Folks have long used cannabis plants for recreational and medicinal reasons. Compounds referred to as cannabinoids inside the plant are responsible for the impact on the human brain, and the most abundant of those include CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
Both CBD and THC are psychoactive; however, they impact the brain differently. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol is non-impairing.
People use cannabidiol for various reasons, which include reducing pain, anxiety, and seizures.
Research has shown that CBD also may be a sleep aid. Within this post, we’ll look into whether it works and all related risks. If you’re looking for CBD for sleep, Wisdom Essentials is one of our best recommendations.
What research says about CBD for sleep
In the past 10 years, increasing public interest in marihuana’s benefits, especially CBD, encouraged scientists to research its effects.
Early research indicates that high CBD doses might support sleep.
One CBD for sleep investigation discovered that, compared to a placebo, a CBD dose of 160 mg increased sleep time. Also, the scientists came to the conclusion that the placebo, 5 milligrams of nitrazepam (an insomnia drug), and 40 mg, 80 mg, and 160 milligrams of CBD helped participants go to sleep.
Levels of the stress hormone cortisol usually peak in the morning; however, people who have insomnia might experience high levels of cortisol in the evening. Independent of insomnia, having higher levels of cortisol in the evening is related to an increased quantity of awakenings in the night.
In research on the impact of CBD, scientists discovered that cortisol levels reduced more substantially when participants consumed 300 milligrams or 600 mg of CBD oil. That outcome suggests that CBD impacts the release of cortisol, potentially acting as a sedative.
Effects of CBD combined with prescribed medication
A more recent assessment of CBD for sleep recruited 103 participants who had poor sleep or anxiety. The scientists researched the impact of CBD blended with those of additional prescribed medicine.
The CBD doses ranged from 25 mg to 175 mg. The scientists discovered that 25 milligrams was the most effective dose for anxiety and that taking care of troubled sleep required greater dosages.
Within the three-month CBD for a sleep study, the researchers followed up with the participants monthly. At the initial follow-up, 66.7 percent reported experiencing better sleep; however, 25 percent experienced worsened sleep. At the second follow-up, 56.1 percent of the participants reported an improvement in sleep; however, 26.8 percent experienced worsened sleep.
The CBD for sleep researchers concluded that even though CBD may help folks sleep in the short term, the impact might not be sustained.
What are some other uses for CBD?
CBD has multiple properties that might make it an appealing therapeutic solution.
Scientists are curious about its effects on:
- inflammation
- vomiting and nausea
- other psychiatric disorders
- anxiety
The original CBD-based medicine approved by the FDA is Epidiolex, which physicians prescribe to treat severe and rare types of epilepsy.
Sativex is a THC and CBD combination medicine used to assist in easing spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis. But the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved it for use in America.
Researchers think that CBD also may help prevent or treat:
- Nausea caused by chemotherapy
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Some kinds of acne and additional inflammatory skin conditions
- Opioid addiction
- Chronic pain
But the ability of CBD to address those problems remains unclear, and more studies are needed.
