Sleep is a foundational element to good health and many people don’t get the amount or quality of sleep that is optimal for their best degree of health and well being. As a board certified specialist in neurology and sleep medicine, I have seen first hand how much of a difference that a healthy amount of quality sleep can contribute not only a sense of well being and improved concentration, but also to help to diminish other symptoms such as headaches, pain and fatigue from various causes.
Many people have found that taking CBD at night helps with the natural process of falling asleep. The better the nights sleep, the better the body is able to recover from stress, injury and illness. Studies have shown that deeper sleep including delta sleep, or slow wave sleep, results in a boost in growth hormone levels, which in turn helps the body to maintain a favorable muscles mass to body fat ratio, and the body to feel better when adequate sleep is obtained. Pain tolerance tends to improve with increased sleep quality. Better sleep has also been correlated with improved athletic performance across several sports, including by sleep pioneer William Dement in his research at Stanford University.
Another benefit of improved sleep is that the hormone of satiety or fullness, called Leptin, is increased with longer, deeper sleep. At the same time, the hormone of hunger, called Grehlin tends to decrease with better sleep. Therefore, it is easier to maintain a healthy diet when the body is well rested.
A common starting range for sleep is 15 to 30 mg of CBD orally or under the tongue 10-20 minutes before bedtime. CBD oil, which is often compounded in MCT coconut oil, can be taken under the tongue or sublingually. While the sublingual route provides a slightly faster onset of action, both sublingually and orally have a similar duration of action of up to about 6 hours. Gummies are obviously designed only for oral use. Some subjects prefer to use CBD only intermittently when they feel it is needed, while others feel that using CBD every night is preferable. Because of the multiple benefits of CBD, you will still get the benefit of decreasing inflammation in the body of you are using CBD primarily for sleep.
Another cannabinoid of interest in addressing sleep issues is CBN or Cannabinol. Many subjects report that a combination of CBD and CBN can lead to deeper levels of sleep and better maintenance of sleep during the night with fewer awakenings compared to CBD alone.
Click here to see details of a CBD/CBN oil that I recommend
In summary, the body of evidence at this time supports the fact that CBD and other plant based cannabinoids, such as CBN, as being natural, effective remedies for several common sleep issues of various causes. Consult your health and wellness team to see if hemp products are right for you.
Testimonial:
Angie S, 57 YO
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