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Stress is everywhere — but burnout doesn’t have to be your baseline. By bridging modern science and ancient plant wisdom, hemp offers a natural path to calm and resilience.
Burnout has become a buzzword, but for many, it’s not just a trend — it’s a lived reality. If you’ve ever stared blankly at your to-do list with no energy to give, snapped at someone you love for no real reason, or felt like you’re running on fumes day after day, you know burnout is very real.
But what exactly is burnout? At its core, burnout is the result of chronic stress that’s gone unmanaged. While it’s often associated with work, it can just as easily stem from the pressures of caregiving, living with a chronic illness, or keeping up with the relentless demands of modern life. Burnout doesn’t just affect corporate executives or healthcare workers. Parents, caregivers, students, entrepreneurs — anyone can feel its weight.
Burnout often shows up as constant exhaustion, brain fog, irritability, or the sense that you’re running on empty. Today’s constant connection to technology makes it even harder to disconnect — and the blue light from screens disrupts our sleep–wake cycles, pushing recovery even further out of reach.
If you’re feeling stressed or burned out, you’re far from alone. In 2025, workplace burnout has reached alarming new heights — research shows that 82% of employees are now at risk of burnout, a sharp rise from previous years.Rates of burnout have only risen since the pandemic, making it clear this is not a passing trend.
The World Health Organization now defines burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” marked by exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism, brain fog, reduced effectiveness, and a creeping sense of hopelessness.
Let’s look closer at the hallmarks of burnout:
Exhaustion: when your energy tank feels permanently on empty
Cynicism: the “ugh, why bother?” stage
Brain fog: when focus fades and even your best effort feels like it’s not enough
Irritability: when everything gets under your skin
Hopelessness: when you wonder if things will ever get better
Sound familiar? You’re not alone — and recovery is possible. Burnout recovery requires both immediate relief and long-term resilience. And plant allies — especially hemp — can help.
Hemp and herbs offer a practical, accessible method for relief and resilience in the midst of stress and burnout. In this article, we’ll look at how cannabinoids and herbs can do more than just ease symptoms — they can help restore your sense of stability and rebuild resilience in body, mind, and spirit.
Humans have turned to medicinal plants for stress relief for thousands of years. Today, herbs and hemp continue to offer natural ways to calm the nervous system when life feels overwhelming.
Integrating herbal and hemp-based formulas into your daily routine can reduce overwhelm and restore balance, giving you the energy and clarity to begin longer-term recovery from burnout. Let’s look into ways that hemp and herbs can support you on your path to reduced stress and burnout recovery.
Both research and personal stories point to cannabinoids as a powerful tool for self-support. While no supplement alone can “fix” burnout, cannabinoids offer a gentle and practical way to begin.
That said, cannabinoid products — including Polite products — offer a practical and accessible way to kickstart this process. Cannabinoids and hemp can help people shift out of survival mode, regain control, and take the first steps toward recovery. Burnout requires gentle, consistent action and hemp can be a meaningful starting point.
When it comes to burnout, how and why does hemp work? Let’s get into it.
Cannabinoids, the active molecules found in hemp and cannabis, work gently with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), our built-in network for maintaining balance. The ECS interacts closely with the stress-response system (the HPA axis) to regulate how we react to stress — and how quickly we return to calm afterward. When we face a challenge, the ECS keeps our stress response from going into overdrive and guides us back to a calmer baseline once the moment has passed.
When we’re under stress, the endocannabinoid system steps in to help restore balance. It regulates cortisol levels, calms overactive neural signaling, and helps the body shift between “fight-or-flight” and “rest-and-digest” modes. In doing so, the ECS not only eases the physical and emotional effects of stress — like anxiety, low mood, inflammation, and pain sensitivity — but also supports what stress tends to shut down: rest, nourishment, and sleep. When the ECS is working well, we feel more resilient, adaptable, and capable of bouncing back from life’s challenges.
As Dr. Tanja Bagar writes in her article "The Endocannabinoid System and Stress Response", “Research has shown that the endocannabinoid system functions as an SOS mechanism that is activated whenever our bodies are out of balance… when we feel emotional pain or are under stress.” In other words, our ECS is a built-in resilience system — one that cannabinoids can help support.
Fortunately, research now verifies that cannabinoids, which support the endocannabinoid system, can help those struggling with burnout. In a 2021 JAMA Network Open study, healthcare workers who took 300mg CBD daily reported a 60% drop in anxiety, 50% less depression, and 25% fewer burnout symptoms compared to those who didn’t. This research echoes what many people experience firsthand: cannabinoids can help the body and mind adapt, regulate, and recover.
Here is more promising research about how cannabinoids can help manage the stress response and support those who are facing stress and burnout:
Stress response modulation. CBD can reduce heart rate, blood pressure, fear expression, and anxiety in stressful settings, helping the body find calm after a challenging moment.
Neuroprotective & anti-inflammatory effects. CBD may reduce neuroinflammation and support the body’s stress signaling pathways, regulating the body's response to stress andeasing the strain stress places on the body.
Mood & nervous system balance. By working with receptors that influence mood and stress — including serotonin and GABA — CBD calms the nervous system and restores emotional balance. In clinical studies,CBG shows promising results for anxiety and stress reduction.
Relief from burnout symptoms. When chronic stress strains the body, symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, and burnout can appear — but phytocannabinoids such as CBD may help recalibrate these systems and promote resilience.
Growing research continues to affirm what many have felt firsthand: hemp and cannabinoids can be powerful allies in managing stress and recovering from burnout.
Cannabis has a long history of use for relaxation and stress relief, but not all cannabis is created equal when it comes to the pursuit of wellness.
Many people reach for THC to cope with exhaustion or overwhelm, and at low doses, THC can indeed provide relaxation, laughter, or a sense of calm. But because THC has a biphasic effect, its impact depends heavily on dose. While THC can promote relaxation at low doses, higher doses can increase anxiety and overstimulation — the opposite of what burnout recovery needs.
Hemp-based products, which are rich in CBD and CBG and low in THC, offer a calmer, more consistent path to balance without unwanted side effects.
Polite’s cannabinoid formulas blend CBD, CBG, and microdoses of THC— supporting the ECS and promoting steady resilience.
CBD offers steady, grounding support, helping to ease tension, encourage restful sleep, and quiet the body’s overactive stress signals.
CBG adds an uplifting, balancing effect, supporting mood, focus, and clarity when life feels overwhelming.
Microdoses of THC can provide just enough relaxation and relief to deepen the benefits of other cannabinoids — without tipping into the overstimulation or anxiety that can accompany higher doses.
Instead of overwhelming the system, these formulas offer gentle, sustainable support for the body — helping to smooth the edges of burnout, easing anxious thoughts, and creating more room for calm, rest, and resilience.
In addition to hemp, certain herbs can play a powerful role in reducing stress and promoting resilience against burnout. These herbs can be grouped into a few key categories:
Adaptogens – Herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil help the body respond to stress and maintain balance, supporting long-term resilience.
Calming herbs – Chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and kava provide relaxation and anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects, helping to ease mental tension and promote restorative states.
Anti-inflammatory herbs – Turmeric, ginger, frankincense, and gotu kola help reduce inflammation, which can be triggered or worsened by chronic stress and burnout.
Polite’s cannabinoid and herbal formulas make it easy to incorporate supportive herbs into your daily routine for reduced stress and burnout recovery. These options provide steady, adaptable support that builds resilience and fosters calm, even under daily pressures.
Ease Your Mind combines kava and lemon balm to lift mental spirits and gently guide the body out of fight-or-flight mode, offering natural support during periods of stress and anxiety.
Kava is a nervous system relaxant. It relaxes muscles, the mind, and it promotes feelings of calm.
Lemon Balm helps center and balance the mind, offering a gentle lift in mood without being overstimulating.It allows for relaxation and a sense of calm without sacrificing mental clarity.
To hear from clinical experts discussing the cannabinoids and functional herbs in Polite’s Ease Your Mind formula, check out this video: Polite Formulation: Ease Your Mind
Here are a few things our customers have said about their experience with Ease Your Mind and how it has helped them find calm in the midst of daily life:
“These drops help calm my nervous system.”
“This product eased my stress like no other. Ease Your Mind helped me to get through the day without pressure. I am an intense person and could feel the stress lifting and space opening. It helped me get through the day with grace.”
“I was skeptical that a CBD product could actually offer relief for my anxiety. 1ml of Ease Your Mind gave me the extra bit of relief I needed to get through a rough morning. I doubled up the dose in the afternoon and it was perfect. I'm a believer.”
“I specifically take [Ease Your Mind] in the afternoon after my workouts and it really helps me settle down and relax into the evening.”
“I use it for sleep but primarily need it to just calm myself down and stop my brain from constantly thinking when I go to bed.”
Daily Defense features ashwagandha and frankincense to reinforce resilience and restore balance, helping the body and mind recover from fatigue, hormonal shifts, and chronic stress.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that can help to balance cortisol levels in the body. When cortisol runs too low or too high (often resulting from acute or chronic stress), it can cause immune disruption. Therefore, ashwagandha and Daily Defense support the immune system and overall functionality of the body by modulating stress hormones, supporting health mechanisms of the immune system, and allowing the body to naturally recover from stress.
Frankincense is anti-inflammatory and further supports healthy immunity by calming inflammation.
To hear from clinical experts discussing the cannabinoids and functional herbs in our Daily Defense formula, check out this video: Polite Formulation: Daily Defense
Integrative physicians recognize the value of herbs in supporting overall wellness. Polite is proud to partner with AIMS, an integrative clinic based in Seattle, WA. Dr. Sunil Aggarwal, co-founder of AIMS and member of Polite’s medical advisory board, explains how adaptogens like ashwagandha can help the body manage stress and build resilience:
“[Adaptogens] are medicines that help to boost your natural ability to roll with the punches — the stresses and strains of life, which we know can lead to oxidative damage or can increase your stress hormones.” — Dr. Sunil Aggarwal, MD, PhD, FAAPMR, FAAHPM, Co-Founder AIMS Institute
Ashwagandha, a well-studied adaptogen, works in this way to support nervous system balance, helping you navigate stress and combat burnout naturally. To hear more from Dr. Aggarwal, take a look at this video (specifically minute 1:33–2:03): Physicians Speak on Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids and herbal supports can make burnout more manageable. Even when the root causes of stress aren’t easily resolved, calming a racing mind or achieving restorative sleep can be life-changing. Finding relief and reconnecting with wellness helps move you from simply surviving to truly thriving, making everyday challenges feel more manageable.
When incorporating hemp or cannabis into your wellness plan, it’s helpful to approach your routine strategically. Here are some practical ways to structure your cannabinoid use to best support your daily life.
*Oil Drops and tinctures of cannabinoids can be used for rescue relief as they take effect within the body about 30-45 minutes after use. For those seeking even faster relief, someone might opt for inhaled hemp or cannabis, which takes effect immediately via absorption in the bloodstream.
These are just a few simple ways to weave cannabinoids into your daily routine for better stress management. Keep in mind that burnout is easier to manage when addressed early. Thinking ahead and having a plan in place helps prevent slipping into a reactive “damage control” mode.
Finally, consider that different days bring different needs. For example, daytime relief may look different from weekend elevation, and nighttime relaxation may differ from daytime decompression. By tuning into your body and mind, and leveraging lifestyle practices alongside supportive herbal and cannabinoid formulas, you can create a tailored approach that works for your unique rhythm.
You may consider the best time of day — or multiple times of day — that work best for you in terms of when to take your regular dose of cannabinoids and Polite products. Here are some time-specific rituals you can follow to seamlessly integrate hemp into your everyday routine.
After burnout, there are ways to come back to balance. By turning to natural ways to calm the body — including hemp and herbs — you can take meaningful steps toward healing. With the help of intentional plant therapeutics, it’s possible to restore balance, regulate your stress response, and re-engage with daily routines more easily.
Hemp and herbs may not erase burnout overnight, but they offer an accessible and effective first step toward relief. For anyone feeling busy or overwhelmed, cannabinoid and herbal support provides a realistic way to pause, reset, and reclaim balance in the moment.
Long-term recovery, of course, takes deeper work — exploring root causes, embracing lifestyle shifts, and building supportive practices that nurture the whole self. But plant medicine is far from a small step. These tools give us agency, offering a way to take meaningful action and connect with remedies that truly support our bodies without unwanted side effects. In many ways, it’s like planting a seed: partnering with nature to restore resilience, grow stronger, and find new ways forward.
Polite is here to walk beside you through these shifts. Our products are designed to meet you where life happens — helping you move from burnout to balance, and from stress back into flow. Burnout may knock, but it doesn’t have to stay. You’re in charge of how you respond, and thriving is always within reach — even on the busiest days. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
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