Sleeping is infants' most favorite activity, and it is one that most people don't lose their innate love of. With good reason—sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep can turn the most saintly person into the Grinch. Don't battle to fall asleep or lie awake at night; with cannabidiol (CBD), sleep quality and the time it takes to fall asleep can improve.
CBD can be administered topically and via ingestion or inhalation. All methods have their pros and cons, but CBD bathing is definitely one of the most gratifying. In this article, we look at a number of CBD bathing products and what they can do for you. As a bonus, scroll down for a recipe to make your own bomb of a CBD bath bomb!
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CBD Bathing with Oil
Simply adding about 10 drops of CBD oil to a medium-filled bath is probably the easiest way to enjoy the cannabinoid's benefits. These are not fixed guidelines—there are none—so you will have to find your own dose. Fortunately, studies indicate that CBD has an excellent safety profile, especially in low to medium doses, which makes experimentation easier. [1]
CBD loves oil, as it helps with the molecule's absorption into the body. Therefore, add a bit of coconut, hemp, or MCT oil to the bath, too. A drop or two of fragrant pure lavender oil will add to the soothing sensations of your CBD.
During the bath, CBD will be absorbed via the skin to do its thing, alleviating stress, anxiety, muscle pain, and even inflammation. (Read on for more about CBD's health properties.) To optimize absorption, be sure to set aside at least 30 to 40 minutes for soaking in the bathtub. This way, your body will get ample chance to fully take in the CBD. Sleep will very likely follow soon after.
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CBD Bath Salts, CBD Soap, Etc.
All CBD bath products that dissolve in the water should give the same effect as CBD oil. However, this would not be the case with soap, as it shouldn't stay on the skin for 30 minutes. Therefore, using a CBD soap might not be the most effective way to administer the cannabinoid.
Whichever product you choose, make sure that the CBD is paired with pure, organic, and harmless ingredients as much as possible.
CBD Bath Bombs or Fizzies
Bath bombs or fizzies are a fantastic way to dissolve CBD into your bathing water for a soothing, calming experience. As said, dunk your body for at least 30 minutes for optimum results, so get out the atmospheric candles, soft music, and a good book.
Many health shops keep CBD bath bombs but make sure you buy hemp-derived CBD products. Also, try to find ones where the ingredient amounts are clearly listed—too little CBD won't do much good. Look for CBD bath bombs with higher amounts of the cannabinoid.
Or, get creative and make your own! They make excellent gifts. This recipe, from Popular Science, produces about 12 CBD bath bombs.
Tools and Ingredients
- 8 oz. baking soda
- 4 oz. Epsom salt
- 4 oz. corn starch
- 4 oz. citric acid
- A large bowl
- A whisk
- Biodegradable glitter or dried rose petals (optional)
- Approximately 30–35 drops of CBD tincture
- 2.5 tablespoons coconut oil (unscented hemp oil will work too)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons essential oil
- 4–6 drops of food coloring
- Small jar or bowl
- 12–18 silicone molds
Instructions:
- First, mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Use the whisk to make sure the mixture is clump-free. (Baking soda and the citric acid are causing the bubbly explosion when the ball hits the water. When the high-pH powder reacts with the low-pH acid, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles.)
- If you feel like adding glitter to the glam, do so at this point. Consider only biodegradable glitter, as regular craft glitter is not good for our friends in the ocean.
- Now mix up the wet ingredients, including the CBD oil. Make things easy for yourself by putting these in a jar and shaking them up thoroughly.
- Now it's time to add scent. Apply as desired, but two teaspoons of essential oil or your favorite perfume should be enough. You don't want to stink yourself out of the bath with too-strong smells. Think, for instance, of refreshing eucalyptus, lemongrass, and lavender mix—or a sweet hint of vanilla extract. Stick with quality oils and perfumes; your senses won't be sorry.
- If colors speak to you, or you're putting this together as a gift, add 4–6 drops of food colorant. Avoid mixing too many colors, or you'll sit with a fragrant bath the color of mud or vomit.
- Very, very slowly, add the liquid to the dry mixture. Think one teaspoon at a time, while whisking as you go. Immediately slow down if the mixture starts to fizz. The end product should have the consistency of wet sand.
- Now stuff the mixture into the silicone molds as quickly as possible. You don't want the mix to dry out while it's still in the bowl. Press the mixture down firmly into your silicone molds of choice.
- Now let the bath bombs dry. If your mold has a lot of details in it, give them a whole day to be safe. Then pop them out.
- Test one, just for fun and fragrance. Wrap each in cellophane for gorgeous gifts. [2]
You may also want to check out this recipe for CBD bath bombs.
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Health Benefits of CBD Bath Products
Your CBD bath packs a punch of health benefits, a great number of which are supported by both preliminary and clinical studies. The literature shows that CBD has efficacy (usually in tandem with a small amount of its notorious cousin, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) in conditions such as:
- acute and chronic pain [3]
- anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders
- insomnia [4]
- chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- anorexia [4]
- epilepsy
- inflammation and more [5]
With CBD, sleep quality and duration have also been shown to improve drastically, most possibly due to its anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. [6]
RELATED: CBD Dosage for Inflammation: What You Need to Know
Never attempt to replace your prescription medicine without your doctor's consent. CBD has been approved by the FDA only for intractable epilepsy, and a lot more clinical evidence is necessary before CBD can be formally called a medicine.
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Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569602/
- https://www.popsci.com/how-to-make-your-own-bath-bombs#page-2
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/
- https://www.nap.edu/read/24625/chapter/6#91
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168365903004152
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6126753_Cannabidiol_-_Recent_Advances
