Will CBD Help With Insomnia?
Insomnia can leave you unrested and having to face the next day with low energy, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and decreased work or school performance. Many things can cause insomnia, including shift work, changes in your sleep environment, or clinical disorders like mania or depression. Medications can also cause insomnia. Over-the-counter and prescription medicines are often sought after to help with insomnia.
Unfortunately, these treatment options don't help most individuals suffering from insomnia. If you've tried conventional medicines, and they've failed to improve the quality and duration of your sleep, you might want to talk with your doctor about using medical cannabis, particularly CBD.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound found in cannabis and hemp that doesn't make you high. It's recently gained popularity because of its potential in treating other medical issues like anxiety and pain.
How Does CBD Help With Insomnia?
CBD helps with sleep because it can help with conditions that complicate sleep, such as stress, anxiety, and pain. When you calm your central nervous system, it could have a relaxing effect, helping you to ease your anxiety and stress, and even calm painful inflammation from certain conditions like low back pain or arthritis. Using CBD could help improve sleep directly, even if you're not suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, or stress.
Not everything is totally understood about the way in which cannabinoids work, including CBD. What research does show is CBD and other cannabinoids interact with the cells and proteins in your brain. Researchers have found your endocannabinoid system helps maintain specific functions in your body like:
- Appetite
- Mood
- Sleep
When it comes to sleep, CBD can also help regulate your circadian rhythms. You have a network of cannabinoid receptors within your endocannabinoid system in your central nervous system and brain. The two main receptors are CB1 and CB2.
The cannabinoids attach to these cells, causing a number of effects. The way in which it could affect sleep is that CBD might interact with certain receptors that potentially affect the sleep/wake cycle.
Although there are some studies showing CBD has a slight alerting effect, one particular survey with 72 adult participants with poor sleep and anxiety found two-thirds of these participants experienced improved sleep after using CBD for a month.
CBD could be an extremely effective alternative treatment option if you're suffering greatly from insomnia. Many individuals using CBD report cannabis works much better when compared to conventional sleep medicines, and isn't habit-forming. It also leaves you feeling well the following day.
Tips for Using CBD and Sleep Treatment
The tips below will help you use CBD more efficiently for supporting healthy sleep.
- Use CBD Only as a Supplement to Healthy Sleep Habits
While a good tool for sleep, CBD shouldn't be your crutch. You shouldn't rely on it exclusively to help fall and stay asleep. Ensure you are also practicing good sleep habits like:
- Avoiding caffeine in the evening
- Turning off screen time a minimum of an hour before bed
- Maintaining a routine bedtime and sleep schedule
An overall healthy lifestyle consisting of a good diet and physical activity can also help with sleep.
- Don’t Over Do It
Small doses of CBD may not be as effective; however, you also don't want to take larger doses regularly. Instead, start off with a 25 mg dose, and increase as needed, unless your doctor says otherwise.
- Only Use CBD and Insomnia Treatment When Needed
You shouldn't use CBD recreationally. It doesn't have any psychoactive effects anyway. While there's a very low risk, you could still use too much. While you may not be concerned about overdosing on CBD, taking too much can cause it to lose its effectiveness over time.
- Choose your Delivery Method Wisely
Oils and edibles provide sustained CBD delivery, helping you to stay asleep longer at night. However, vaping could provide you with quicker relief, but it wears off much quicker. When considering a method of delivery, think about your specific needs whether it's falling asleep fast or staying asleep, and choose the appropriate method of delivery. You then may want to experiment with different methods to see which one works best for you to help you fall or stay asleep.
Risks of CBD For Sleep
CBD oil has few risks when you compare it with other sleep disorder treatments. For instance, it's not addictive, like sleeping pills, and doesn't pose a risk of overdose. It's a much better alternative if you're trying to treat a chronic problem.
The additional effects of CBD suggest it could help with the underlying cause of insomnia. As mentioned earlier, if pain and anxiety are keeping you awake, CBD could help.
Is CBD Right for You?
CBD oils are often a recommended treatment choice for numerous sleep disorders. But, is it right for you? There are a variety of different formulations to try, so experiment a little, and see if you can find the right one for you. You may even want to talk with your doctor first, and see if he or she has any suggestions.
Either way, you will be the one to ultimately decide if CBD can help you with your insomnia or other sleeping disorder. If you do try it, give it a couple of weeks before you make that decision. Sometimes it may take a little bit to work up to its full potential.
Insomnia is No Joke — Combat it With your Own CBD-Infused Pillow
It's no fun tossing and turning in bed all night long because you're struggling with insomnia. No doubt, if you're suffering from frequent sleeplessness, you've tried a slew of sleep remedies, and likely without success if you're reading this.
Now that you know about CBD's potential in combating insomnia, which calms your nervous system and doesn't interrupt your REM-sleep like THC, you may want to experiment with it.
But, how can you use CBD effectively to beat your insomnia symptoms?
Most people when considering using CBD medically for sleep automatically think edibles, oils, or drinks to help them snooze better. But, have you ever considered having CBD right in your soft, outrageously comfortable pillow?
Imagine, being able to reap the benefits of improved sleep with CBD, and the only thing you have to do is simply lie your head down on your pillow. Now you can — with our CBD-infused pillow, we hope you can enjoy a better night's sleep. Try your own CBD-infused pillow through our free trial, and finally start finding relief from your insomnia.