CBD: Before, during and after sex
CBD has helped countless people achieve a state of balance in their overall wellness. In recent years, researchers have studied the effects CBD has on several matters like joint health, mood control, sleep, and now sexual wellness. Considering sex is human nature, it was only a matter of time before we began to investigate the links between CBD and sex.
Can CBD make you last longer or improve sexual stamina?
Does CBD promote confidence during sex?
How can CBD improve my sex life?
These are just some examples of essential questions starting to surface. It's astounding how many people are turning to CBD on their journeys to better sex––and rightfully so, considering the benefits of integrating CBD into your sex life can make a huge difference.
CBD can help with orgasm syncing, removing performance jitters, improving connection, increasing intimacy, easing discomfort, and more. If you're reading this, you're probably wondering if CBD oil can transform your sex life. So, let's get to it.
Why are people using CBD to improve sexual performance?
Most people can agree the best kind of sex happens when both partners orgasm. However, that doesn't always happen. Too often, men worry about finishing too soon while women wonder how long it will take them to finish, if at all.
CBD won't immediately make your partner finish, but it can enhance sex enough that it does happen eventually. As a regulator, CBD can also help an overly-excited male relax and last longer. But how exactly does CBD do this?
Believe it or not, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a massive role in the orgasm process. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), is an endocannabinoid that spikes during orgasm. When this happens, 2-AG activates receptors in the brain's pleasure circuit.
Immediately after finishing, a sensation of bliss usually settles in. You might think it's endorphins, but it's actually an endocannabinoid known as the "bliss molecule" or more formally, Anandamide.
2-AG and Anandamide are two of the most abundant endocannabinoids that we know of. We also know that Anandamide and 2-AG both play a major role in the "rewarding consequences of sexual arousal and orgasm."
Since reaching orgasm is a mental journey as much as it is physical, thoughts and mood often get in the way of a person finishing. Performance anxiety is a common problem that induces worry, fear, and insecurity. These mental barriers keep the body from naturally releasing 2-AG and Anandamide.
Because these chemicals are imperative in experiencing pleasure, it's essential to remove over-thinking to reach an optimal level of intimacy.
If you couldn't tell by now, the ECS is a relatively complex network of neurochemical pathways in the brain. So, when cannabinoids, like cannabidiol (CBD), stimulate these pathways, the door opens to a variety of positive and pleasurable effects.
Scientists believe the manipulation of a human's response to sexual pleasure using cannabinoids could help users replicate that "reward" reaction.
While the ECS does have a hand in pleasure, it's the sexual inhibition system (SIS) and the sexual excitation system (SES) that are responsible for regulating sexual desire. In layman's terms, the SIS inhibits or discourages sex, while the SES excites or encourages sex. When the SES and SIS are in harmony, the desire to engage in sexual activity is prominent. All that's left is initiating the act.
An open line of communication and a splash of confidence can drive sexual desire to inception. However, if overthinking is at large, the SES loses power and allows the SIS to take over.
CBD is already known to help reduce nerves and ease the weight of mental tension. When it comes to better sex, CBD can be a game-changer as it relaxes the mind and body, allowing confidence to flourish.
A person who is confident and more at ease is more likely to perform better. Better performance leads to better sex, which makes orgasms a lot more likely for everyone involved.
And that my friends, is the start of how CBD improves sexual performance.
Can CBD Make You Last Longer?
CBD can help enhance sex, but can CBD make you last longer? It just might. CBD promotes homeostasis––a state of balance in the endocannabinoid system (ECS)––which helps minimize swelling by encouraging healthy blood flow.
Blood flow is often linked to an increase in sexual stimulation, which is necessary as the body prepares for sex. You might think proper blood flow only applies to the men in the room, however, when women become sexually aroused, blood rushes to their clitoris and vagina.
For women, blood flow helps the vagina prepare for insertion as it opens, elongates, and becomes naturally lubricated.
In a similar regard, men will have greater success getting or keeping an erection if their blood is flowing correctly.
CBD helps stimulate the release of neurotransmitters, like nitric oxide, which allows the blood vessels to relax, dilate, and swell with blood. When CBD is applied to the genitals, it acts as a vasodilator. This invites oxygenated blood to flow through the body, and our sexier parts, much easier.
When both parties take CBD prior to sex or use it topically, they improve their chances of allowing blood to flow better in their penis and vagina. When there's good blood flow down there, it can undoubtedly lead to longer-lasting sex.
Can CBD Make Sex Better?
So far, we've learned CBD can make sex better by reducing nerves, boosting confidence, eliminating discomfort, improving chances of climaxing, and promoting healthy blood flow leading to increased stamina and happy partners. Instead of using alcohol or other substances to get in the mood and mindset, CBD can provide the same effects plus some benefits and minus the hungover regrets.
Could there possibly be any other benefits to using CBD to enhance the sexual experience? Definitely, and here are a few:
CBD and Post-sex Recovery
Taking CBD not only helps improve sex in itself, but it can also help reduce things like soreness, exhaustion, and discomfort. Several users experience feeling less sore after using CBD oil for lube or even ingesting CBD oil, which helps relax the muscles, joints, and mind. Combining a physically relaxed state with all the hormones released during sex can help tremendously with recovery after sex. CBD can also regulate irregular sleeping patterns, so incorporating an edible, vaporizer, or a CBD-infused lube during foreplay can improve post-sex sleep.
CBD and Uncomfortable Sex
A lot of women struggle with painful sex, which makes them worry with anticipation. Many fear they'll never have a regular sex life. With thoughts like these racing through the mind, it can be increasingly difficult for a woman to get in the mood.
A woman's estrogen levels can alter their endocannabinoid system and have a significant impact in reducing low mood to boost libido or sex drive.
Postmenopausal women with low levels of estrogen are likely to develop nerve densities in the vagina. This means natural lubrication becomes a thing of the past and painful sex a thing of the present. Many times, being unable to lubricate naturally is the culprit that prevents women from enjoying sex as it causes pain from the friction.
However, women have shared many positive results after using a CBD lubricant, and even more so when they combine it with other CBD products. Applying CBD oil on a female's genitals can help improve the flow of blood while stimulating an increase in natural lubrication. Studies also propose that CBD oil can help with swelling, removing another obstacle that might be keeping a woman from reaching orgasm.
CBD and Improved Sexual Intimacy
Many will agree that the key to great sex with a long term partner is a good connection. Much of this is thanks to oxytocin, a hormone that plays a role in social bonding, sexual reproduction, childbirth, and the post-pregnancy period.
Remember that "bliss molecule" from earlier? Like oxytocin, the neurotransmitter Anandamide released after sex also helps create and strengthen the bond between partners. CBD enhances Anandamide, which supports a positive connection post-sex.
CBD helps with self-consciousness and overthinking by promoting a sense of calmness throughout the body and mind. Without thoughts getting in the way, communication opens. Being able to communicate openly with a partner is the best way to boost sexual intimacy, physically and mentally.
Incorporating CBD into your sexual routine can jumpstart a healthy cycle, you'll wish you started sooner.
CBD Products For Better Sex
When used during foreplay, a CBD-infused lubricant can intensify sensations and orgasms by removing discomfort and promoting healthy blood flow in the genitals.
CBD can be used as a natural aphrodisiac in various ways, including CBD vaporizers, CBD-infused edibles, full-spectrum CBD oil, CBD-infused lubricants and CBD bath bombs, to name a few.
If you're already between the sheets, try using a CBD body oil to help relax any muscle tension, creating a more sensual experience.
Feeling parched post-sex? CBD water will not only keep you hydrated, but it will travel through your bloodstream, further enhancing the benefits of any other CBD product you might've used during foreplay.
Before getting frisky, just remember to read each CBD product carefully and follow all recommended dosage guidelines. Whatever you use to make sex more enjoyable, just remember not all CBD oils, lotions, or creams can be applied directly to the genitals.
Written for Cheef Botanicals