Good sleep is associated with good health. Lack of sleep can contribute to plenty of health problems including depression, stress, anxiety, poor memory, fatigue, etc. Hence, it is important to take it seriously. Most sleep medications have side effects, so given the growing popularity of cannabidiol, users are wondering: can CBD help sleep better? Let’s look at this issue in more detail.
How CBD Helps
Cannabidiol is a cannabinoid that has numerous therapeutic uses and helps relieve pain, reduce inflammation, maintain brain health, etc. Studies indicate that CBD can help improve the insomnia condition, because it interacts with the endocannabinoid system that helps regulate the body processes and maintain a state of balance in the body.
The cannabis plant has two major components: cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. While THC is responsible for the psychoactive properties that can make people high, CBD has a calming effect on the body that promotes sleep and helps treat other mental ailments. Other health benefits of CBD include:
- treatment of pain and inflammation caused by arthritis,
- cancer pain relief,
- migraine and headache relief,
- PTSD treatment,
- depression, anxiety and stress reduction.
CBD and Sleep
There are many reasons that can cause sleep problems, for example depression, PTSD, excessive consumption of caffeinated drinks among others. Studies show that CBD helps calm the system which eventually contributes to good sleep.
To understand how CBD helps improve sleep, it is important to find out the main cause of sleeplessness. If your insomnia is caused by the external factors, CBD can help with this issue. It has been proven by studies that it helps in treating some ailments that create sleep hindrances. CBD treats directly the root causes of insomnia and promotes uninterrupted sleep. For instance, if you have been struggling with depression, stress, anxiety or suffering from PTSD, it starts working on your issue thus promoting better the sleep.
How to Use CBD to Sleep Better?
CBD is available in different forms depending upon the consumers’ preference and purpose. There are plenty of ways to take CBD in order to treat your sleep issue, such as:
- oils and tinctures,
- pills and capsules,
- vaping concentrates,
- edibles.
It has been proven that CBD in e-liquids is likely to enter the system much faster than any other form. The right concentration and dosage depends on plenty of factors, such as your weight, age, sleep duration among others. They will determine how CBD will work on your body and how much you should take. A majority of clinical trials on CBD for sleep recommend dose between 25 to 1500 mg/day.
Researchers recommend to start with a low dosage in order to check how your body reacts to CBD and then gradually increase it according to your needs. This treatment works gradually—in most cases, patients notice the difference only after some time. For someone, it may take about a month or two to see the positive results, hence it is advised to remain patient and take the dosage appropriately to get better sleep.
Just like many other medicines, CBD requires some time to accumulate in your system and start functioning purposefully. The effects vary from person to person, so this kind of cannabinoids may not work for you although it worked for your friend. You can also consult a physician before taking CBD for sleep.
Oil Form Is Best for Sleep
As mentioned earlier, CBD is available in different forms that have different effects. The vaping concentrates work instantly but have some side effects, so if you are looking for the reliable sleep aid, you should try using CBD oil. You can simply apply it on your forehead or massage into your scalp to get a calming sleep, and gradually it will start giving you a soothing and calming effect.
Is Too Much Bad?
Everybody is different and requires a different concentration for better sleep. It is important to determine how your body reacts to the CBD, start with a low dose and then further increase it, because the excessive use of CBD might affect your body adversely. According to studies, the overdose of CBD causes nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, hence, it is advised to keep your dose as low as possible during the initial days.
The Bottom Line
CBD has numerous health benefits, including the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders. It has a calming and relaxing effect on the body, thereby triggering a deep and uninterrupted sleep. Whether you take it in pills or consume in edibles, such as gummies, CBD in any form will help you sleep better. Since there can be many reasons for sleeplessness, it is necessary to find out its actual cause and only after then use some kind of CBD sleep aid.