Christmas Depression? How Cannabinoids May Combat the Holiday Blues

The “most wonderful time of the year” really isn’t all that wonderful for anyone experiencing Christmas depression.

Christmas depression, holiday blues, holiday depression – although they have different names, they all refer to the same thing. Many people are affected by holiday depression each year. If you experience depression during the holiday season, you may be suffering from this as well. 

Thankfully, if you do suffer from holiday depression, there are all-natural options that could potentially help you feel better. One of these options is cannabinoids.

CBD, CBN, and CBG are three cannabinoids that may work together to potentially help you manage your depression. Taking CBD for Christmas depression may be a good option. Keep reading to learn about three of the most popular cannabinoids and how they may help you this holiday season.

What is Christmas Depression?

Have you ever heard of Christmas depression? Do you have a family member who seems especially down during the holidays? Or maybe you feel depressed during this busy time of year?

Although you may feel like you’re supposed to be happy around Christmastime, you should know that lots of people experience depression during the holidays. You are not alone. 

Reasons for Holiday Depression

If you’re wondering ‘Why do I feel depressed at Christmas?’ there are some reasons why this may be the case.

The holidays are difficult for a lot of reasons. Here are just a few:

• Christmas is expensive. Buying gifts for everyone, getting new decorations, paying for family gatherings, and more. Christmas can be financially difficult for many people. 
• The holiday season is stressful. On top of the financial stress, there’s also the stress of dealing with family members (like your very opinionated uncle starting arguments at the dinner table). Plus, you have to make time to go shopping, deal with the crowds in the stores, cook big meals, attend parties, and wrap presents as well. With so much to do, it can all be very overwhelming. 
• Lots of people feel lonely. The holidays often bring families and friends together for celebrations. However, if you don’t live near family and friends, or if you don’t have many close relationships, you could feel especially lonely. Also, if you recently lost a friend or family member, the holidays can be very painful and cause you to miss them even more. 
• Social media “perfection” posts are everywhere. Social media is usually filled to the brim with happy photos and messages about everyone’s seemingly “perfect” holiday. All the expensive and beautifully-wrapped gifts and the parties full of happy people. It may seem like everyone around you is having a perfect Christmas, except you. 

(Although keep in mind, just because Susan posts the most amazing-looking pictures, she may be having a really hard time, too, but isn’t showing it.)

What Helps Christmas Depression?

If you think you’re experiencing Christmas depression, it may be a good idea to talk to your doctor or therapist first. They may have suggestions for you. 

There are also a lot of different tips for dealing with sadness and stress during the holidays, and we’ll touch on those later on. But before you give you some tips and tricks, let’s talk about CBD and a few other cannabinoids. 

If you want to try an all-natural option that may help you feel calmer, you may want to consider trying CBD, CBN, and CBG. 

What are Cannabinoids?

You’ve probably already heard of CBD since it’s been gaining popularity all over the world in the past few years. But did you know that other compounds are similar to CBD, and they also have awesome effects?

CBD is a compound called a cannabinoid, and it’s one of many other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Other cannabinoids include THC, CBN, CBG, and many more. 

(THC is one of the most popular because of its intoxicating effects, but many others do not cause a head high but have great benefits.)

Let’s chat about three of the most popular cannabinoids and how they may help you feel better this Christmas. 

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is very popular thanks to its many potential benefits. 

This cannabinoid has been shown to potentially reduce nausea, manage pain, promote better sleep, reduce anxiety, and more. CBD interacts with the receptors in your endocannabinoid system (ECS) and often promotes an overall feeling of calm. It does not cause any type of head high.

CBD and Christmas Depression

Recent studies have shown that CBD may have anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects. 

CBD may help you feel less depressed due to its interaction with serotonin receptors. Serotonin is known as the hormone of happiness. CBD may boost signaling through serotonin receptors, which may improve your mood. 

Taking CBD for anxiety caused by holiday stress may be a good idea. Research suggests that CBD may decrease anxiety and promote better sleep. Many people report that taking CBD daily helps them to feel more calm and relaxed. Plus, it may help you fall asleep faster and get more restful sleep. All of this can be especially helpful during this stressful season.

What is CBN?

Also known as cannabinol, CBN is produced when THC is exposed to light or aged. CBN is essentially a weaker version of THC, but it is unlikely to cause any intoxicating effects. It has been gaining popularity over the past few years for its potential to help you sleep and manage pain. 

CBN and Christmas Depression

CBN has been studied recently for its effects on managing anxiety. Although we still need more research, it’s looking like CBN may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and promote better sleep. This cannabinoid can be taken with CBD to potentially provide the most comprehensive anti-depressant benefits. 

Because of its potential to help you to sleep, it may improve your mood throughout each busy day. Learn more about CBN’s effect on mental health here. 

What is CBG? 

CBG is actually the molecule that breaks down to create CBD, THC, and others. It’s non-intoxicating, and it has a variety of cool benefits (including possibly helping to treat infections in early studies). CBG may also boost energy levels and improve focus.

CBG and Christmas Depression

Taking a supplement with CBG may help reduce holiday depression caused by stress. Many people report increased alertness and focus after taking CBG. This may be related to CBG’s neuroprotective effects. 

Keep in mind that we still need more research on all of these cannabinoids before we know for sure how they work in the body and what benefits they hold. We especially need more studies on CBN and CBG. However, the research that we do have is looking promising.