BY STEVE BORN
Of the numerous steps we can take to maintain a strong immune system, two steps—reducing the many manifestations of stress (e.g. fear, worry, uneasiness, etc.) and getting sufficient sleep—are oftentimes the hardest to achieve.
Stress
A wide body of research indicates that while some short-term stress is normal—even beneficial to the body—excess amounts and/or long-term stress overly taxes and greatly suppresses the immune system. [1, 2, 3] This, of course, can lead to negative health consequences. Neuroendocrinologist, Dr. Robert M. Spolasky, writes:
Stress-related disease emerges, predominantly, out of the fact that we so often activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies, but we turn it on for months on end, worrying about mortgages, relationships, and promotions. [4]
Enter CBD. While our focus on CBD has oftentimes been in highlighting its benefits for reducing soreness and swelling, the greatest benefit that we have noted from both our use of Hammer CBD, as well as from our clients’ feedback on their use of Hammer CBD, is in the area of mood elevation—increasing a state of calmness and relaxation, and alleviating nervousness, worry, uneasiness, and other factors associated with stress. And that should come as no surprise, as the phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil in Hammer CBD influences one of the main receptors (CB1). These receptors are found primarily in the brain and are involved in regulating mood, emotions, thinking, movement/coordination, appetite, and more. [5], [6]
Sleep
According to research, “adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health.” [7] Unfortunately, the data shows that more than one-third of adults in the United States are not hitting the mark. [8] We’re quite certain that the numbers are much higher, though. Over more than three decades, we’ve noted that while research suggests that regular exercise does appear to improve sleep quality, the majority of our clients—athletes involved in high-volume training and events/competitions throughout the majority of the year—are much more prone to having significant difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Couple that with a multitude of non-athletic stress issues to try and deal with daily, and it’s clear that most athletes and highly-active people are simply not getting enough high-quality sleep!
The fact is that occasional to chronic insomnia negatively impacts your immune system and increases your risk of getting sick. One study on sleep and immune system function concludes: “Prolonged sleep curtailment and the accompanying stress response invoke a persistent unspecific production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, best described as chronic low-grade inflammation, and also produce immunodeficiency, which both have detrimental effects on health.” [9]
Enter Hammer CBD once again! Our clients consistently tell us that they haven’t experienced a more powerful, yet safe and natural way to enhance sleep quality and duration. The phytocannabinoids in Hammer CBD augment the body’s natural production of cannabinoids while influencing the CB1 receptors, allowing them to function better. This dramatically helps promote calmness, relaxation, and better-quality sleep and support for the immune system. [9]
Here’s just a sample of online reviews, touting Hammer CBD’s ability to enhance sleep quality and duration:
“Hammer CBD is fantastic!! Really helps me to recover from hard training days. My quality of sleep has improved and I am less sore the next day. Really great!” – Online Reviewer
“Sleep like a baby and recovery has definitely improved since adding CBD on a daily basis.” – Online Reviewer
“Have to admit I was skeptical about this product at first, however now that I'm taking the gels I cannot imagine being without them. I sleep more soundly, which for me is an accomplishment and a big plus.” – Online Reviewer
“My husband has trouble sleeping. This product helps him. I take it along with the REM Caps product by Hammer.” – Online Reviewer
You’ll notice that the last review mentions REM Caps, Hammer Nutrition’s all-natural sleep aid product. While additional support is rarely needed if you’re using Hammer CBD, many people like to use both products . . . and that practice is completely safe, acceptable, and highly effective.
The main component in REM Caps is melatonin, a hormone that is naturally produced and secreted by the pineal gland, a tiny organ in the brain. Research has shown that melatonin significantly reduces the amount of time needed to fall asleep, boosts the amount of time spent asleep, and increases sleep duration. [10] Additionally, and just as important, if not more so, melatonin is also a very powerful antioxidant, touted for its ability to neutralize a wide range of free radicals, which helps support the immune system. [11]
Summary
The importance of reducing stress and obtaining sufficient amounts of high-quality sleep is hard to overstate, as many aspects of human health—especially proper immune system function—are dependent on our ability to do both.
Hammer Nutrition’s CBD offerings—softgels, oil-based tincture, and water-soluble “Hydro”—are our clients' favorites to address both stress and sleep issues, and much more. Produced from organically grown, non-GMO, USA-raised hemp, our CBD products are a broad-spectrum formula, meaning that all the beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes are present, but with 0.0% THC.
If for whatever reason, you’ve been reluctant to give CBD a try, there is no better time than RIGHT NOW to enjoy the plentiful benefits our premium-quality CBD products supply. If additional support is desired, REM Caps is the time-tested (12+ years!) product you want.
REFERENCES:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361287/
[2] https://www.apa.org/research/action/immune
[3] McLeod, S. A. (2010). Stress, illness and the immune system. Simply psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html
[4] Sapolsky, R. M. (1998). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: An updated guide to stress, stress-related disease, and coping New York: Freeman.
[5] Alger, B.E. Getting High on the Endocannabinoid System. Cerebrum: the Dana Forum on Brain Science. 2013 Nov-Dec; 2013:14.
[6] Maccarrone, M, Bab, I, Bíró, T, et al. Endocannabinoid signaling at the periphery: 50 years after THC. Trends Pharmacol Science. 2015 May; 36(5):277-296. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.02.008.
[7] Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, et al.; Consensus Conference Panel. Joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society on the recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: methodology and discussion. Sleep. 2015;38:1161–1183.
[8] https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/
[10] Brzezinski A, Vangel MG, Wurtman RJ, et al. Effects of exogenous melatonin on sleep: a meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2005 Feb;9(1):41-50.
[11] Pandi-Perumal SR, BaHammam AS, Brown GM, et al. Melatonin antioxidative defense: therapeutical implications for aging and neurodegenerative processes. Neurotox Res. 2013 Apr;23(3):267-300.
