Can CBD Help You Sleep? Combining CBD and Melatonin
One third of American adults get less nightly sleep than the recommended seven-hour minimum (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). If you are one of them, you know how sleep deprivation can lead to feeling suboptimal throughout the course of a day. Even worse, insufficient sleep has been linked to seven of the top 15 causes of death in the U.S. (Kumar Chattu et al., 2018). But did you also know that in the midst of this public health epidemic (Kumar Chattu et al., 2018), many Americans are turning to a remedy that is low on risk and high on restfulness?
That remedy is cannabidiol. CBD, for short, is a natural, non-toxic, and non-psychoactive cannabinoid. (The term “cannabinoid” refers to a chemical compound from the Cannabis sativa plant.) CBD interacts with the human endocannabinoid system, keeping the body healthy and the mind happy. However, when taken on its own or separate from THC—cannabis’s famously psychoactive cannabinoid—CBD is known to have a calming effect. You can learn more about how can Tikva solutions support health and wellness here.
In fact, research has found that CBD works synergistically with melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that tells the body it is time to sleep. Melatonin is created in the pineal gland and helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, which can be disrupted by factors from stress, insomnia, alcohol, or too much ambient light before bed (Piccirillo, 2007, Rupp, 2006, Jung, Y. & St. Louis, E.K., 2016). When melatonin is not created in the body, taking a supplement may assist in this biological function. While many companies sell CBD and Melatonin supplements separately we have created a combination of the two. Tikva’s CBD and Melatonin solution can be used to better your sleep. Research has also suggested that CBD may be therapeutic for sufferers of insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorders, and excessive sleepiness during the day (Babson, Sottile & Morabito, 2017).
While CBD alone can be beneficial for sleep, administering full-spectrum hemp oils that contain multiple cannabinoids promises even greater impact. Using a product containing the cannabinoid CBN, for example, has been shown to improve sleep (Breus, 2019). In contrast, pharmaceutical sleep aids may cause sleepwalking, habit formation, and daytime sleepiness, according to Harvard Medical School (2017). CBD has not been shown to have any of these adverse effects.
Typically, people are advised to begin CBD treatment by administering a solution 20 minutes before they wish to fall asleep. They are encouraged to observe how their body responds to the CBD and then adjust timing and doses accordingly.
Along with taking CBD, there are simple, cost-free ways to improve your ability to have a restful night. Experts suggest avoiding caffeine (or at least limiting it later in the day), reducing exposure to light (including from electronics) at least an hour before bedtime, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule. Light stretching or reading may also aid in relaxation.
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References
Breus, M.J. (2019). How CBD can improve your sleep, mood, and health. Psychology Today.
Harvard Medical School. (2017). Learn the risk of sleep aids. Harvard Health Letter.