How CBD can help with sleep

Sleep is a significant and sometimes neglected part of life, important to mental and physical well-being. It helps restore the body to a functional state, affects concentration levels, helps reduce risk of disease, and even affects weight.

While sleep itself is important, getting to sleep is a struggle experienced by many. In fact, there are reports of increased insomnia during the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Alongside other distractions like screens, snacks at the wrong times, or unwinding thoughts, sleep can be desperately sought but ever elusive.

How CBD Can Help With Sleep

There are many factors that lead to sleeplessness and insomnia. These include:

• Environment (noise, temperature, uncomfortable bed)
• Medication
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Caffeine
• Mental disorders (PTSD, depression, anxiety)

Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to have powerful pain-relieving (analgesic) and anti-inflammatory properties to boost a variety of effects in the body. Here are ways CBD can help relieve the symptoms that lead to not sleeping:

Serotonin Release

CBD triggers the 5-HT1A receptor, responsible for boosting serotonin. Serotonin is a key hormone stabilizing mood, feelings of happiness and wellbeing, helping with sleep, eating, and digestion.

Research on cannabis improving sleep-related behaviours shows how CBD positively affects the sleep cycle. The study looked at four patients with Parkinson’s disease, finding CBD improved symptoms of Rapid-Eye-Movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, a sleep disorder associated with nightmares and leading to poor sleep.

Cannabinoid Receptors

CBD is a hemp product derived from the cannabis plant. It contains none of the psychoactive components of cannabis as CBD contains 0.3% THC content. This means it still contains many components of cannabis, including cannabinoids, without getting you high.

These same cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in our bodies, responsible for regulating our immune system, mood, and other factors. Easing these factors leads to reducing factors leading to lack of sleep.

Research is still continuing on using CBD as an analgesic and for therapeutic strategies in chronic patients. Results show that by easing pain, CBD can improve sleep.

Terpenes

Terpenes are described as the aroma-inducing compounds found in plants, with over 200 found in the cannabis plant. Terpenes are generally known for their therapeutic qualities, aiding in making the body feel relaxed. Common terpenes in CBD oil can have calming effects that help with lowering anxiety and leading to sleepiness.

Anti-Anxiety

CBD contains the right anti-anxiety chemical compounds to relieve pain, stress and depression. These compounds also act as a stimulant to promote rest, healing and rejuvenation.

Research involving 72 adult patients was conducted in 2019, to figure out whether CBD reduces anxiety and/or improves sleep. Of the 72 patients, 25 were experiencing poor sleep while the remaining 47 experienced anxiety. In the first month, 67% suffering from lack of sleep showed improved sleep and 79% of the anxiety patients showed decreased anxiety.

 

4 Ways to Help Improve Sleep

Considering how important sleep is to the body and mind, it is also important to create an environment that allows peaceful sleep. Start your evening rest right, by removing unnecessary distractions in your bedroom that can lead to loud noises, negatively affect your body, or bring some kind of discomfort.

1.     Eat Less Snacks/Caffeine

Caffeine is a known stimulant, used to keep alert, while snacks often contain chemicals and hormones/additives that affect sleep. Watching your snack and caffeine intake can help reduce the source of sleeplessness.

Consider CBD tea or edibles as an alternative to late night snacks and caffeinated drinks.

2.     Prepare Mentally For Bed

The end of the day is when our thoughts and body wind down from a long day. Thoughts can creep in as you lay your head down, making it difficult to fall asleep. Find a way to process your thoughts, either by creating a sleep schedule, writing down all worries and thought, or using relaxation exercises.

3.    Regular Exercise and No Late-Night Screens

Researchers have found that exercise triggers different effects in the body that promote falling asleep. Exercise is also known to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms, which can be factors leading to insomnia.

Sleep is one of the factors that affect our circadian rhythm (body clock), which regulates the body’s periods of wakefulness and sleepiness.  The circadian rhythm is affected by light, meaning exposure to excess light during the night has an influence on our sleep cycle. In short, spending less time on bright screens can help improve sleep.

 

4.     Enjoy CBD Alternatives

This post covers the many positive effects cannabidiol has on the body, to alleviate anxiety and pain to improve sleep. Thankfully, CBD can be enjoyed in many forms to suit the individual:

• Oils and vape concentrates
• Sublingual tinctures
• Capsules/Pills
• Edibles

Find the right CBD product to add to your evening routine and get the good night’s rest you need.