August 5, 2021
CBD and a Stress-Free Summer
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 6 MIN. SPONSORED
I thought I had gotten through the worst of it: Quarantining alone through most of 2020 in my tiny New York City apartment, pandemic waves sweeping across the country – then finally a vaccine! Delta variant be damned, my summer of love has turned into a summer of stress and anxiety. But I'm not going down the COVID rabbit hole without a fight.
Like most of us, I've been through the emotional wringer and have looked for different solutions to manage all sorts of emerging symptoms. The therapeutic powers of cannabis have been harnessed for centuries, but the first cannabinoid (CBD) to be isolated didn't occur until 1963. These are the things you learn when you can't leave your house for months on end.
More recently, CBD has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S., with a range of products from CBD gummies and oils emerging as a go-to option to battle the Sunday Scaries – those feelings of stress, nervousness, and worry that often set in before the beginning of the workweek, but which these days pop up at all hours of day and night.
I thought, why not? I've tried meditating, changing my diet, cutting out drinking, powering down my digital devices, all with nominal effects on my mental well-being. Could a gummy do the trick?
While CBD isn't a cure-all, plenty of studies have shown that CBD may help with:
I did my research and was drawn to one particular company that's gone into the eye of the storm, naming its brand after exactly what I was feeling: Sunday Scaries. Co-founders Beau Schmitt and Mike Sill created the Sunday Scaries as a response to what they felt. The longtime small business owners had put in far too many 14-hour days over the years. After the untimely death of Sill's sister, the chance to create a CBD company that could support and uplift its community seemed like a natural progression.
I got a kick out of Sunday Scaries' vibrant website and a call to action that'd I'd been feeling for months: "...enjoy your days like you enjoy your coffee: without a nervous freaking breakdown."
Pandemic or not, life soldiers on. Here are a few ways in which I experimented with Sunday Scaries:
Starting the Day Right — CBD Oil Tincture
While CBD alone has plenty of benefits, when combined with other ingredients, it can become a powerhouse kickstarter. Sunday Scaries' CBD oil tincture, in addition to broad-spectrum CBD (which means no hallucinogenic THC), also includes vitamins B12 and D3 – the former important for brain function and the latter to maintain a healthy immune system, especially If you avoid the sun.
The result: Since winter, I had already been taking a B12-D3 supplement, which markedly improved my morning mood – even before coffee! Switching to the three-in-one combo didn't have me scaling mountains, but those work hours before noon seemed to fly by with fewer stressors and more focus.
Dating Disasters and Other Life Mishaps — Unicorn Jerky
Part of returning to the living is... well... living. That meant reconnecting with friends I hadn't seen in over a year and – gasp! – dating. After plenty of swipe-rights and few matches, I finally connected with someone to meet for a casual neighborhood coffee. After discovering he lived with his mother and rarely stayed out past 8 p.m. (hey, you do you), I feigned another commitment and bolted.
While the spiritualist in me believes we're all on beautiful journeys that intersect in ways that our Higher Power intends, the recently vaccinated part of me had hoped for a match, some knee-to-knee action, and maybe a lingering hug goodbye, if not more. Some things aren't meant to be. But we always have unicorns and rainbows, right? Sunday Scaries signature CBD candy, Unicorn Jerky, was just the subtle pick-me-up I needed to take the edge off a rough re-entry into the world.
The result: Unicorn jerky is a joyful, tart bite of CBD goodness. Imagine your favorite sour soft-chew candy with a mellow kiss of melt-your-troubles-away. Each bite contains 10 mg of broad-spectrum CBD, which will gently lift the day's stressors for most people. For me, post-date clarity and perspective emerged, and I realized that just getting out there was enough. That tender kindness manifests in Sunday Scaries' commitment to donate $1 from every package to The Trevor Project in honor of Sill's sister.
[READ MORE: How Sunday Scaries' Legacy Supports Mental Health Awareness]
Muscle and Mental Relief — CBD Bath Bombs
At some point (maybe it was the two frozen shoulders after hours on my laptop?) I decided getting off the couch might be a good idea. First, I migrated to the floor for some restorative yoga. Then I walked the dog longer than his obligatory pee break. (I'm sure he wondered, "Why are we going around the block again?") Eventually, I broke out on my own, committing to double-digit city walks to take in the City That Never Sleeps, even though it's been in hibernation.
Power-walking suited me well, but my body definitely had a WTF moment. I've never been much of a bath person, but, hey – pandemic! Try something new! So I plopped a CBD Bath Bomb into the tub and drifted away.
The result: Sunday Scaries bath bombs (or Tub Cubs, as they like to call them) come in orange, lemon, and lavender, and bloom in your tub like a frothy trip to another planet. Inflammation isn't always a bad thing – it's a signal that your body is trying to heal. But chronic inflammation, either from arthritis or other conditions (like long city walks!), may mean your body needs a "reset." Studies have shown that CBD may reduce inflammation by affecting our bodies' signaling pathways that trigger such reactions. I liken the lavender bath bomb to drifting off to the French countryside – baguette and stinky cheese not included.
Ready to shake off the Sunday Scaries? Visit sundayscaries.com.
CBD Day Sale: To celebrate CBD Day (August 8), Sunday Scaries is offering 30% OFF the entire site through August 10 with coupon code CBDDAY. All orders include a 100% money-back guarantee.
DISCLAIMER: Products are not for use by or sale to persons under the age of 18. Products should be used only as directed on the label. It should not be used if you are pregnant or nursing. Consult with a physician before use if you have a serious medical condition or use prescription medications. A Doctor's advice should be sought before using this and any supplemental dietary product. All trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners and are not affiliated with nor do they endorse, this product. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Void Where Prohibited by Law.
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.
