For many of those with anxiety, calming down and relaxing can be an everyday struggle. Fortunately, there are numerous ways a person can manage their condition such as through therapy and sometimes, medication like SSRIs.
More recently, there have been studies that show cannabis as a potential treatment for anxiety and anxiety disorders. This may be because many cannabis strains are loaded with terpenes that help calm you down so you can relax.
However, what are terpenes and what are the best terpenes for anxiety? Could these terpenes help with other conditions as well?
What Are Terpenes?
Before discussing what the best terpenes are, let’s first discuss what they are and how they help with various conditions such as anxiety.
Terpenes are aromatic compounds commonly found in plants like lavender, rosemary, and pine that can have a variety of uses for both plants and humans. Depending on their concentration and use, terpenes can affect a person’s stress levels and overall mood, allowing them to relax more.
They’re commonly associated with cannabis because it has a higher concentration than other types of plants. In cannabis, the high levels of terpenes, combined with the THC and CBD content, contribute to what’s known as the entourage effect. This means each compound works together to provide users with potent calming effects.
There are hundreds of terpenes found in nature, and they all have different effects on the human body. If you’re wondering what terpenes are good for anxiety, however, they are:
- Limonene
- Myrcene
- Beta-caryophyllene
- Alpha-pinene
- Linalool
You’ll learn more about each of them as well as their benefits in the next section.
Best Terpenes for Anxiety and Their Effects
As mentioned, there are hundreds of terpenes found in nature, but the best ones for relieving anxiety are as follows:
- Limonene
While most commonly found in citrus fruits, limonene can also be found in certain cannabis strains, especially those with a strong citrus scent like lemon or orange. It’s one of the most abundant terpenes in cannabis, second only to myrcene.
While it doesn’t directly relieve symptoms of anxiety, one of limonene effects is that it can reduce your stress levels. Studies show that exposure to high levels of stress can increase one’s risk for anxiety and other conditions like depression.
It has other benefits as well such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties that can help users keep themselves healthy.
- Myrcene
The most abundant of marijuana terpenes, myrcene has sedative-like properties that can help soothe and calm you down whenever you’re feeling anxious. However, what’s most notable about this terpene is its synergistic effect with THC.
By synergistic effect, this means the presence of myrcene in cannabis strains can enhance the effects of THC, giving you a more powerful and potent high.
Other than having sedative-like properties, myrcene also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it one of the best terpenes for inflammation.
- Beta-caryophyllene
This particular terpene is often associated with a strong black pepper scent and flavor and is one of the best terpenes that help relieve anxiety. In fact, cannabis strains that contain beta-caryophyllene are considered to be some of the most calming and soothing strains available.
As a CB2 receptor agonist, it works well with CBD and has numerous benefits like reducing inflammation and relieving pain. Other beta-caryophyllene benefits include reducing stress and the risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s, chronic pain, and others.
- Alpha-pinene
This terpene is most common in pine trees and other types of coniferous plants. It’s also found in certain cannabis strains like Blue Dream and OG Kush.
One of its effects and benefits is that it inhibits the brain’s acetylcholinesterase activity, improving your ability to retain memories as well as your brain’s cognitive functions. It also helps reduce some unwanted side effects of THC such as anxiety, making you feel calmer and more relaxed.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate pain, reducing some of the feelings of stress you may feel.
- Linalool
Linalool is popular due to its floral scent and is commonly found in lavender. Its scent has been found to reduce aggressive behavior as well as alleviate feelings of anxiety due to its calming and soothing effects.
Other benefits of this terpene include antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant properties. Some research says that this particular terpene helps improve the effectiveness of SSRIs. SSRIs are a commonly prescribed type of medication for depression and anxiety.
Strains Rich in Terpenes – Best for Anxiety
Now that you know what terpenes are and which ones are the best for relieving anxiety, let’s take a look at some of the best cannabis strains for anxiety relief.
- Cannatonic
This strain contains more CBD than THC which means it induces a more relaxing feeling without experiencing the psychoactive effects common to most marijuana strains. It’s rich in the 5 anti-anxiety terpenes such as myrcene and limonene.
- Harlequin
This is considered as one of the best medicinal marijuana strains that contain more CBD than THC as well as high levels of myrcene, alpha-pinene, and beta-caryophyllene.
- Bubba Kush
Although it has a high THC content at 22%, Bubba Kush cannabis strain contains large amounts of terpenes like beta-caryophyllene, myrcene, and limonene. This makes it great for users who want to feel more relaxed and anxiety-free while enjoying the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety is a condition that can be difficult to manage at times, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. It can sometimes even affect your day to day life if left unattended. Fortunately, there are many ways you can use to alleviate feelings of anxiety.
Cannabis strains rich in the aforementioned terpenes can be a way to alleviate feelings of anxiety as well as stress, allowing you to feel calmer and more relaxed.
Furthermore, aside from relieving anxiety, these terpenes are also great for treating other conditions such as chronic pain and depression due to the other properties they have.
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