How Is CBD Effective in Getting a Good Sleep?

A good night's sleep is important for improved quality of life. It can affect alertness, concentration, and memory during the day. Different conditions can affect sleep quality. CBD has been used to help people get enough sleep. How is CBD effective in getting a good night's sleep? This question is discussed in this article.

Stress, anxiety, and physical health can cause sleep disturbances such as insomnia and apnea, leading to poor sleep quality and quantity. People resort to using prescribed medicine and herbal ways to improve sleep quality. Recently one of the natural ways people use to improve sleep is CBD. Available in different products, CBD has been marketed by manufacturing companies as a sleeping aid. Studies have also indicated that CBD can help in relieving stress and help with sleep. This article will discuss what CBD is, what researchers have to say about its benefits, and how effective it is in improving sleep quality.

What Is CBD?

People use cannabis products for different purposes. One of the compounds or cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant is called cannabidiol or commonly referred to as CBD. Naturally present in acidic form, CBD and other cannabinoids are extracted and decarboxylated for use. The most commonly known cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, which is responsible for causing the high effect of using marijuana. CBD offers therapeutic and calming effects without intoxication. Products with CBD are available as vapes, oils, creams and balms, gummies, and pills.

Benefits of Using CBD

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the body, responsible for maintaining body balance, pain, heat, and sleep and controlling the interaction between body organs through neurotransmitters, receptors, and enzymes. The body also produces cannabinoids, CB1 and CB2, interacting with endocannabinoids from cannabis. Shannon & Opila-Lehman (2016) suggested that CBD helps with inflammation, pain management, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Devinsky et al. (2014) noted that CBD is also used to treat epilepsy and other neurological conditions.

Use of CBD and Sleep Quality

People use CBD to help, depending on what is causing them to have sleep difficulties. According to Babson et al. (2017), CBD can help improve sleep quality and quantity that may be affected by anxiety, insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorder, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. These findings are discussed below:

CBD and Anxiety

Anxiety can affect one's life and lead to poor sleep quality and disorders. Shannon et al. (2019) observed that people using CBD have reported reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality and quantity.

CBD and Insomnia

Insomnia is associated with having difficulties falling asleep or dissatisfaction with sleep quality. In other people, it can be waking up early or late at night and having difficulties going back to sleep. This can affect one's quality of life and concentration, especially during wake hours. Using CBD for insomnia increases sleep latency after using it. It is also reported to help with anxiety that can cause insomnia.

CBD and REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by dynamic behavior during dreaming and loss of muscle tone. This disorder is prevalent in aged people with neurodegenerative conditions. Chagas et al. (2014) reported that using CBD helped reduce REM sleep behavior disorder in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Learn more about 6 relaxation techniques for sleep

CBD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Snoring or medically known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, affects many people. It can affect the individual's sleep quality and disrupt the others around. Kaul et al. (2021) researched the use of cannabinoids to help reduce snoring. The effect of serotonin, CB1, and CBD receptors has shown that it can be effective. Learn more about 10 natural sleep remedies

CBD and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Disorder

People with excessive daytime sleepiness disorder struggle to stay away during normal hours. This can affect their normal daily functioning, behavior and attention, and quality of life. Suraev et al. (2020) pointed out that CBD helps people with excessive daytime sleepiness disorder stay awake and active during the day. These studies are few and include the use of CBD and THC.

Does CBD Make One Sleepy?

CBD makes one feel calm and relaxed because its reactions to neurotransmitters in the brain enhance relaxation and sleep. CBD does not make one sleepy but creates a calmness and comfortability that makes one fall asleep easily.

What is the Right Time to Take CBD?

CBD can be used at any time of the day, depending on the effect one needs to have. Most people who use CBD for sleep report using it in the evening. This helps with relaxation making one fall asleep easily, and also increases sleep latency. CBD is taken in the evening and also makes one wake up feeling relaxed and alert during the day. CBD can also be taken in the morning as an energy boost for exercise and to reduce daytime sleepiness. However, knowing the right CBD product and dosage is important.

CBD Products for Sleep

There are different CBD products one can choose to use. The most common products used for sleep are Vapes and CBD oil or tinctures. Smoking or vaping CBD has rapid effects when administered but can cause throat irritation and coughing, which some people do not prefer. CBD oil is also an effective way to use CBD for sleep. It can be taken sublingual or added to beverages. CBD gummies and food infused can be effective if taken hours before sleep. CBD takes a while to be effective through the digestive system but has long-lasting effects.

CBD Dosage for Sleep

There is no specific dosage for using CBD because each person reacts differently to it. One universal piece of advice is to start with a small dose and increase with time after knowing how one reacts to it. CBD also comes in different potencies, from low to concentrate. Dosage differs with strength as the concrete is more effective when taken in small doses than the low potency.

Conclusion

Cannabis products have been widely used to offer different benefits. CBD, one of the plant's compounds, has been marketed as a sleep aid, among other uses. People with sleep difficulties from anxiety, insomnia, apnea, and daytime sleepiness have used CBD and reported improved quality and quantity. CBD works with the body's endocannabinoid system to cause a relaxing and calm effect making one fall asleep easily. One should choose the CBD product that fits them and start with small doses at first. Though CBD works differently in each individual, it has been studied to offer users a good night's sleep.

References

Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, Cannabinoids, And Sleep: A Review Of The Literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(4), 1-12.

Chagas, M. H., Eckeli, A. L., Zuardi, A. W., Pena‐Pereira, M. A., Sobreira‐Neto, M. A., Sobreira, E. T., ... & Crippa, J. A. D. S. (2014). Cannabidiol Can Improve Complex Sleep‐Related Behaviours Associated With Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder In Parkinson's Patients: A Case Series. Journal Of Clinical Pharmacy And Therapeutics, 39(5), 564-566.

Devinsky, O., Cilio, M. R., Cross, H., Fernandez‐Ruiz, J., French, J., Hill, C., ... & Friedman, D. (2014). Cannabidiol: Pharmacology And Potential Therapeutic Role In Epilepsy And Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Epilepsia, 55(6), 791-802.

Kaul, M., Zee, P. C., & Sahni, A. S. (2021). Effects Of Cannabinoids On Sleep And Their Therapeutic Potential For Sleep Disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 18(1), 217-227.

Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019). Cannabidiol In Anxiety And Sleep: A Large Case Series. The Permanente Journal, 23.

Shannon, S., & Opila-Lehman, J. (2016). Effectiveness Of Cannabidiol Oil For Pediatric Anxiety And Insomnia As Part Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report. The Permanente Journal, 20(4).

Suraev, A., Grunstein, R. R., Marshall, N. S., D'Rozario, A. L., Gordon, C. J., Bartlett, D. J., ... & Hoyos, C. M. (2020). Cannabidiol (CBD) And Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) For Chronic Insomnia Disorder ('CANSLEEP'trial): Protocol For A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blinded, Proof-Of-Concept Trial. BMJ Open, 10(5), E034421.