For triathletes, competition related anxiety can affect performance, mindset and even willingness to participate in events. CBD oil can be beneficial for triathletes who have not developed coping mechanisms for managing the anxiety that athletic performance can produce.
There are huge benefits an athlete can experience by reducing anxiety on race day. Whilst feelings of anxiety can in some cases, boost adrenaline and give athletes extra energy, often anxiety leads to uncontrolled breathing and uncontrolled and poor performances for parts of, or the entirety of a race. For example, relaxed and rhythmic breathing in the swim leg of a triathlon can be challenging for many at the best of times; anxiety only serves to increase that challenge. CBD is known to reduce and relieve anxiety and promote restful sleep and is, therefore, a useful tool to enable athletes to combat those undue nerves and to feel calm and relaxed, both pre-race and when competing.
Often when well-seasoned athletes fall short in competition, it’s often due to their mindset. For all athletes, getting “in the zone” is always the focus. Triathletes specifically need to remain calm yet alert for the duration of the race. Transitions are often busy, stressful and you need everything to run smoothly; this requires a lot of mental sharpness – again a benefit of CBD.
CBD has also shown promise as a cognitive enhancer. It helps to oppose the oxidative damage that often occurs in high-intensity exercise and training. Namely, it helps support our common aim, as athletes, of reducing our recovery time to enable us to train harder and more often.
All in all, CBD shows to be a cognitive enhancer whilst benefiting performance.