The research is very clear: sleep is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to taking care of your health!
You have probably read about the importance of turning off your mobile phone and computer to give your brain peace and quiet in the evening before going to sleep. Maybe you stay as far away as you can from your phone and other screen lights during the hours before it’s time to sleep. And maybe you make sure to sleep for at least 7 to 9 every night with, just as research suggests you should. But what if you cannot sleep?
We have all been there for different reasons and some of us more often than others.
If you sometimes have difficulty falling asleep, or just have a poor quality of sleep where you constantly wake up during the night, we can inform you that there is a new solution that can work for you which is known as CBD and this can definitely be worth taking a good look at!
What is CBD oil?
Cannabinoids are chemical substances that bind to specific receptors in our brains, where they act as chemical messengers. There are a whole range of different cannabinoids and their effects differ somewhat. The most well-known cannabinoids are THC and CBD, both of which have been shown to have some positive health effects.
CBD, unlike THC, is not psychoactive and you do not have to worry about “getting high” when you take CBD. This very property has made it extra interesting for health research to focus on the CBD.
CBD has, in some cultures, been used to cure insomnia for hundreds of years. Fortunately, however, we no longer have to rely solely on cultural truths and anecdotal evidence; There is now research that has shown that cannabis oil can actually help you sleep better.
How can CBD oil help you sleep?
More and more people are pointing out that CBD can help you when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Research on CBD is in its infancy and we do not yet know exactly what the mechanisms for how CBD affects sleep look like, but it seems to be mainly about the ability to alleviate a number of underlying factors that can make it difficult to sleep.
Poor sleep can be due to anxiety
CBD is often used to relieve anxiety and there is now some research support that anxiety relief can also lead to better sleep.
A study from 2019 looked at CBD’s effects on anxiety and sleep. The study included 72 people, of whom 47 experienced anxiety and 25 poor sleep. The participants in the study took a 25 milligram capsule with CBD per day. During the first month, 79.2 percent of the participants in the study reported that they experienced lower levels of anxiety and 66.7 percent reported that they started sleeping better. (source).
Pain can make it difficult to sleep
Anyone who has ever lived with chronic pain knows how it can negatively affect sleep. Not only does pain make it difficult to fall asleep, it can also make you sleep restlessly and wake up several times during the night. CBD has been shown to relieve certain types of chronic pain and thus also facilitate good sleep.
In a study from 2018, the authors of the study stated that there is a lot of evidence for claims that CBD can help alleviate pain. They also believed that CBD can relieve chronic pain and thus make it easier, for those who suffer from it, to sleep. (Source).
REM sleep behavior disorder and Parkinson’s
Another thing that can make it difficult to sleep is something called REM sleep disorders.
Usually when you dream, there are mechanisms that prevent you from moving your body even though you are moving in the dream. In some people who suffer from REM sleep disorders, these mechanisms do not work as they should, which can mean restless sleep, nightmares and many awakenings during the night. This is especially common in people suffering from Parkinson’s.
A 2014 study looked at four Parkinson’s patients and found that CBD relieved their REM sleep disorder symptoms. (source).
Another study from 2017 supports that CBD helps against REM dementia. (source).
CBD oil can make you more alert during the day
The day after a night of poor sleep, it is not surprising if you feel tired, lethargic and unfocused. It can then be interesting to know that hemp oil, under certain circumstances, can also contribute to increased alertness during the day.
A study from 2014 has shown that CBD can also help you become more alert during the day, even though the authors of the study have not yet been able to explain the mechanism of how it comes about. (Source).
Things to consider before trying CBD
There does not seem to be any indication that CBD is in any way neither dangerous nor addictive, but there are still a few things to think about before you choose to try if it can help you.
Some people may experience side effects such as nausea, fatigue or feeling irritated after taking CBD, so pay a little extra attention to this in the beginning.
You should also check with your doctor before taking CBD if you are taking other medicines regularly. CBD can have a blood-thinning effect and should not be combined with other medicines that can thin the blood. CBD can also – just like grapefruit juice – increase blood levels of certain medications, so check with your doctor first!
Another thing to be careful about is where you buy your CBD from and what its quality is. The market for CBD is relatively young and there are plenty of CBD products out there that are not up to par. The quality can be poor and the concentration on the packaging can be unreliable.
It has also happened that the product does not even contain CBD but a completely different substance, and which in the worst case can be harmful to your health. Therefore, do not underestimate the importance of doing research and make sure you order high quality CBD from a reliable source!
