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The Case For CBD as a Sleep Aid

A natural way to treat insomniacs?

By Jonathan GPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Aside from food and water, sleep is one of the main components for optimal physical & mental health. But since dysfunctional sleep schedules are now the norm, people are depending on sleeping pills to get to bed on time.

While melatonin is the flagship holistic product, there is also potential to use CBD for sleep if it’s not enough. Considering it’s a non-toxic legal in most areas, there’s already a consideral amount of people doing just that.

It’s Dose-Dependent

With a mix of results on the internet or in academia, people are quite confused about whether CBD is stimulating or sedating. The only specific study you’ll find on it’s sedating effect is back in the 1970s in which animals seemed to be dazed with high doses of CBD.

In a relatively recent study, healthy individuals were given high doses of CBD to see if it disturbed their sleep cycles. Even with 300mg, their sleep patterns were not affected.

On the other end of the spectrum, lower doses of CBD can keep people awake, which would be suitable for taking in the morning. This could benefit someone with poor bedtime habits to correct their circadian rhythm.

While it’s not conclusive, a good strategy could be micro-dosing in the morning and a hefty dose in the evening. You would have to do some personal experimentation to see what works for you.

Improved REM Sleep

REM or deep sleep is an important part of your sleep cycle. This is when your body is paralyzed, you start dreaming and having rapid eye movement. People have varying percentages of REM sleep each night, and constant interruption can cause you to have very little.

There are many anecdotal claims on how CBD can work for REM sleep, but there is concern evidence on its effectiveness those with Parkinson’s disease. According to the study, up to 300mg doses helped prevent violent motions while having vivid dreams.

Night Time Anxiety

Anxiety and stress is a leading reason why most people can’t fall asleep. This can be caused by a variety of reasons, including financial burden, relationship issues, or even stimulant abuse.

Taking into consideration that CBD is a known anti-anxiety remedy, this could resolve this secondary issue. This is assuming you take pure CBD with little THC, which is known for accelerating anxiety levels.

A study at the start of last year put just that to the test, concluding that the majority of patients had decreased anxiety and better sleep. The study also noted that all but 3 patients were able to take it without ill effects, and it didn’t appear to alter anyone’s consciousness.

It should be noted that the patients’ results fluctuated in the long-term, so CBD may be more of a short-term solution in that regard. Your results could also vary depending on the quality & purity of your product, and the form in which you take it (vaping versus oral consumption).

Should I Try It?

CBD is desirable since it has few side effects compared to medications, or even other tinctures like THC. Research has shown that even sleeping pills have varying results and levels of safety.

While jumping onto the CBD bandwagon is relatively low-risk compared to over-the-counter medications, it’s not a magic bullet. Insomniacs also need to address issues related to their lifestyle and perhaps resolve other factors affecting their mental health. It would be best to consult with your doctor to see if it would interact with other medications you happen to be taking.

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About the Creator

Jonathan G

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