Can Evn’s CBD-Infused Products Help Relieve Stress? I Put Them To The Test

I would describe myself as an ambiently anxious person. My experience with anxiety doesn’t necessarily keep me up at night or give me panic attacks, but I tend to be extra-sensitive to what’s going on around me and prone to frequent bouts of that heart-racing feeling that comes out of nowhere. Exercising, deep-breathing meditations, and a good night’s sleep help regulate my mood, but I’m always on the lookout for other tools to calm my mind.

CBD is, of course, a popular wellness topic that’s received a lot of attention over the last few years. As with most buzzy things, I’ve been simultaneously eager to try the gummies and tinctures I come across — but also a bit skeptical of their efficacy. Then, Evn CBD was sent my way. The brand’s line of CBD-infused offerings includes gummies, oils, capsules, salves, a sleep powder, and even a few items for pets. The products are also made from organically sourced, non-GMO hemp that’s grown on family-owned farms in Wisconsin.

I tried a few of Evn’s products during an optimal testing period: apartment hunting in New York City’s wild rental market and PMSing on top of that. Needless to say, I was putting the anti-stress properties of these products to the test.

What Effects Can CBD Have?

CBD is an active ingredient in cannabis derived from the hemp plant. Unlike THC, the other component of the plant that creates a psychoactive sensation, CBD doesn’t produce that “high” feeling. This makes it ideal for someone who wants the soothing, pain-relieving qualities of weed without the feeling-high effect. CBD has been touted as a tool for improving sleep, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and relieving pain.

That being said, it’s important to talk to your doctor before trying CBD, particularly since it may cause an interaction if you take other medications. Also, keep in mind that many people take CBD without any issues, some do experience side effects like fatigue, nausea, and irritability. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns not to use CBD in any form if you’re pregnant or nursing, and it’s also not recommended for children.

My Experience Trying Evn’s CBD Products

As I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t have received my box of Evn’s CBD products at a better time. In the short term, I was hoping it would help de-stress me while I went apartment hunting and dealt with PMS symptoms. On the first day, I tried one dropper — 16.6 milligrams of CBD — of the oil. I also rubbed some of the salve on my back. The combination was immediately relaxing, though using two products at once made me want to take a long nap. (That being said, I...might have been prone to taking a long nap anyhow.)

For the rest of the week, I alternated between a dropper of the CBD oil one day and two or three gummies the next. Both products generated a similar effect, though I found myself favoring the tincture primarily because of the light coconut-y flavor the MCT oil adds. You’ll also likely feel the effects of tinctures more quickly than gummies because they don’t have to be metabolized.

As the next few days passed, I noticed a subtle — but definitely noticeable — calm, clear-headed feeling during times when I might otherwise have had a pit in my stomach. Broadly speaking, I could feel my mindset balancing out a little. Whether it was rushing across Brooklyn to see an apartment or meeting new people at a writer’s networking event, I could work through the anxious brain fog that might normally have been more consuming.

While I favored the tincture, I can say that Evn’s CBD gummies taste pretty much like the real Haribo deal. A lot of CBD-infused gummies have that weed-y, bitter aftertaste, but Evn’s gummy bears taste as close to normal gummy bear sweetness as I’ve tried.

I don’t generally have trouble falling asleep, so I figured that Evn’s sleep powder might not become part of my nightly routine — but I was curious to try the cacao-flavored sleep powder. This powder’s sleep-enhancing ability is boosted by added supplements like melatonin, which can help with insomnia, and L-theanine, which has been found to improve sleep quality. A major selling point: it tastes almost exactly like hot chocolate.

Overall, what I found trying Evn’s product line was that while I (of course!) wasn’t magically cured of my anxious feelings, they did seem to sharpen my tools to face stressful moments in a calmer, more focused way. Honestly speaking, it can be hard to discern when something is having a placebo effect versus an actual physical effect, but with Evn’s products, I noticed enough of a difference in my mindset to keep taking them even after my review trial period was done.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Here’s what reviewers had to say about Evn’s roster of products and their stress-fighting, mood-lifting abilities:

“My boyfriend and I sleep much better on the nights we make our sleep powder drinks! That’s always a win for me!” — Rebecca S.

“First day with this product, wasn’t much to behold. However, after about the third day, WOW. And I mean WOW. Easy to fall asleep. No drowsiness or sluggish feelings the next day. Really feels like it calms me before bed.” — G.A.

“My ankle has been bothering me for months- I started using this a few days ago, applying 2x a day and it definitely feels a bit better already.” — Elizabeth

The brand has also received praise from Alex Puccio, a professional rock climber and winner of 11 national bouldering championships. “Their broad-spectrum CBD is amazing at relieving sore muscles and the eucalyptus and lavender oils help my mind relax while my body recovers,” she said of the salve in a Q&A with the brand.

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Studies referenced:

Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017, March 27). Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0775-9

Scott Shannon, MD, Nicole Lewis, ND, Heather Lee, PA-C, and Shannon Hughes, PhD (2019) Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series. The Permanente Journal https://www.thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/18-041

Lucile Rapin, Rihab Gamaoun, Cynthia El Hage, Maria Fernanda Arboleda, and Erin Prosk (2021) Cannabidiol use and effectiveness: real-world evidence from a Canadian medical cannabis clinic. Journal of Cannabis Research https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8223341