Few things are more important to your health than a good night’s sleep. Not only does sleep repair your body and allow your brain to process the day’s events, but it can also help you lose weight, feel happier, improve memory and decision-making abilities, lower your blood pressure, fight off infections, decrease inflammation, and slow the effects of aging. Unfortunately, plenty of us doesn’t get enough sleep on an ongoing basis. The average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night – less than our ancestors did 100 years ago! So what can you do about this?
History of CBD
CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of the dozens of non-psychoactive cannabinoids found in cannabis.
While most people think about THC, it’s actually CBD that has incredible medical potential, especially when used in conjunction with other cannabinoids. Scientists have known since 1964 that CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
In recent years, we’ve learned just how important CBD can be to our health—particularly when it comes to sleep.
The cannabinoid interacts with receptors throughout your body to promote restful sleep, relaxation, and healing.
Not only does CBD help regulate your circadian rhythm so you fall asleep at night; but it also helps reduce anxiety so you stay asleep all night long!
What are cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals that come from hemp, an industrial form of cannabis.
Cannabinoids interact with your body by way of naturally occurring cannabinoid receptors in your cells.
These receptors respond to compounds called cannabinoids, which are found in hemp, or industrial marijuana (another form of cannabis).
The two major types of cannabinoids are endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. Endo- means endogenous; they originate within our bodies. Phyto- comes from Greek words meaning plant.
So, phytocannabinoids are plant-based cannabinoids. They’re called phytocannabinoids because most of them come from plants
What is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is one of more than 80 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids that are found in hemp or industrial marijuana.
CBD is a nonpsychoactive component of cannabis Sativa plants and it is legal in all 50 states under current federal law.
CBD oil is extracted from both hemp plants and medical marijuana plants.
How does CBD work?
A lot of research has been done on how CBD works in humans, but there’s still so much we don’t know about its effects on sleep.
But what we do know is that cannabidiol appears to have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce pain and improve sleep quality for people who suffer from chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia.
The Endocannabinoid System
All vertebrates contain an endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of receptors that helps maintain homeostasis.
And CBD oil has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great way to battle insomnia—or sleeplessness in general.
In fact, many sleep specialists recommend using CBD for relief from insomnia due to its natural calming properties.
Without enough rest, you can’t perform at your best or enjoy life to its fullest!
If you are having trouble sleeping, try taking CBD before bedtime. It is non-addictive and doesn’t have any side effects.
As always, talk with your doctor before trying anything new. The body does produce its own cannabinoids, so technically CBD isn’t really necessary—but it certainly won’t hurt!
How can CBD help me sleep?
Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis. It’s increasingly being used for medical reasons.
A major benefit is that it does not produce psychoactive effects or highs often associated with cannabis use.
This lack of psychoactivity may make CBD a more appealing treatment option for patients seeking anti-anxiety benefits since THC can produce feelings of nervousness, disorientation, and sometimes paranoia.
Additionally, it is non-addictive and has been shown to be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
Better quality sleep with CBD oil
CBD oil has a long history of use as a natural sleep aid. In fact, CBD oil was found to be effective in reducing anxiety in research participants who had insomnia.
Oil is said to work by activating serotonin receptors in our brain, providing sedative effects when combined with other treatments such as melatonin.
It may also increase levels of adenosine in our body, which can have a calming effect on your nervous system. It may even help reduce pain and inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
There are several ways you can incorporate CBD into your daily routine to improve your quality of sleep.
One way is through tinctures or capsules that you take orally or topically on your skin. Another option is vaping oil using a vaporizer.
A third option is to mix it with another carrier oil, like coconut or hemp seed oil, before applying it directly to your skin.
Whatever method you choose, it’s important to remember that everyone reacts differently to CBD so what works for one person might not work for another person.
That’s why it’s important to talk with your doctor about finding an appropriate dosage and delivery method if you decide to try out CBD for yourself!
Research has shown… but does it really work?
There have been plenty of research studies done on CBD oil and sleep, but a lot of it is conflicting.
One study says that CBD helps insomnia, while another says it doesn’t.
To figure out which one is right for you, you first need to find out if your body even responds to CBD oil in any way at all.
This can be accomplished by going into a medical dispensary or shopping online for some low-dose capsules.
If you don’t feel anything after taking them, then you should stop using them as they likely won’t help with your sleep issues.
If they do work though, then there are two main factors that determine how well they will work: dosage and time.
For best results, start with a small dose (5mg) taken just before bedtime each night.
Be patient too; it could take up to 3 weeks before you notice an improvement in your sleeping patterns.
Once you see progress, increase your dosage slightly until you reach 15mg per day.
At that point, make sure to also focus on improving other areas of your life that may affect sleep such as stress management and diet/exercise.
Are there any side effects to using CBD oil?
Yes, there are some minor side effects to CBD oil. These usually do not last long-term, but you should still know about them. Some of these can include dry mouth, sleepiness or drowsiness, nausea, diarrhea, and decreased appetite.
As with any medication, it is important that you consult your doctor before using oil in order to monitor your response.
For example, if you start to feel dizzy after taking a dose of oil, then lower your dosage.
If it continues to bother you even after lowering your dosage, then talk to a medical professional about whether an adjustment needs to be made.
In general, most people tolerate CBD very well and experience few negative side effects from its use.
However, like anything else in life, there are some people who may react differently than others.
It’s always best to play it safe when trying something new so you don’t have to deal with any unnecessary discomfort.
Can I use CBD oil with my current medications?
If you’re taking medication, it’s important to ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to use with it.
Your doctor may change your dosage levels because it can potentially interact with certain medications.
It’s also possible that using oil might make your body more sensitive to other medications you take at a later time.
For example, if you take blood pressure medicine, using oil might increase blood pressure levels in some people.
Because of these factors, some doctors don’t recommend that patients who are currently on medication start taking the oil.
Instead, they recommend waiting until your current treatment has ended and your health care provider gives you clearance to begin using CBD.
The exception is for patients with epilepsy; researchers have found that taking cannabidiol while having seizures doesn’t increase seizure frequency.
