Yes, We Are All Still Getting a Bad Night’s Sleep. Can CBD Help?
Getting a good night’s rest is a significant challenge for many of us. So you may want to turn to a CBD night serum, tincture, oil, tea, pill, or edible to help you deal with insomnia, sleep-related anxiety, or a sleep disorder.
But can CBD help you with your sleep troubles?
We dived deep into the available research on CBD and its effects on sleep. You’ll learn why you might be struggling with sleep, how CBD may help, and how to create a good sleep routine.
Why Do You Struggle to Get a Good Night’s Sleep?
Up to 70 million Americans are affected by a sleep disorder every year, and 33–50 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia. During a stressful time, like war or a natural disaster, it makes sense that there would be an increase in sleep disturbances.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been no different. The anxiety, stress, financial woes, grief, isolation, and more have made their mark.
Coronasomnia is the term given to the increase in sleep disorders during the pandemic, with as many as 40 percent of people reporting sleep issues in a 2021 study.
More than ever, alternative sleep-aids like CBD night serum are filling medicine cabinets. But is there evidence behind their efficacy?
Does CBD Help With Insomnia and Other Sleep-Related Problems?
Sleep is an essential component to feeling alert and refreshed during the day and to recharge your mind and body (which is crucial for your overall health). When there’s uncertainty about the future, a good night’s rest helps you adapt and cope.
So if you struggle with insomnia or other sleep disorders, CBD may help.
Unfortunately, the research into CBD night serums and other products for health benefits is still in its infancy, but here’s what we do know.
CBD and the Endocannabinoid System
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex but natural network comprised of receptors, enzymes, and endocannabinoids within your body that helps restore balance by regulating various functions and processes, from your mood and appetite to your memory, sleep, and circadian rhythms.
CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp, interacts with the ECS receptors or with your bodies own natural endocannabinoids.
A 2021 study, published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, states that CBD may either prevent your natural endocannabinoids from breaking down (antagonistic action), thus increasing their effect (as with your sleep/wake cycle), or bind to a yet unknown ECS receptor (agonistic action).
A 2020 review found that while preliminary studies support CBD’s therapeutic potential for the treatment of sleep disorders, the studies conducted so far have used small control groups and differing doses and CBD forms, often in combination with THC and other medication.
It’s also not clear whether the individuals in the trials reported better sleep because CBD helped with their chronic pain, anxiety, or something else.
Biphasic CBD and Studies on Sleep
CBD is biphasic, meaning high and low doses of the compound may cause opposite effects, and this also varies from one person to the next. A 2017 study confirms that a low dose of CBD may have stimulating effects, while a high dose (of 160 milligrams per day) may have sedating effects.
Another study, published in 2019, found that 79.2 percent of the patients said they experienced lower anxiety and 66.7 percent slept better after the first month of a daily dose of CBD at 25 to 175 milligrams. After the second check-in (two months into the study), 78.1 percent reported lower anxiety and 56.1 percent slept better.
In previous studies, CBD alleviated pain and anxiety, which are oftentimes underlying causes of insomnia and other sleep-related problems. So if CBD can help treat these causes, then by effect, it can also help a person sleep better. Hence, the rise of our ever-popular CBD night serum.
10 Tips to Building a Better Nighttime Routine
Having good sleep hygiene (healthy sleep habits) promotes better sleep.
Here are the best tips to build better sleep habits:
- Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning.
- Help regulate your body clock (circadian rhythm) by spending enough time in the sun.
- Try a CBD night serum to help improve your sleep.
- Nap for only 20 to 30 minutes if you need to during the day; longer naps interfere with nighttime sleep.
- Make your bedroom a sanctuary: a cool, dark, quiet, and clutter-free place you love to be.
- Beware of your caffeine intake as too much disrupts sleep.
- Don’t eat dinner too late as it promotes restless sleep.
- Choose sleep-promoting snacks (tart cherries and nuts) if you are hungry before bedtime.
- Say no to blue light (watching TV or spending time on your phone) at least two to three hours before bedtime.
Final Thoughts on CBD and Sleep
Even though the research on CBD and its effects on sleep are still in the early phases, the outlook is promising. When a CBD night serum or tincture helps you with chronic pain or anxiety, it helps you sleep better too.