Reducing Holiday Anxiousness with CBD
The holiday season is a joyful time to celebrate with loved ones and friends, but for our pets, it can sometimes bring about stress and short-term anxiousness. For routine-oriented cats, shy dogs, or older pets, the hustle and bustle of parties, shopping, and travel can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are several ways to help ease their stress so they can enjoy the holidays too. Key strategies include using balanced CBD supplements, providing ample exercise, and creating safe spaces for them to retreat to.
When pets experience emotional stress, it often shows in physical ways. You may notice increased heart and breathing rates, changes in their facial expressions or posture, and shifts in behavior. Calm dogs may become reactive, while typically affectionate pets might become clingy or shy away from attention. Internally, their bodies are preparing for a “fight or flight” response, flooding their system with stress chemicals.
Thankfully, the body’s cannabis receptor system is designed to respond to these stress signals, working to restore balance. Compounds found in hemp, such as CBD and CBN, along with aromatic elements like linalool and humulene, help release calming and relaxing chemicals. This helps ensure that the “fight or flight” response lasts only a few moments, instead of lingering for hours or days.
However, since the holiday season is filled with ongoing stressors from a pet’s perspective, their cannabis receptor system can become depleted. This is why consistent CBD supplementation, before, during, and after the holidays, is the most effective way to support them. Administering CBD a few days prior to known stress triggers helps prepare their bodies, reducing the impact of stress before it fully sets in. During the event itself—whether it’s a party or travel—CBD and CBN work to soothe reactive behaviors, stabilize the nervous system, and help your pet stay calm and relaxed.
