How can CBD help you have better sleep?
By: Leaf
Tags: Insomnia, Sleep, Cbd Oils, Cbd, Help

CBD oil for sleep and insomnia

CBD is a chemical compound naturally found in the cannabis plant and CBD can also be derived from marijuana or hemp. CBD products have helped people with multiple mental and physical ailments. Cannabidiol based products can particularly have a soothing effect on the central nervous system and hence CBD products are useful in treating a range of mental health issues including Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia.

This is specifically important because, as per a recent survey, about 66.8 percent of the people worldwide are suffering from anxiety, lack of sleep and/or depression. As per MHFA England, 80–90% of people who attempted suicide are suffering from mental distress. In the UK, men aged between 40–49 years have reported the highest rates of suicides.8 The intensity of anxiety and depression have also further increased in patients, because of the widely prevalent working from home culture and blurring of professional and personal lines, throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

How can CBD help your sleep and insomnia?

Insomnia and sleep disorder can cause low energy levels, loss of concentration, fatigue and mood changes. People can experience sleep related issues or problems because of multiple reasons. These can be due to psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or due to continuous consumption of caffeinated drinks, certain medications, or due to some external factors such as noise. Though the external factors might be temporary, the issues such as Depression, Anxiety and stress causing insomnia, can have huge effects on a person’s wellbeing.

CBD helps by managing the main causes of sleeplessness, including Mental health disorders, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.

One of the major causes of depression is low serotonin levels in patients. Serotonin affects a range of functions in the body, including a person’s emotional state and feelings of well-being or happiness. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (widely known as antidepressants) are currently available and prescribed for depression, however, they can have multiple side effects on the body. CBD has a positive interaction with serotonin receptors in the brain and can help to keep the serotonin levels balance. CBD has been found to have the possibility of helping patients suffering from anxiety as well. Anxiety is also linked to low serotonin levels, and hence CBD’s impact on maintaining the balance of serotonin levels in the body, can have a positive impact on anxiety.

A recent 2019 study included 72 participants, of which 47 subjects were experiencing nervousness and 25 with the problem of poor sleep. The patients were administered 25 milligrams (mg) of CBD in capsule form every day. After one month of delivery, 79.2% of CBD administered patients showed positive results with alleviated anxiety and 66.7% with better sleep results.4

Another study, which compared CBD with a placebo, utilized a dose of 160 mg of CBD. The study observed an increased duration of sleep in patients with 5 mg of the insomnia drug, along with 40, 80, and 160 mg of CBD as compared to the placebo with the insomnia drug.2

In another investigation, conducted on the effects of cannabidiol, it was depicted that cortisol levels reduced more significantly when 300 or 600 mg of CBD oil was taken by the study participants. The outcome suggested that the release of cortisol in the body is affected by CBD, probably acting as a sedative.2

Another clinical investigation published in a journal included 409 insomnia patients and rated their insomnia symptoms on a scale of 1 to 10 in which 10 represented the most severe case. Early symptoms were being rated as 6.6 on an average. The results from the study demonstrated that the CBD reduced the symptoms of insomnia in large pool of patients.3

Patient success stories

· Hayley was suffering from sleep related disorders for a long time and tried everything to get rid of her insomnia. She tried melatonin and experienced that even a small overdose of melatonin resulted in creating extra pressure on her temples and impacted her mental health, when she wakes up in the morning. She even tried Benadryl, however, post-Benadryl she started feeling fatigued and felt as if each of her cells was begging her to get back in bed. She also tried taking Ambien, however, experienced dangerous side effects with it. At last, after trying everything, she took CBD, and she could feel the calming effect it had on her. She could sleep more easily and had a noticeable positive impact on the body.5

· Laura had been facing the problem of insomnia and she had been staring at the ceiling for many nights. Laura’s insomnia began when her anxiety spiked during an extra stressful holiday season. It then quickly turned into a vicious cycle of worrying, which made her unable to relax enough to fall asleep. Eventually, she sought out a psychiatrist to help with her mental health issues. The doctor felt that they needed to treat her insomnia along with her anxiety to see real improvement. Hence, her doctor prescribed her a sleep aid. Laura says the prescription sleeping pills helped her stay asleep, but she was still having a tough time turning off the anxiety to have a sound sleep. Hence, her psychiatrist recommended that she try cannabidiol (CBD) oil, taking one dose in the morning to help manage her anxiety throughout the day, and then a second dose right before bed. She has been doing that and now she enjoys a peaceful sleep without being disturbed due to anxiety attacks.6

Conclusion

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018 stated that cannabidiol (CBD) is generally safe for the majority of people and has shown no signs of dependence or abuse or evidence of any other public health-related problem. WHO also informed the public that CBD may help in managing multiple chronic conditions, including insomnia.6 Numerous studies have also established that CBD plays an important role in sleep and sleep neurophysiology. Ongoing research and studies would further establish CBD’s clinical efficacy in sleep related disorders and would help drive its adoption among insomniac patients.

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/

2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cbd-and-sleep#research

3. https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep-treatments/cbd/

4. https://www.healtheuropa.eu/do-you-think-cbd-can-help-you-sleep-better/95200/

5. https://elemental.medium.com/why-cbd-oil-is-my-sleep-aid-of-choice-decc1ab855f7

6. https://www.thehealthy.com/sleep/insomnia/cbd-oil-sleep-insomnia/

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7388834/

8. https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/research-and-evaluation/mental-health-statistics/