CBD oil for sleep - does it work?
If there is one thing that most people reading this can probably agree on, it would that CBD oil has probably impacted their sleeping pattern. In fact, most of the people who message us looking for advice about CBD are wanting to use it to help their sleep. The events of the last 12 months have caused many people to struggle with peaceful sleep, and they want to know if CBD can help.
Sadly, it is actually quite difficult to find the hard evidence for why CBD oil works so well for sleep when you look online. There is still so much confusion around this compound and many people seem to think that the only reason CBD helps you sleep deeply is because it essentially makes you a bit "wasted", kind of like alcohol does. This is nonsense!
Luckily, more and more experts are coming out in support of CBD for sleep. Take for instance Clarissa Lenherr, a nutritionist who wrote a piece for MEDA explaining how CBD impacts our sleep in a positive manner. As she put it in her article:
"Studies suggest that CBD triggers a better dream (REM) sleep, helping the body to repair and strengthen. It doesn’t depress the body’s central nervous system like sleep tablets or alcohol can, and it can be helpful in managing anxiety."
As Clarissa explains, CBD triggers deep sleep without depressing your CNS as most drugs do. So rather than comparing CBD to a glass of whisky before bed, you should think of it as an all-natural sleep supplement.
In this guide, we are going to do our best to explain what CBD oil does for sleep, and what the science behind it is. Let's get into it:
Why does sleep matter?
It is said that a lack of sleep is an overlooked cause of a lot of health conditions these days. One in three of us, suffer with a lack of sleep on a regular basis and these statistics are much worse than they were ten years ago.
With the easy access to potentially addictive social media platforms spoon-feeding us intrigue and worry in equal measures, binge-worthy content on streaming services and the glow of the midnight computer/console gaming session, we are all getting much less sleep than we should.
....we have all thought 'oh, just one more episode' when we have to get up early for work.
I myself still use my mobile phone as an alarm clock and it sits beside my bed all night. I often get woken up by an incoming email, message or push notification telling me I am missing out on the happenings of social media; I can tell you first-hand that this impacts my sleep and daytime activities. A recent study showed that 99% of us use a mobile device as an alarm clock. Once I have finished this blog post, I will be ordering a good ole' fashioned alarm clock (and some melatonin)
It is a little bit shocking that we are unintentionally putting ourselves at direct increased risk of:
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes.
- Mental health deline
- Memory issues
- Increased risk of an accident (driving, at work, or just not paying enough attention)
- Low sex drive
- Heart Attacks & Strokes
- Hormone Imbalance
- & More!
It is scary that a lack of sleep can significantly increase the rates of depression, anxiety, paranoia, suicidal thoughts. The NHS surveyed sufferers of anxiety and depression, and found that most had less than 6 hours sleep.
What makes this worse is the fact that anxiety can cause insomnia and broken sleep.
Once you get yourself into the vicious cycle, it is very difficult to get yourself out of it. Many people turn to superscribed sleeping pills, self medication with (alcohol) or substance abuse.
How does CBD help sleep?
The biggest cause of sleep deprivation is stress and anxiety. Whether that comes from social medias, your personal life or from work, it may be the reason behind your struggles when falling asleep.
CBD as a cannabinoid interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system - while we cannot make any claims that CBD will improve your sleep, we know for certain that the ECS plays a role in your body's ability to sleep.
The ECS can turn signals off and on to help your body calm down and relax- it helps your body deal with the symptoms of anxiety, stress and tension.
The ECS helps your body prepare for sleep and reduces REM (rapid eye movement) during sleep itself. It can help you get a longer, deeper and more restful sleep that makes the start of the day much more manageable.
There are currently lots of clinical trials to discover exactly what impact CBD has on sleep so in the meantime.
It may also be the first step to giving yourself the best possible chance when overcoming any kind of mental health issue.
I have started to believe that sleepless nights are just part of being an adult. With work, friendships, relationships, the world around us and the kids (which I am personally yet to have, but they keep me up already) on your mind, it can keep you up.
It is very easy to forget how imperative a good sleeping pattern is for your health.
How else can you improve sleep?
While CBD oil has become well known for stimulating the ECS, it should certainly not be seen as a quick fix. There are many other things that you can be doing to help your sleep. Before you consider typing in 'CBD oil for sleep' a try, it may be good to experiment with some of the tips below:
- 'limiting daytime naps (or avoiding them altogether)
- refraining from caffeine past noon
- going to bed at the same time each night
- waking up at the same time every morning
- sticking to your bedtime schedule during weekends and holidays
- spending an hour before bed doing relaxing activities, such as reading, meditating, or taking a bath
- avoiding heavy meals two hours before bedtime
- refraining from using electronic devices right before bed
- exercising regularly, but not in the evening hours close to bedtime'
Otherwise, you can certainly try some meditation, or mindfulness to help you deal with the everyday stresses of life and work.
Spritz Wellness eye pillows
Spritz Wellness is a wellness brand based here in the UK. They've got a range of products that can help you achieve peace and calm, but we've highlighted the eye pillows as an especially impressive product. The pillows are filled with dried lavender and chamomile and are gently weighted with buckwheat hull and linseed so the pillow contours to the eyes and forehead, releasing facial tension as you sleep.
Clipper Sleep Easy tea
We're big fans of CBD tea, but actually sometimes a non-CBD tea can be just as effective to wind you down in the evenings. The Sleep Easy tea from Clipper is made with chamomile and cinnamon to help you feel relaxed and promote a deep sleep.
In Conclusion
Sleep is important and CBD can really help you achieve better sleep, but don't overlook the importance of other good practices and non-CBD products.
This guide was published by the CBD Bible team. We publish hundreds of guides every month, feel free to explore our website for more reviews and CBD guides.
