CBD stands for “cannabidiol”; one of the main cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant. It interacts with your “endocannabinoid system” and helps your body maintain a state of balance. Some research studies suggest that CBD can help you get a good night’s sleep. Here is how CBD might support a good night’s sleep.
How Can CBD Support A Good Sleep?
To understand how CBD might support sleep, you first have to understand what causes sleeplessness.
Many conditions can lead you to poor sleep, such as:
✔ Mental health disorders e.g. anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder ✔ Physical conditions such as chronic pain or inflammation
✔ REM sleep behavior disorder
✔ Disturbed sleep-wake cycle
If your sleeplessness is due to the above-related conditions, many people try high-quality CBD products like the OTO CBD sleep range to help them relax and fall asleep. Research on CBD is still in its infancy; however, some research studies indicated that CBD may help you fall asleep.
| Conditions That Might Cause Poor Sleep | How CBD Might Help? | Indicative Research Studies |
| Anxiety | ✔ CBD calms the nervous system and decreases the activity of the amygdala (a part of the brain associated with fear). | ✔ In a study, nearly 80% of participants with anxiety and sleep problems who consumed 25 milligrams of CBD every day reported that their anxiety level decreased and their sleep score improved within the first month (1). |
| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | ✔ CBD may help extinguish traumatic memories and decreases the activity of the amygdala. | ✔ If stress keeps someone up at night, it could be a reason for poor sleep. A review study indicated that CBD could reduce your overall stress level(2). |
| Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep Behavior Disorder | ✔ CBD may help by improving the symptoms of RBD, a disorder in which a person acts out of their dream. | ✔ RBD is associated with nightmares and sleeplessness. In a case study, before consuming CBD, patients were experiencing RBD symptoms 2-7 times a week. After consuming CBD, their symptoms were reduced to 0-1 times a week (3). |
| Insomnia | ✔ CBD may reduce cortisol levels (a stress hormone that is found high at night in individuals with insomnia). | ✔ In one study, the researcher found that the cortisol level was reduced more significantly in those who consumed CBD oil (4). Another study speculated that CBD may have therapeutic potential to treat chronic insomnia disorder (5). |
| Pain | ✔ CBD may enhance the anandamide levels (a compound associated with regulating pain by reducing pain perception). | ✔ A review study enlisted fair evidence to support the claim that CBD helps manage chronic pain which in turn may improve sleep quality (6). |
| Disturbed Sleep-Wake Cycle | ✔ CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system and improves sleep by positively affecting the sleep-wake cycle. | ✔ In a study among individuals with insomnia, administration of 160 mg/day of CBD increased total sleep time and decreased the frequency of arousals during the night (7). |
Keynote: There is limited evidence and more research is still needed to confidently claim that CBD is an effective sleep aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Right Dosage Of CBD For Sleep?
Most of the clinical trials regarding CBD and sleep have involved giving the participants between 25mg to 1500mg of CBD per day. It’s best to begin with a low dosage and gradually enhance it.
Furthermore, we highly recommend you talk to your healthcare provider as he/she is best equipped to tell you how to use CBD to improve your sleep based on your specific medical condition.
How To Choose The Right CBD Product?
If you want to explore CBD therapy, try to choose high-quality CBD products as many brands falsely label their products and may include unexpected ingredients and quantities.
Before choosing a CBD product for sleep, you should also do your own research.