Millions of Americans suffer from sleep disorders or have trouble falling asleep regularly. The prevalence of sleep disorders may be even higher in underserved communities. That’s why CBD oil has become so popular for sleep.
You’ve probably heard that full spectrum CBD can help you sleep, and you’re wondering if this is true. Let’s just jump straight into this topic and answer this question right away: yes, you can use CBD for sleep to relax and get a good night’s rest. However, you should also know which sleep issues CBD help with and how to use it.
If you find yourself struggling to get the rest you need, know that you are not alone, and CBD may be able to help you. Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and more.
How Does CBD Oil Work?
CBD acts on the endocannabinoid system of the body. This system affects many aspects of the body’s operation, such as:
-Immune system
-Sleep/wake cycles
-Hormone levels
-Pain receptors
As a result, CBD oil can do many things for your body that will help it to relax and find restful sleep.
Many people choose CBD oil over other treatment methods because it is natural and non-habit forming. Some users who turn to prescription sleep aids end up developing an addiction, which may make the problem even worse than it was before you started taking it. When you use cannabidiol, you do not have to worry about dealing with any withdrawal symptoms if you choose to stop taking it.
Ways CBD Oil Can Help with Sleep Issues
There are many specific ways that CBD oil has been shown to help people who struggle to sleep. Let’s discuss all the different benefits in detail:
Reduce Your Anxiety
Many people that suffer from anxiety have trouble sleeping. As their head hits the pillow, they cannot help but worry about things they did or didn’t do during the day.Their brains often swirl for hours, making them miserable and exhausted.
Luckily, CBD oil has been shown to mitigate stress, which can alleviate anxiety. It regulates cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. Cortisol has been known to impact non-REM sleep cycles. By regulating cortisol, CBD oil encourages sleep.
Research has also suggested that it can lessen symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Find Relief from Your Pain
Sometimes acute and chronic pain is what keeps people from sleeping. It can be nearly impossible to fall asleep if you are in pain.
CBD oil combats the source of your pain so that you can find relief and drift off to sleep. Some other sleep aids work as a general sedative, which may not alleviate pain like cannabidiol can. For some people, a sedative makes them sleepy but doesn’t get rid of their pain, so it is still impossible to fully rest.
Relax Sore Muscles
If your muscles are metaphorically screaming at you because you pushed them too hard during a workout, then it can be challenging to quiet them and find rest. However, CBD can help. Consider using CBD patches to soothe achy, sore muscles before you go to bed. With the help of CBD, your muscles will relax, and you will find the peace you need to get some much-needed sleep.
Get Rest During Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, your body goes through so many unprecedented changes. Many people struggle to get sleep in this time of immense growth and change due to pain, stress, nausea, and insomnia that is induced by pregnancy.
The World Health Organization has not found any adverse health outcomes from CBD. However, there have been few studies including pregnant people. You should be sure to speak to your doctor to determine if taking it while you are pregnant is the best way to manage your sleeplessness.
Calm Your Nightmares
Nightmares are a severe problem that prohibits many people from getting the sleep they need. While some people may experience unpleasant dreams from time to time due to stress or other factors, other people regularly struggle with this issue. Many people who experience frequent problems with nightmares suffer from REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).
In a recent study, scientists found that patients treated with CBD experienced fewer symptoms of RBD and did not experience any adverse side effects. As a result, cannabidiol is showing promise as a treatment for nightmares and RBD.
Regulate Your Sleep/Wake Cycles
If you find yourself unable to keep your eyes open during the day, but also wide awake at night, then you may have issues with your sleep/wake cycles. CBD can help with this because it works to regulate these cycles.
Taking it during the day can help you feel more awake during those hours so that you are ready to go to sleep at night when the time comes. Taking CBD at night can help you relax and get ready for rest.
While these two times may seem in opposition to each other, it is thought that CBD can affect many aspects of the sleep/wake cycle and work differently in different people. You’ll need to try your own dosage and see which is the best time for you.
How to Use CBD to Combat Your Sleep Issues
There is not one right way to take CBD oil for sleep. It comes in many forms, and some types may be more effective than others because everyone’s body is different. You may have to experiment with several types of CBD, dosages, and times of day before finding a regime that works for you.
The key is not to give up if you do not achieve your desired results immediately after starting CBD. It is also important to note that some people experience the effects of CBD almost immediately. In contrast, others may not feel anything until after taking it regularly for several days or weeks. Try to give it at least a week before switching up your routine and trying something new so that you can be sure what you were doing was not working.
Types of CBD
Here are a few of the variations that CBD comes in that you can choose from:
- Edibles
- Tinctures and oils
- Capsules and pills
- Vape concentrates
- Patches
- Balms
There are pros and cons to each method of consuming CBD. For example, vaping is generally considered to be the fastest-acting method, but it may cause respiratory problems in some users. Conversely, balms are safer but take much longer to work.
If you want to be sure of exactly how much CBD you are taking, you may want to opt for a tablet or a capsule rather than using a tincture because the latter is much harder to measure accurately.
In addition to the above methods, consider adding CBD to food or drink to make the consumption process even more enjoyable.
To get the best results, you should ensure that you are taking a high-quality CBD product. Try only to use products that have undergone third-party testing to determine the level of toxins and contaminants present in the product. You will be able to find this information in a certificate of analysis (COA). If you are unable to find the COA, it may be a red flag and indication that you should stay away from the product, or at least conduct additional research.
Dosages of CBD
Everyone is different when it comes to finding their appropriate dosage, but there are a few rules of thumb that may be helpful.
Generally, experts recommend that people take 1-6mg of CBD for every ten pounds of body weight. So that would mean if you weighed one hundred pounds, you may want to take between 10mg and 60mg of CBD depending on your preferences. If you weighed 200 pounds, you might want to take between 20mg and 120mg of CBD, and so on.
You may want to start with a smaller dosage and then slowly work your way up if you find it ineffective. With this method, you can be sure that you are not taking more than you need. Starting slow will also help you to be confident that you do not have any adverse reactions.
You could also consider taking CBD more than once a day. You can experiment by cutting your dosage in half and taking one portion early in the day and the other part later. Some users have stated that they felt the benefits more strongly by splitting up their dosages.
You will not have to worry about triggering a false positive on a drug test unless you take a very large dosage. You would have to consume over 1,000mg of CBD to fail a drug test, and most people only consume between 100mg and 200mg per day. As a result, it is virtually impossible to fail a drug test while consuming responsible amounts of CBD.
There is also no dosage of CBD that would cause you to get high. The compound that causes people to get high in marijuana is THC. There are only trace amounts of THC in CBD, even though they come from the same plant. There is also research to suggest that CBD can counteract the effects of THC. As a result, you will not have to worry at all about becoming high while taking CBD.
Times of Day to Take CBD
Everyone’s endocannabinoid system responds differently to CBD, making the opportune time of day to take it different for every user. Some users prefer to take CBD shortly before bed to help them become relaxed and ready for rest, while others like to take it soon after waking up to provide them with energy throughout the day.
The type of product you choose may also affect when you want to take it. If you are taking a fast-acting form of like vaping, then you may want to take your dosage closer to bedtime.
However, if you are using a form that takes a while to kick in, then you may want to leave some more time in between when you take it and when you wish to fall asleep. If taking CBD in the evening, a suitable time to start with is one hour before you plan to go to sleep.
Track Your Sleep to Find the Best Results
When using CBD to help you sleep, it can be helpful to track your sleep patterns while trying to find the best routine.
Consider using a sleep app where you can write notes about what type of product you took, how much you took, and when you took it.
Apps can help you keep track of the following data:
-How long you slept
-How many times you work up throughout the night
-How long it took you to fall asleep
-How you felt in the morning after waking up
With this information, you can make informed decisions about your CBD usage and hopefully find your perfect routine much more quickly.
Where to Keep CBD
You cannot store CBD just anywhere. If the substance is not stored correctly, then it may breakdown and become ineffective.
Heat, light, and oxygen can accelerate the decomposition process of CBD. Therefore, you should always keep your product in a cool, dark location. The refrigerator or pantry are both excellent options. If you store your CBD properly, it can last upwards of a year.
Safety Concerns and Side Effects of CBD
CBD is a popular choice because it is natural and produces relatively few side effects; however, that does not mean that side effects will never happen.
No medication is perfect, and it is crucial for you to always inform yourself of any possible side effects and safety concerns.
Some people who take CBD have experienced:
-Diarrhea
-Fatigue
-Changes in weight and appetite
There have also been concerns that CBD usage may be linked to liver problems.
Currently, the FDA does not regulate CBD, so you must be extra cautious when considering CBD oil for sleep. It can interact with other medications you are taking, so you should always speak to a doctor before starting CBD to ensure that it won’t negatively impact any of your other medical conditions.
Some drugs that may be affected by cannabidiol include:
-Steroids
-Antibiotics
-Beta-blockers
-Antihistamines
Conclusion
Sleep problems are extremely prevalent and can be extremely challenging to manage. Although it isn’t a cure to sleep disorders, CBD shows immense promise in relieving people of their sleep issues and helping them get the rest they need to live their best lives.
There are many options when it comes to CBD oil for sleep, so you are bound to find one that works with your lifestyle and provides you with the results you desire. If you are tired of counting sheep for hours on end, consider trying CBD oil for sleep today.