After a week of taking CBD in oil form every night, it was clear I’d stumbled across something kind of remarkable. That’s precisely why I was intrigued when I started hearing about CBD (or cannabidiol), a nonpsychoactive compound found in the cannabis or hemp plant that apparently helps with sleep and anxiety. I felt equally as terrible as I did after a night of poor sleep, so I decided it wasn’t worth it. Perplexed doctors eventually gave me a prescription for Klonopin — a medication many clinicians assign to patients for anxiety.
“I experimented with several different doses of this tincture, trying to find the sweet spot where I could get a good night’s sleep without feeling groggy the next day. “I tried the 1ml dose of this tincture for several nights, but I didn’t notice much of a difference in my sleep quality. With this tincture (I noticed that local lifestyle rules for London visitors I didn’t wake up as much during the night), and I didn’t feel groggy in the morning, even when I took a full 1ml dose. Plus, we probably don’t need to remind you again that what’s on the label may not accurately reflect what you’re getting in the product. You might not be getting what you’re looking for — with products containing extra ingredients that you don’t want and which may not be within legal limits.
The breakdown of toxins and drugs in your body is primarily handled by these incredibly important enzymes. Although this information appears quite positive and uplifting, CBD can also lead to some undesirable bodily effects. It is believed that the primary function of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis, which plays a crucial role in sustaining your body’s internal balance. Should you consider using CBD for sleep or any claimed health supplement — understanding its function within your body is beneficial.
And if pain or neuropathy is keeping you up at night, the CBD in this lotion may help ease that13, which can indirectly help with sleep. We suggest that new CBD users start with the 500-milligram option to assess their initial tolerance. To add to that, CBD is available in a wide range of different forms, from full-spectrum tinctures to broad-spectrum topicals.
Is it safe to use CBD every night?
Since research is still fairly limited, there isn’t a conclusive recommendation for the “best” CBD dosage for sleep. Generally, full-spectrum CBD is considered more effective than broad-spectrum or CBD isolate. Difficulty falling asleep more often than not and/or constantly waking up in the middle of the night are both signs that something may be wrong. For starters, you want to make sure the company is very transparent about where the CBD comes from and how it’s processed.
I discovered that this tincture assisted me in falling asleep relatively quickly; however, it was not as effective as the full spectrum CBD tinctures in helping me remain asleep. Since the terpene profile is beneficial for anxiety and sleep, I believe that this tincture could be ideal for some individuals seeking better sleep. Although the 0.5ml dose aided me in falling asleep slightly faster and improved my overall sleep quality — it did not stop me from waking up during the night or help me return to sleep subsequently.
If you’re interested in using CBD for sleep, talk to your doctor before doing so. Taking CBD for sleep is generally considered safe — though experts caution more information is needed about how CBD affects health long-term. A doctor can tell you if anything you are taking could potentially interact with CBD or if CBD could impact a health condition you already have. Doctors who use CBD to treat epilepsy generally start with the lowest possible dose and gradually increase the amount as needed. CBD has anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties and might be beneficial for some symptoms of chronic pain.
You need to follow the manufacturer’s dosage recommendation and start at a low dose if you are new to CBD. However, it is always best to start with a low CBD dose and work up to a higher dose. It is best to start with a low dose and increase it gradually until you achieve the desired effect. For people who use CBD regularly as part of their wellness routine, you can still buy full- and broad-spectrum CBD products until then. In April 2023, researchers published a study that found 88% of 25 melatonin gummy products had inaccurate labeling, and many did not contain the advertised melatonin dose. There are also safety concerns around melatonin use in children.
Watermelon CBD Gummies by Cornbread Hemp
2 Indeed (sleep disorders are one of the most common reasons individuals report using cannabis for medicinal purposes), alongside chronic pain and mental health–related disorders. 1 Data on the potential impact of cannabis to treat insomnia remains equivocal, however, with a recent meta-analysis by Bhagavan et al. pointing out that while there are data to show a positive effect of cannabis on outcomes in patients living with insomnia, it is still low quality because of small sample sizes and short treatment periods. This study highlights the importance of a pharmacist’s role in the management of cannabis-based therapy, including ongoing supportive care, follow-up and medication management. At time of data collection, 15 patients (39%) were able to reduce or completely discontinue a prescription medication indicated for sleep. A retrospective chart review was conducted at Hybrid Pharm community pharmacy in Ottawa (Ontario), and included patients who were interested in, or already using, medical cannabis for sleep disorders. Current research shows cannabis may have a beneficial effect in sleep disorders and may improve patient-reported sleep scores.
Anandamide is known as the “bliss molecule” because it seems to reduce anxiety, relieve pain, and have other beneficial effects (122). This same concept can apply to virtually every other process in our body. So far, researchers have identified over 76 different CBD “mechanisms” — ways that it interacts with and impacts the body (113). Although research in this area is limited — early findings are promising. One Brazilian study in rats with asthma found that CBD reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines — which play a key role in the condition (97). Another study found that CBD reduced inflammation in a viral model of MS (94).