Can’t fall asleep? Can’t stay asleep? Want a healthier sleep cycle? There’s a chance CBD is the solution to each of those problems. Plenty of people use CBD to get better sleep, so let’s take a closer look at it and how it works. Here’s what you’ll learn in this guide:
- The Endocannabinoid system and sleep
- Is CBD good for sleep?
- How does CBD help with sleep?
- Can CBD make you restless?
- What dosage of CBD oil is best for sleep?
- What medications should not be taken with CBD?
The Connections Between The Endocannabinoid System And Sleep
“Cannabinoid” refers to the active parts of the cannabis plant that cause its benefits by interacting with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ESC is a deeply intricate neurochemical network in the body that impacts things such as cognition, mood, sleep, appetite, pain, and reward. While the body naturally produces endocannabinoid molecules, outside sources like CBD can effect the ESC and help with things like pain and sleep.
According to a recent publication in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, “clinical studies suggest that CBD modulates endocannabinoid signaling through several receptor sites, offering a multifaceted approach to sleep regulation.”
Is CBD Good For Sleep?
Yes, CBD can be great for sleep — especially Indica-dominant strains like Skywalker or Sour Diesel. Indica strains help you feel relaxed, calm, and less stressed, which can, in turn, help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Not to mention, if you have “sleep anxiety,” CBD may help you with that, too. Sleep anxiety is when you feel anxious about going to sleep because you’re worried you won’t be able to sleep. CBD may help you feel less anxious, which makes bedtime way easier for the stressed mind.
Pro Tip! If you want to unwind after work or make falling asleep a little easier, try our Sour Suver Haze artisanal single-strain extract. It helps support a healthy sleep cycle, and it has delightful tasting notes of lemongrass, hops, allspice, and pine.
How Does CBD Help With Sleep?
CBD helps with sleep by helping with a variety of conditions that can cause sleep disturbances. Preliminary research has showed that CBD for sleep has promise for treating conditions like insomnia, chronic pain, sleep disorders, and and anxiety disorders, all of which can lead to poor sleep.
Early research is showing that treating these conditions with CBD has the potential to help increase sleep quality overtime, as the conditions causing sleep issues are mitigated. Presently, clinical data is promising in these areas, but more studies are needed to confirm CBD’s efficacy as a sleep aid for different issues across different populations.
Can CBD Make You Restless?
Yes, in some cases, CBD can make you restless. That’s because CBD affects everyone differently, and some strains of CBD are bred to increase energy (sativas).
So if you enjoy a sativa-dominant strain of CBD right before bed, you may find yourself focused and feeling creative — instead of feeling drowsy and ready for a blanket fort.
And even if you choose a CBD strain that’s Indica-dominant, individual body chemistry varies. For some people, these strains have opposite effects, and for others, there’s no effect at all. It all comes down to your body and how it responds to CBD.
Pro Tip! If you want a weekday or workday booster, we recommend our Forbidden V artisanal single-strain extract — one to two droppers under the tongue with a meal.
What Dosage Of CBD Oil Is Best For Sleep?
There’s not an exact right or wrong answer here, it’s more of a spectrum. But before we talk numbers, let’s get into the math behind dosage.
There are two key numbers when it comes to dose. First is “mg” — or how many milligrams of CBD are in a container, product, jar, gummy, and so on. Second is mL — or how many milliliters there are of your CBD oil, tinctures, and so on.
An example is a 30 mL bottle of 1,000 mg CBD oil. That means there is 1,000 mg of CBD packed into 30 mL of liquid. If you have a 60 mL bottle of 1,000 mg CBD oil, that means there’s the same amount of CBD, but there’s also way more liquid — so it’s less potent.
In which case, when it comes to dose, beware of answers like “2000 mg” because that’s not complete information … 2000 mg of what?
For that reason, we suggest you start low and slow. With our products, we recommend one to two droppers under the tongue when you take our organic CBD extract.
From there, you can see how you feel and increase or decrease the dose or frequency as desired.
As always, check with your doctor before making changes to your health routine because even though it’s rare, CBD may interact with some medications and other drugs. It could also cause you to fail a drug test if it is a product that contains enough THC.
What Medications Should Not Be Taken With CBD?
Even though for most people, CBD is a safe choice with many health benefits, it’s not for everyone. It is important to consider safety and side effects before taking CBD. In some cases, side effects may include nausea, interference with rem sleep, dry mouth, fatigue, drowsiness, and diarrhea.
And in other cases, CBD oil may negatively interact with certain medications (this is called a contraindication). For example, if you take certain blood thinners, sedatives, narcotics, sleep medicine, or anticonvulsants, it’s best to check with your doctor and ask if CBD is right for you, to make sure you don’t have any negative drug interactions.
If you aren’t sure whether CBD is the right choice for you, talk with your doctor before making any changes to your health routine. Your doctor can help you make the safest choice for you, your body, and your health, and can help you figure out if CBD could help treat a sleep disorder.
How Acknowledge CBD Products Stand Out
At Acknowledge, we believe transparency is the key ingredient in trust. We want you to know exactly what you’re putting in your body, so we keep our ingredients simple, have our products third-party tested, and provide in-depth COAs.
Our CBD oil is carefully sourced from our regenerative farm in Maryland’s Pleasant Valley. We value sustainable practices that support the land, our products, and the health and well-being of our customers. If you’re looking for a CBD brand that you can trust, shop Acknowledge. If you have further questions, please reach out to us today.
*The content provided by Acknowledge CBD is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it based on information from this site. Reliance on any information provided by Acknowledge CBD is solely at your own risk.
Sources
Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders
Esther M. Blessing, corresponding author Maria M. Steenkamp, Jorge Manzanares, and Charles R. Marmar
Cannabinoids and Sleep: Exploring Biological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potentials
Martina D’Angelo and Luca Steardo, Jr.
Cannabinoids and neuroinflammation: Therapeutic implications
Brian E. Leonard, Feyza Aricioglu
Andrea J. Narayan, BPsych (Hons), Luke A. Downey, PhD, Sarah Rose, BPsych (Hons), Lauren Di Natale, BPsych (Hons), Amie C. Hayley, PhD
Shenglong Zou, Ujendra Kumar