By Arielle Friedman

As one of the main chemical constituents in cannabis, ongoing scientific studies have proposed CBD as a versatile cannabinoid. In the realm of jet lag, does research indicate CBD has any potential for easing this common traveller’s malady?

WHAT IS JET LAG?

Jet lag is the set of symptoms which occur when you travel across time zones and your body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted. The circadian rhythm is a biological process that allows living creatures to match their internal systems with the day/night cycles of the planet. Animals’ circadian rhythms play key roles in regulating brain waves, core body temperature, hormonal activity, and cellular health. In humans, melatonin and cortisol play key roles in regulating our circadian rhythms.

When you travel across time zones, your body’s wires get crossed. Your circadian rhythm is telling you it’s one time of day, while your senses are telling you it’s another.

Jet lag often causes sleep disturbances and poor quality of sleep. When going from west to east, travellers can experience insomnia, and when going from east to west, travellers might experience early awakening, or trouble remaining asleep. Jet lag can cause impaired cognitive performance, decreased focus, irritability, fatigue, muscle soreness, and headaches. It can also cause gastrointestinal problems, including indigestion, constipation, and lack of appetite. Jet lag can be exacerbated by travel fatigue, which are symptoms unrelated to jet lag caused by travel conditions like cramped limbs, dehydration, loss of sleep, and time spent in a low-oxygen environment.

Many travellers don’t experience jet lag unless travelling over more than three one-hour time zones. However, some travellers report jet lag after moving over a single time zone. One “rule of thumb” is that it takes a day to recover for each one-hour time zone crossed; it’ll take three days to recover from crossing three time zones. However, jet lag affects different individuals differently, so claims like this should be taken with a grain of salt.

Jet lag tends to be more severe when moving from west to east than east to west. As you get older, you may become more susceptible to jet lag.

CBD Jet Lag Sleep

HOW TO PREVENT JET LAG

There are a few steps you can take to prevent and minimise jet lag. Leading up to your flight, try to shift your sleep schedule so it more closely resembles the time zone of your destination. Cut back of caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes before and during your trip, as these substances are all known to disrupt your circadian rhythm. While travelling, make sure to stay hydrated, eat healthy, and stretch your muscles. Once you arrive at your destination, spend plenty of time outdoors and in the sun to “jolt” your body into the new routine.

USING CBD WHEN YOU HAVE JET LAG

Even if you follow the above tips, you still may experience jet lag, especially if you’re travelling across a large time difference. If this is the case, it may be worth looking at what the studies below suggest about CBD's effect on the symptoms of jet lag.

We’ll go through each experiment, one by one, and see how CBD performed.

Melatonine and Cortisol Production

SLEEP DISTURBANCES

Some jet lag sufferers attempt to treat the condition by resorting to sleeping pills like benzodiazepines. These cause a host of side effects like weakness, depression, irritability, and headaches—and are highly addictive. Others might try taking exogenous melatonin to help regulate their sleep cycle. Melatonin can be effective for many people, but it doesn’t work for everyone, and for a minority can be tolerance forming. With these side effects in mind, many people are interested in possible alternatives.

A study[1] published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that CBD may have a calming effect—though not sedative—when administered to a rodent model. Strangely enough, CBD helped reduce daytime sleepiness, keeping male rats alert during the day. A second study[2] supported these findings, concluding that "CBD induces alertness".

ANXIETY AND IRRITABILITY

Jet lag can also cause anxiety and irritability as it disrupts the brain’s cortisol levels. In this domain, a 2011 study on CBD[3] and generalised social anxiety disorder used a simulated public speaking test to gauge performance-related anxiety. As part of a double-blind procedure, 24 participants with SAD were given either a 400mg dose of CBD or a placebo. Researchers found that "relative to placebo, CBD was associated with significantly decreased subjective anxiety".

INFLAMMATION AND PAIN

Regarding pain and inflammation, studies on CBD are mostly preclinical. One study, first reported by the Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience[4], proposes that CBD, “a major nonpsychoactive component of marijuana … significantly suppress[es] chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain without causing apparent analgesic tolerance in rodents”.

CBD oil Jet Lag

DIGESTION

Further studies examine CBD’s potential in the management of gastrointestinal problems, including ulcerative colitis[5] and inflammatory bowel diseases[6]. This is due in part to the recently discovered presence of CB1 receptors throughout the GI tract, leading researchers to posit the relevance of the endocannabinoid system in digestive system mediation. In the examples listed above, CBD was shown to affect gastrointestinal motility, a term used here to refer to contractions or dysregulation in the gut muscles

COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

Those who work while travelling might be especially frustrated by the cognitive impairment associated with jet lag. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of research on the short-term effects of CBD for improving cognition, but there are studies to suggest that the compound may reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is known to cause cognitive impairment and may be associated with jet lag[7]. CBD has been shown to affect oxidative stress and reverse associated cognitive deficits in rats. The study[8], which replicated mortality using a rodent model, administered CBD in 2.5, 5, and 10mg doses over a nine-day period.

CBD Jet Lag

QUESTION OF LEGALITY

The major potential side effect associated with CBD isn’t medical: it’s legal.

If you’re considering using CBD oil, make sure to check if CBD is legal in your destination country. Many transport agencies don't allow CBD. If you show up touting your tincture bottle at the airport, you may be unpleasantly surprised to find your CBD taken away, or to find yourself facing legal charges. Always proceed with caution.

External Resources:
  1. Effects of acute systemic administration of cannabidiol on sleep-wake cycle in rats. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Cannabidiol, a constituent of Cannabis sativa, modulates sleep in rats. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. Neural basis of anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in generalized social anxiety disorder: a preliminary report. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. Cannabinoids suppress inflammatory and neuropathic pain by targeting α3 glycine receptors. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Cannabidiol reduces intestinal inflammation through the control of neuroimmune axis. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Cannabidiol in inflammatory bowel diseases: a brief overview. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. Experimental 'jet lag' causes sympathoexcitation via oxidative stress through AT1 receptor in the brainstem. - PubMed - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  8. Treatment with cannabidiol reverses oxidative stress parameters, cognitive impairment and mortality in rats submitted to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture - ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: