Supplement regimens are taken to give athletes, gym-goers, or weekend warriors an edge on performance and recovery. Besides multivitamins, protein shakes, and creatine, CBD or cannabidiol (a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid) products are now used for these purposes.
Not only in physical activities but also in CBD oils, capsules, and creams lining are now used for online gaming. They’re said to improve cognitive performance and negate the physical toll caused by heavy computer use.
How does CBD Specifically help in Online Gaming?
Focus
Online gaming, like any physical sport, requires refined cognitive skills. Many games require on-the-fly strategies and constant contingency planning, that’s why online gamers need to focus above all else. Even when you only play online slots, you must keep high focus levels to master the best way to play slots.
CBD can help gamers boost their focus. It enables players to stay fully functional and lucid in a game. Conversely, some gamers claim that THC or tetrahydrocannabinol (a psychoactive cannabinoid) help them play better, especially when high.
Many still consider getting high and having an altered state of consciousness hurts their performance. Instead, they prefer CBD’s clear-headed effect.
Mood Regulator
In addition to improved cognitive functioning, ongoing studies explore how CBD positively influences the brain and emotions. Specifically, they’re figuring out whether it can reduce nervousness and high-pressure situations.
They also examine whether it can influence cerebral blood flow and reduce anxiety. If the findings are good, CBD could help anxious gamers to focus more and make decisions during high-stakes games.
CBD may also help gamers stay calm. Whether it’s a fiendishly difficult boss or a mass multiplayer game with many enemies appearing on the screen simultaneously, many will likely fall apart under pressure or want to fling a controller through the screen at some point. When either happens and your brain is overstimulated, CBD sends endocannabinoids out to regulate neurotransmitters and calm nerves.
Memory
Memory plays a crucial role in any game performance, whether online or physically, on both the conscious and unconscious levels. As mentioned, gamers need fast reaction times; muscle memory can help them pull this off. It helps them make complex moves without even thinking about it.
Additionally, short-term and long-term memories enable gamers to master a digital environment. For example, when playing PUBG: Battlegrounds, they can have a significant advantage if they can learn a new map layout quickly and remember its key strategic locations.
CBD may help gamers improve their memory. Although there aren’t solid answers yet, an increasing number of studies have found positive results about it. One study in Switzerland examined how CBD affects verbal episodic memory or the memory of specific events. Another study also explored the effects of CBD on the hippocampus, which has a role in our memory.
Physical Injury
Gamers also experience injuries, and most of them are chronic in nature. These include carpal tunnel syndrome (pain in the wrists from nerve conditions), tendonitis (inflamed tendons in the forearms), shoulder stiffness, back pain, and neck pain.
Many of these gamers claimed that CBD gave them pain relief. However, it has yet to be approved as therapeutics for pain and inflammation. On a positive note, many studies are exploring them. For example, one study in the United States examines topical CBD oil for peripheral neuropathy. Other research also studies CBD’s effects on low back pain and other common gaming complaints.
Sleep
Lack of sleep is almost unfortunately normal in many gamers. While it’s common, it doesn’t do any good in their gaming performance. It negatively impacts their alertness and concentration, which may cause disastrous consequences when an important gaming event occurs. Even worse, no matter how hard they try, falling asleep is quite hard for many gamers.
Many gamers find CBD relaxing. It works like melatonin, which helps them to fall asleep. It works with the hypothalamus to regulate insomnia, an overactive stress reaction and then helps people kick back and sleep. However, the evidence surrounding it remains inconclusive. Researchers are still working to fully understand how CBD affects the sleep cycle and how effective it can be for sleep.
How to Use CBD for Gaming?
Otp for CBD isolate products. While some may not prefer it due to its lack of entourage effect, it’s the better option when drug tests are required by esports and athletic commissions. The reason is CBD won’t normally show up on a drug test.
Be careful of specific hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD and medical cannabis because they may contain THC. Remember, if you test positive for THC or its metabolites, you may face sanctions during a professional gaming tournament, even if you’re in a state where medical cannabis is legalized.
If CBD isolate products aren’t effective for you, consider broad-spectrum CBD products. They have cannabinoids and terpenes only, without THC. Terpenes can help improve mood, overcome stress, beat anxiety, and reduce pain. Avoid going for full-spectrum CBD products since they contain low levels of THC.
Final Thoughts
Many gamers are turning to CBD for many reasons: to relax and zone in, get a performance boost and even aid recovery from gaming-inflicted injuries. Unfortunately, research on the direct impact of CBD consumption on one’s gaming performance is still limited.