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Sleeping Deeply with CBD Oil

A User's Guide

By Jay KersonPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Do you lay awake at night with the day’s events rushing through your head? Does anxiety or pain rob you of quality sleep?

A poor night’s sleep can make a tough day seem even worse and slowly fade out the joys of life. If you regularly struggle to sleep you are probably familiar with all the old tried and tested remedies. From counting sheep to sleeping tablets, they may give you some relief but often come with their own list of downsides.

CBD, however, promises to be something different in the insomniac’s arsenal against wakefulness. We’ll look at sleep and CBD and see if it really could make a positive impact on your nights.

Health Risks Associated with Insomnia and UK Stats

31 percent of UK adults report that they have insomnia and 67 percent suffer from disrupted sleep. Adults typically need between 7 and 9 hours a night; children and babies require between 9 and 17 hours. Sleep can be affected by lots of different factors and lack of it can put you at risk of serious health issues:

  • Stroke
  • Asthma Attacks
  • Seizures
  • Obesity
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Heart Disease
  • Diabetes
  • Shorter Life Expectancy

Even with these serious risks, more than half of UK adults don’t take any measures to help them sleep.

Calming and Sleep-Promoting Benefits of CBD Oil

A high quality CBD oil can have contradictory effects when taken in different doses. A large dose taken before sleep can be soothing and calming and a small dose taken during the day can help you to stay alert. The two main sleep improving actions of CBD utilise both of these effects:

First, cannabidiol interacts with your brain chemistry to reduce several of the contributing factors of insomnia. When taken in a large dose in the evening, it reduces feelings of stress, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. Consequently, the CBD improves the quality and quantity of sleep.

The second action is to increase wakefulness with small and regular doses. This will make you more alert during the day and creates the need for deeper sleep at night. Continuing this for several days or weeks will reinforce a regular sleep pattern and further improve sleep quality.

CBD Oil as a Supplement for Insomnia

To utilise CBD effectively for sleep, it is important to use a mixture of small and large doses to benefit from both its sedating and stimulating properties. As with any supplement, it is important to check with your doctor before starting treatment, particularly if you are on any prescription medication. The correct dosage for you will vary depending on a number of factors including height, weight, and body chemistry. Start by taking small amounts of CBD throughout the day to increase your focus and remain alert. When you have found the correct dosage to deliver this result, begin to add a slightly larger amount before bed.

CBD oil is not enough–foods and rituals that induce deep sleep.

CBD oil will have the best effect on your sleep when combined with a healthy lifestyle and a bedtime routine. There are also many foods that can provide you with nutrients to increase the likelihood of a good night’s sleep:

  • Tryptophan - Increase your levels of sleep inducing serotonin with foods containing the amino acid tryptophan like turkey, milk, and eggs.
  • Melatonin - It can also be beneficial to eat foods that contain the sleep regulating hormone melatonin, such as almonds, bananas, and walnuts.
  • Carbohydrate - White Rice and Oatmeal are carbohydrates with a high glycemic index which can be beneficial to sleep if eaten an hour before bedtime.

Introducing these foods into your diet can be a great step towards better sleep. Small amounts of these foods can be chosen to eat in your routine before bed. A good bedtime routine will provide the framework for the food and CBD oil to have the maximum effect. Choose some relaxing activities such as meditation or regular mindful breathing, turn down the lights and create a routine to prepare yourself for sleep.

Other Benefits of CBD Oil and Deep Sleep

When used as part of a healthy sleep routine, CBD oil has many ways of stimulating a relaxed state as well as reducing anxiety and pain. Research has also found that it may be able to promote deep REM sleep adding quality to your nights rest and leaving you feeling bright and alert in the morning. By utilising the varied actions of CBD and this range of sleep inducing food you have a good chance of getting a better night’s rest.

Why not deepen your sleep with CBD?

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