increased heart rate
6. Headaches
7. Psychosis

These side effects can often exacerbate the cause of poor concentration, especially if it relates to insomnia or anxiety.

Other options include over-the-counter, short-term stimulants, which often contain high amounts of caffeine or sugar, which can, in theory, improve blood flow to the brain and reduce brain fog but come with similar side effects of increased heart rate, headaches, dizziness, and irritability.

Tip #1: Find your optimal dosage

Your optimal dosage for CBD for focus and attention is going to be based on several factors, including:

1. Your weight
2. Your metabolism
3. The severity of your concentration issues
4. Your tolerance/history of CBD use

How much you weigh is one of the biggest factors for determining the milligrams of CBD needed per serving, no matter what type of product you are using. A general rule is 1 mg for every 10 lb you weigh. Obviously, someone who weighs 200 pounds is going to need twice as much concentration and serving as someone who only weighs 100 pounds.

The next biggest consideration is your metabolism. If you are an athlete and you work out regularly, you might have a fast metabolism, which means you go through or metabolize the things you consume and ingest quickly. This would apply to CBD products like tinctures and oils as well. The faster your body metabolizes the CBD, the more frequently you might need your doses or the higher the concentration you might need each time you use a CBD focus product.

Thereafter, you have to consider the severity of your issues. The amount you take for your dosage for mild symptoms of brain fog will vary drastically from what you take for severe concentration issues.

Note: A good rule is 1mg per 10 pounds of body weight for mild symptoms. Then, 3 mg per 10 pounds of body weight for moderate symptoms. Then, 6 mg per 10 pounds of body weight for severe symptoms. 

Finally, you want to consider your tolerance or history with CBD. If you have a strong history of CBD use, you may have built up a tolerance, in which case higher dosages may be required to achieve the results you want.

Tip #2: Time it right

 Make sure you time it correctly. Timing is important because it relates to the timing of your symptoms. If you struggle with acute focus issues, CBD focus products might be best used about 20 minutes or so prior to the time you really need to improve concentration. If you know you have an upcoming test or presentation, you don’t want to use a CBD product for attention and concentration the minute before the test starts because it takes about 20 minutes to go into effect.

Tip #3: Combine CBD with lifestyle measures

Consider combining CBD with lifestyle measures. For many people, the biggest source of problems with concentration and focus derives from anxiety and stress. If this is the case, CBD for focus and attention can certainly help, but it will be more effective if combined with other lifestyle measures to mitigate the amount of stress and anxiety you have.

This can include things like the following:

• Sleep hygiene is very important as it contributes to how effectively you’re able to fall asleep and the quality of the sleep you get. If you have trouble sleeping, it can relate to anxiety and stress or vice versa, and establishing sleep hygiene patterns can ensure you take measurable steps to improve your sleep quality.
• Meditation and mindfulness practices are very important when it comes to lifestyle measures you can combine with CBD for focus. Meditation and mindfulness practices can equally be used at any time when anxiety or stress is particularly high. When you need to relieve brain fog and focus your attention on the task at hand, sometimes meditation and mindfulness techniques like CBT techniques can help you push away intrusive thoughts that are unrelated to the task at hand and then focus more readily.
• Regular exercise can go a long way toward improving sleep and decreasing stress or anxiety. Many people experience brain fog and issues with concentration simply because they haven’t exercised. If you don’t have time for strenuous exercise on a regular basis or you are dealing with acute levels of stress and anxiety with issues focusing, step outside and take time to simply be in nature, move away from a screen, and go for a short walk no matter where you are.

Tip #4: Use a tincture or capsule

CBD for focus comes in many forms, but a tincture or a capsule are often the best forms when it comes to managing concentration and focus. Tinctures or capsules can be taken at any time, and it’s very easy to regulate how many milligrams you are getting with each dosage. Bottles are small enough that they can be taken with you to work, where you travel, or kept at home. 

They also offer faster absorption into the bloodstream, which can help the CBD and other cannabinoids or natural elements take effect much faster.

Tip #5: Journal how you feel

It’s very important that you Journal how you feel. Journaling is a common mindfulness and CBD technique that is an integral part of therapy for anxiety conditions. But more than that, journaling is an effective way to track the efficacy of your CBD products by monitoring things like:

1. The form you used
2. When you took it
3. How much you took
4. How you felt before you took it
5. How you felt after you took it
6. How long the effects lasted
7. Any ill side effects
8. What was happening around the time that caused the poor focus

By journaling all of these things and more, such as what you ate or how you slept, you can keep tabs on any potential patterns that could influence the lifestyle adjustments you make moving forward. It can also help you figure out the right dosage for your needs. 

Overall, there are many potential benefits and considerations of using CBD for focus and concentration. If you are looking for CBD for focus and concentration, consult healthcare professionals before incorporating CBD into your routine for focus.