Getting a good night’s sleep can feel great and plays a significant role in your overall health and wellbeing. Doctors recommend that adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. A good night’s rest should leave you feeling refreshed and ready to begin the day. Sound sleep can also help strengthen your memory, help with muscle recovery, and boost your immunity.
Unfortunately, falling asleep or staying asleep can be a challenge for many sleepers. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), roughly 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can have serious health consequences including an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Possible solutions for better sleep may include improved sleep hygiene, prescription sleep aids, and natural sleep aids – like CBD.
A 2019 Consumer Reports survey found about 10 percent of Americans who reported trying CBD said they used it to help them sleep – and a majority of those people said it worked.
Other research suggests that CBD may also affect sleep by interacting with the receptors in the brain that help regulate our body’s daily sleep and wake cycles.
CBD AND SLEEP DISORDERS
Research into the effects CBD has on sleep is ongoing, but initial studies suggest CBD can help with a number of sleep disorders including insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness disorder.
ANXIETY
One way CBD may help with sleep is by easing anxiety. While it’s not classified as a sleep disorder itself, anxiety can contribute to poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep. Because CBD has a calming effect on the nervous system, early research suggests that CBD can be used to treat anxiety-related disorders. Given the evidence for CBD’s ability to ease anxiety, it’s possible that CBD may also help with anxiety associated with insomnia.
INSOMNIA
People who suffer from insomnia struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep at night. This disorder can adversly affect daytime wakefulness, concentration, and perhaps most importantly – your mood. A study of CBD use in people with diagnosed insomnia is underway. The findings will give more insight into the effects CBD has on insomnia.
DAYTIME SLEEPINESS
Another common sleep disorder is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). People who have EDS struggle to stay awake during daylight hours. The urge to fall asleep during the day may be for a variety of reasons including certain medications, various medical conditions, mental health disorders, and other sleep disorders.
Research on cannabinoids and EDS is limited, but initial research indicates the potential role of CBD in managing wakefulness. Further research is needed to determine what doses and methods work best.
SHOULD YOU TRY CBD FOR SLEEP?
If you want to give CBD for sleep a try, here are a few things to consider:
Higher doses may work better — There’s not a lot of research on dosing, but preliminary studies suggest that low doses might not be effective. A 2004 study found that low doses didn’t help people fall asleep and may have actually made people more alert. Research suggests that low doses of CBD stimulate the mind, while higher doses are more sedating.
Consider the form — Many types of CBD products are available and have the potential to help with sleep. While vaping CBD may work faster, tinctures and edibles such as CBD gummies might help you sleep longer, because they will release the CBD much slower.
Ask for advice — If other sleep remedies haven’t worked for you, talk with your doctor – especially if you take other medications. Your healthcare provider should know about all of the drugs and supplements that you take in order to best manage your overall care.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your physician prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing or using other medications.
