How to Say Goodbye to Restless Nights with CBD
CBD can be used for myriad purposes, but getting a good night’s rest is at the top of the list.
For some, falling asleep was a familiar struggle long before the anxiety-fueled fever pitch of the past year. For a little help actually catching some Zzzs after a doomscrolling alert hits your feed, cannabidiol (CBD) has your very tense back.
CBD can be used for several purposes, but a good night’s rest is at the top of the list. It can be confusing to some that CBD is also used for alertness, but when you’re using it to combat insomnia, you’re generally dealing with more potent products. Even though the doses are generally higher, sleep-focused CBD items are usually non-psychoactive.
Some CBD sleep products take advantage of another cannabinoid called cannabinol (CBN). CBN is derived from THC, but it’s only technically psychoactive. It most often carries over the sedative effect of THC without the high. Still, some people are more sensitive to this cannabinoid than others. Keeping that in mind, the CBN levels are typically quite low in these products, and CBD is definitely still the star.
More studies are needed to draw concrete conclusions about how CBD works to help people fall asleep and stay asleep, but recent work in this field is promising. A 2019 study measured anxiety and quality of sleep in its participants, and after one month, anxiety lessened and sleep quality improved. Sleep quality fluctuated a little in further follow-ups, but it was still an improvement compared to the baseline quality.
Like all forms of cannabis, everyone’s ideal dose is different and that number may change over time. If you want to take CBD for a spin to get some well-deserved shut-eye, be sure to ease into it and listen to what works for your body.
