CBD For Sleep: Does It Help?
CBD or cannabidiol is the well-known compound found in the cannabis plant. A vast majority of the studies done on cannabis have been around CBD’s medical benefits and potential uses.
The effects of CBD on sleep have been a central focus of a mass amount of these studies done surrounding cannabis. This article will concentrate on CBD and how it affects sleep, taking into account available research.
How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
According to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, adults need anywhere between seven to nine hours of sound sleep to keep their bodies functioning properly. Unfortunately, most Americans have fallen victim to busy lifestyles and are unable to get the recommended amount of sleep every night.
Data from 2014 shows that 1 in every 3 American adults suffer from lack of sleep. There are several ways to help fix a lacking sleep routine and insomnia. However, significant traction in CBD consumption can be seen over the years, specifically to aid sleep.
CBD May Aid Sleep
There haven’t been a significant amount of studies on the effects CBD may have on sleep. However, the research and information at hand emphasizes that CBD potentially aids sleep habits and may even promote REM sleep, which is critical for cell regeneration, boosting immune system, memory, and repairing tissues and bones.
Researchers are still looking into whether CBD directly aids sleep or whether it is a result of the pain-relief CBD benefits. More studies are being conducted to determine the effects of different CBD doses in relation to sleep and if the various consumption methods affect sleep differently.
Moreover, strains high in CBD content also contain the terpene Myrcene, which is known to have sedative effects. Experts are still exploring if users consuming CBD to aid sleep are benefiting from Myrcene content, their particular doses, their way of consumption, or a combination of these.
The fact, however, is that users are consuming CBD to aid sleep and a majority of them are satisfied with the results. In addition, research dedicated to cannabis and sleep also found that CBD and THC have been the most commonly cited cannabis compounds associated with building improved sleeping patterns.
Direct Association Between CBD And Sleep
Some experts believe that CBD may not be impacting sleep directly. Dr. Dustin Sulak, the founder of Integr8 Health, states that CBD may only be treating symptoms like pain, stress, and anxiety in users, leading to improved sleeping patterns.
For example, a short study was conducted where patients with sleeplessness and anxiety were given CBD in a clinical setting for 30 days. The study concluded that around 70% of people had improved sleeping scores, while 80% said their anxiety levels had dropped significantly.
The study revealed that CBD is effective in improving sleep patterns in users. However, as mentioned above, it is unclear whether the improved sleep resulted from reduced anxiety levels or a direct impact of CBD on the body.
Dr. Sulak also stated that sleep is critical to aid several chronic illnesses. In other words, if CBD has a direct impact on sleep, the improvement in chronic illnesses could be associated with improved sleep rather than CBD directly.
Effects of CBD dosage on Sleep
Experts believe that the impact of CBD on a user’s sleep depends upon the dosage of CBD. For instance, lower doses of CBD (below 100mg) tend to stimulate the brain and keep users awake. It may be beneficial for people to sleep excessively like those suffering from circadian rhythm disorders, as this dose of CBD may likely help users stay awake.
On the other hand, higher doses (up to 300mg) of CBD cause a sedative effect on users, enabling them to have a more sound sleep. This is particularly beneficial for users who suffer from REM behavior disorder, where patients tend to flail during sleep. For patients who have insomnia, doses of up to 160mg of CBD have been proven to improve sleep durations by reducing sleep disruption.
Consumption of CBD
A study focused on other benefits of CBD found that higher CBD dosages may be safe for users. In the study, users were given up to 6000mg of CBD for six days without following health issues. However, experts recommend consulting the best Florida medical marijuana doctors before consuming CBD.
Overall, conclusive research is still being done on how CBD may aid sleep patterns. However, as far as the current data is concerned, CBD has shown positive outcomes for various ailments, including sleep deprivation.
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