I feel like everywhere you go these days, there’s a new CBD company, product, or store popping up everywhere. I drove back to Wisconsin the other day, and in my hometown of Madison it felt like there was a new CBD store on every over block – with various claims and products touted on signs on every window. And honestly, I was pretty skeptical of CBD products myself – just based on the hype alone.

But after a while of hearing everyone sing CBD’s praises, my curiosity got the best of me, and I ended up reaching out to a female-founded, Chicago based brand – Equilibria that created CBD oils and supplements specially made for women. I’d seen a few of my friends try it out, and I figured if I was going to give it a try I’d want to work with a local company that sources high quality CBD and ingredients. So in today’s post, I wanted to share my experience with you if you’re thinking of trying out CBD products yourself too – or you’re curious to hear about my experience. I’ll lay out more of the background of why I wanted to try it, what it’s been like, and ultimately if I’ll continue using it in the future too!

Why I wanted to try CBD:
Everyone has their own reasons for trying CBD, but for me, the main reason was anxiety and my insomnia getting worse and worse over the past few months. I’ve had anxiety since I was in high school, ebbing and flowing based on the demands of my job, relationships, or just mid-life crisis’s over the past few years.

My most recent job has been super rewarding in a lot of ways, but also one of the most stressful jobs I’ve had in my career so far. I work with a multi-brand company, and manage social and digital media for about 6-7 major brands (depending on the day). I’m in constant communication with agencies and co-workers (Slack, email, WhatsApp, text, carrier pigeon, you get the idea…) and you can usually find me digging myself out of email jail because I’m many emails behind after a day jammed full of meetings. Managing so many projects across brands can be fun, but also totally crazy – and during times where it feels totally out of control my anxiety tends to spike. Pair that with trying to sleep at a reasonable time and my head spinning with my to-do list, and it equates to a very hard time sleeping most nights. And since my boyfriend moved to California, I’m now by myself more than ever before (and he can’t yell at me to go to bed, although he tries when I text him at midnight most nights ;))

Long story short, melatonin and sleepy time tea weren’t doing the trick for me anymore, and I really didn’t want to get back on anxiety medication like I had before in high school and college. So, trying out CBD (especially with all the hype these days) seemed like a good option to try before moving onto something else.

And for any inquiring minds – no, CBD doesn’t get you high (which I know is a question a lot of people had CBD first started becoming popular!). It’s oils derived from the cannabis plant, but only the THC has any psychoactive parts that will get you high – so the side effects of marijuana don’t apply to CBD – you only get the healing good stuff with CBD 🙂 What My Experience Was Like:

Since it was my first time taking CBD, I didn’t really know what to expect – and honestly, I didn’t really do too much research before trying it myself. Part of me   thought I’d feel zenned out immediately, but it turned out it took a little more time for me to feel the effects than anticipated. Equilibria has two main CBD options – a CBD oil that you take orally under your tongue as well as capsules, and I tried out both during my first month. To me, they felt pretty interchangeable, but I liked taking the tablets before bed (especially after I had brushed my teeth), since it definitely tastes a little, erm….danky. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not terrible – but it’s definitely not something you want on your tongue as you’re sleeping!

I started with a capsule or half of a dropper before bed, and the first few days I didn’t really feel that much of an effect. It definitely takes a few days to feel a difference, but I ended up consulting with Equilibria’s online dosage consultant (super convenient!) and she gave me the advice to up my dosage at nighttime for a few days and see if that does the trick.

Once I upped my dosage, I definitely started feeling the benefits of CBD oil. Right now, I only use CBD night, but my anxiety (including the ever-powerful Sunday scaries) is so much better, and I’ve been able to fall asleep faster and sleep through the night more often. I had definitely had some serious bouts of insomnia – sometimes that lasted a few days, and after upping my dosage and consistently taking Equilibria’s CBD oil or tablets, my insomnia has mostly gone away.

I’m planning to start dabbling in adding CBD to my morning matcha or cup of coffee to see how it helps my calm down during the day too – so I’ll make sure to report back on that! It’s become more of a trend in Chicago of adding CBD oil to your morning cup of coffee or cold brew, so it seems fitting to try it at home first and seeing the effects at home before making it weekday routine. I know lots of people who also make CBD cocktails, so that’s on my list to try out now too!

 The Verdict:

Despite my skepticism, I’m definitely a fan! You have to use it consistently to see results, and be flexible with the dosage since everyone’s body is totally different. But I’m personally happy that my anxiety feels more manageable, and that it’s a lot easier for me to fall asleep at night after taking CBD.

Everyone’s totally different – but definitely worth a try if you’ve been interested! And if you want to try Equilibria, you can save 20% on your order for first time users if you use the code CHARMINGLYSTYLED at checkout! You’ll have to let me know what you think of it too – I always love to hear your feedback and personal experiences too!