Although science doesn’t know why we sleep, it does know that it has a profound effect on our health and quality of life. Without proper sleep, you get drowsy, lazy and most of all, unhealthy.

This is why there are “sleeping” drugs that help you fall asleep.

The bad news is: these drugs aren’t that effective in treating insomnia correctly, and they come packed with side effects that can negatively affect other critical systems of our body.

Doctors do not suggest sleeping drugs unless it’s highly necessary, like treating chronic insomnia where you don’t get sleep at all. 

Because of this people are turning towards natural, organic based medical remedies. The most trendy and recent of them is cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived directly from the hemp plant.

Let’s dive deep into how CBD can actually be a good heathy option for treating insomnia while having little to no side effects!

Here we go:

Science on CBD and its Effect on Sleep

As you might know already, CBD is derived from cannabis, most specifically hemp plants.

However, some studies related to CBD are based off of marijuana derived CBD as well.

Let’s look at this research as an example. It suggests that consuming marijuana can help you sleep and provide you with a euphoric (high) effect ‒ which in return, promotes sleep.

But this doesn’t conclude that CBD can do that as well. This is because marijuana contains 80+ compounds of cannabinoids and only one of them is what we know as CBD (cannabidiol).

So it’s no surprise a study came up with the conclusion that CBD itself is not a sleep inducing agent. Instead, it’s a wake-inducing agent.

The reason might be because CBD doesn’t get you high, unlike THC, which is the main psychoactive compound found heavily in marijuana and in other weed plants. This may be why CBD causes you to stay focused and alert, rather than gets you ready to sleep.

So we have to be honest with you here. Unlike other claims of CBD health benefits that are backed with scientific facts, the claim of treating insomnia lacks research and evidence.

On the other hand, those who have used CBD have testified that it works wonderfully against insomnia. Thanks to this survey, conducted on 2,400 cannabis users, 60% of them admitted that CBD had improved their sleeping cycle and they rest a lot better.

While it’s true that this isn’t enough to beat the scientific evidence, it’s still worth something.

What we do know, CBD is however great for alleviating symptoms that hinders sleeping. These symptoms include:

• Anxiety
• Pain
• Sleep Regulation

Let’s take a look at them one by one to help you understand what we meant above:

Anxiety

Have you ever had trouble sleeping because your mind wouldn’t stop chattering about a bad experience? Well, in that case, you might have anxiety. And it can be the main reason why you’re not sleeping. Although being an anxiety patient is bad, but there is good news!

If you have anxiety, CBD can not only help you treat it, but it also helps you sleep better. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. There is a lot of research backed by science that confirms how effective CBD is against anxiety (read more on why CBD is good for anxiety ).

Pain

It’s an obvious fact that pain and sleep go hand in hand together. If you sleep less, you get more sensitive to pain. And if you’re already in pain, it’s always hard to have a sound sleep.

But fret not, CBD is here to help you. One of the most profound qualities of CBD is reducing pain. Sativex is a well-known drug based of cannabis that contains CBD and THC in a 1:1 ratio.

In a study, it became an undeniable fact that its effects on pain and sleep cycle are amazing.

The study found that patients who were treated with Sativex, had a good improvement in sleep. And not just an ordinary improvement, it was significant enough to shock the medical experts.

What’s more astounding is the fact the effects on CBD (improved sleep) were gained without an increase in the dosage. That’s even more shocking! So, if you’re troubled by pain and it’s affecting your sleep quality, it’s a good idea to go fetch a bottle of CBD oil and start taking it.

Sleep Regulation

Now, you might be wondering, if CBD is said be a waking agent, how in the earth is it supposed to help you sleep? Well, it’s a sound question. But, we have an astounding answer for that too.

Medical experts believe that CBD may in fact, help improve sleep due to its “wakefulness” effect. The whole reason behind this claim is that: if you are fully focused and awake during the day, it automatically puts you in the right mood to have a quality sleep at night.

In simple terms, CBD can improve your sleeping pattern by allowing you to be more ready for a long, restful sleep. To do that, it keeps you awake during the day, which results in a better “sleep stability” as researchers claim, and allows you to fall asleep naturally at night.

Just so you know, this is still a theory. We need more evidence and research to be sure about it.

But, it’s not a bad option to experiment with CBD and see how it helps.

Speaking of which, here is how you consume CBD effectively:

The Best Way to Use CBD for Insomnia

As we’ve discussed before in previous articles, there are a lot of ways that CBD can be consumed. But, what we recommend most is CBD oil, mainly tinctures and capsules.

Tinctures

The most common form of CBD oil is CBD tinctures. They’re often derived from hemp plant (some CBD oils can be marijuana based) and are mixed with a carrier oil like coconut oil.

CBD tinctures usually come in a small bottle with an eyedropper cap. The cap can either be used to take CBD tinctures directly under your tongue (which is the most effective and the fastest way to absorb CBD) or you can drop a few drops in your food/drink.

We recommend the sublingual method (dropping a few drops under your tongue) because it allows you to stay calm and feel relaxed much longer than if you take it with food or drink.

Capsules

Ah, the good old capsules. Convenient. Portable. And very precise when it comes to dosages.

This is why capsules are the most common way to consume drugs and supplements.

But, they have their own cons that make them less “inconvenient” when you compare them with other CBD alternatives. One of the drawbacks of consuming capsules is, they are expensive.

The other problem with capsules is, since they go through the digestive process, the effects of CBD can take between 30 minutes to a few hours to kick in. That can be a hassle for many.

However, for most people, there is nothing better than CBD capsules because of their hefty work schedule or busy life. So, if you have that kind of lifestyle, capsules are the way to go.

Now, there are some questions that our readers have asked of us regarding this very topic. So, we’ve answered all of them in as much detail as we could, down below:

What is the optimal timing of taking CBD for best results?

Unlike other treatments, it is crucial for you to realise that CBD is a waking agent. If you take it right before your bedtime, it might just make things worse. And people have testified that it does make it harder for you to sleep if you take CBD right before you’re trying to sleep.

So, what we recommend is taking it in the day, or at least 3 hours before bedtime.

However, this recommendation might not work for you as everyone’s body reacts differently to CBD. So, if that happens, try experimenting and see what timings work best for you.

What is the recommended dosage of CBD for insomnia?

This is a difficult, but a good question, nonetheless.

The dosage is as important as the timing of taking CBD.

But, there is no true answer to this question. It all depends on who you are, how much you weigh, and your previous experiences with CBD or weed in particular.

All of this is key to finding the right dosage that will work best for you.

So, what we recommend is, start with the labelled dosage that’s provided with the product. Then, increase the dosage until you find the one that allows you to sleep optimally.

How long will it take CBD to improve my sleep?

Science doesn’t know why, but it is a fact that CBD can take up to a week of regular use before you start noticing any effects of CBD that you so desire.

We know it’s a bummer but that’s how CBD rolls.

Medical experts have suggested that the delay is due to the reason that it takes time for cannabinoid receptors to build up in the nervous system, especially in inexperienced users.

These receptors are what actually absorb and deliver the properties of CBD to your brain.

So, give it some time before you start to notice its “magic”.

Final Verdict

While CBD is breaking the internet with its “miraculous” benefits on mankind’s health and wellness; science is still not sure if it’s worth trying. But, as time flies, we’re continually seeing results and evidence that support the health benefits of CBD against many disorders.

We can say the same for insomnia. It is true that we’re still unsure whether CBD helps you sleep better or not; however we are hopeful, that in time ‒ we will see medical experts nodding to its effects on sleep and realise how it might be the best option to treat insomnia.

So what are your thoughts on CBD for a better nights sleep? Would you be willing to try it out on your own or would you want to wait until there is more scientific support to back up CBD's health claims?

If you have had success with using a CBD product we would love to hear about it in our comments section below. We also encourage you to share our article with any loved ones who may be facing any sleeping problems.