Close Banner

This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

I Wasn't Expecting This Supplement To Make Me More Productive — But I'll Take It*

Author:

Emma Loewe

August 16, 2021

By Emma Loewe

mbg Contributor

Emma Loewe is the former Sustainability and Health Director at mindbodygreen. She is the author of "Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us" and the co-author of "The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self Care." Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,500 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes.

Image by Jose Coello / Stocksy

August 16, 2021

I, along with what feels like half of the world, have used hemp-derived CBD regularly for a few years now. Lured by its stress-relieving claims, I first got into the habit of taking it before bed to calm occasional racing thoughts from the day.* For a while, it did the job! It made my bed feel slightly more comfortable and my anxiousness slightly less prominent.

Recently, though, the timeline of my tension has crept earlier and earlier in the day. I now tend to feel stress the most acutely in the mornings and early afternoons. So, I decided to try subbing my pre-bed hemp habit for a midday hemp oil supplement and found that it did the job of easing stress just as well—and came with an unexpected, but very welcome, bonus benefit.*

How hemp helped me feel more productive.*

In addition to changing up my timing, I also switched the product I was using. I upgraded to mindbodygreen's hemp oil supplement—a full-spectrum extract that's packed with a wide array of potent botanical phytocannabinoid compounds, beyond just hemp-derived CBD.* Did I mention that ashwagandha extract for stress resilience and lavender oil for relaxation accompany this hemp oil?* The recently renovated product is now known as calm+.

The sustainability editor in me was sold on the product after I learned that the hero ingredient, hemp oil, is certified organic by the European Commission, which has more rigorous, long-running standards for hemp production than the U.S. does. (the hemp oil in calm+ is now USDA certified organic as well.)

I first took the calming supplement at the start of a busy workday. I washed the singular gelcap down with some coffee, my inbox staring back at me with each gulp. I'd just as quickly forgotten I'd taken it as I got to work answering messages, assigning stories, and brainstorming pitches. It wasn't until a few hours later that I realized I'd gotten through a lot of work in a shorter time period than usual. And I'd done it all without needing to stop for a break or midday self-pep talk.

Curious about whether the hemp had anything to do with it, I took it again the next day and noticed similar results, and the next: I was definitely putting in more productive work on the days that I took this product.*

A workday workhorse.

While "productivity-supporting" is not a claim you'll see directly marketed on a hemp product, it makes sense based on what we know about the plant.*

Its active ingredients, or phytocannabinoids, have been shown to interact with the body's endocannabinoid system in a way that eases stress and supports a more positive mood.* Research also shows that stress is not necessarily conducive to productivity 1, suggesting that minimizing stress can help employees do their work more effectively. And while everyone will have a different experience with hemp oil, many find that it helps them adopt a more even-keeled outlook.*

By increasing my stress resilience, this supplement seems to help me stay on track and not get as sidelined by negative, overwhelmed self-talk during the day.* I also noticed that, after I take it, I feel a little happier to tick off tasks that I used to dread and put off until later.*

The productivity potential of full-spectrum hemp oil isn't something I would have picked up on if I kept taking the product only before bed, but I'm glad I did. My mood, my attitude, and my inbox are all a little better off because of it.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.