Is CBD a Safe and Effective Sleep Aid?
A good night’s sleep is all you need to function well both mentally and physically. Taking restful sleep cycles provides restorative, protective, and energy-conserving functions, which are essential for the healthy functioning of your entire system. Yet, nearly 70% of Americans sleep less than recommended hours, out of which one-third sleep only 6 hours per night. This is because falling asleep or staying asleep can be difficult for certain types of sleepers. Though there are conventional treatment options to regulate one’s sleep cycle, Americans now consider CBD as an effective sleep aid.
So, what is CBD? It stands for cannabidiol, a derivative of plant cannabis that is usually extracted from hemp plants. It’s the most prevalent chemical compound after THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and is widely acknowledged and appreciated for its therapeutic properties. Over the years, more and more people have started taking different forms of CBD to get relief from different types of sleep problems. And, the interesting fact? It actually WORKS!
Is CBD an Effective Sleep Aid? How Does it Help?
So, the question is, how does CBD help in regulating sleep? Here’s how.
CBD primarily works by calming our nervous system and influencing different emotions, including pain, pleasure, and mood. Now, different studies conducted on CBD and sleep disorders suggest positive outcomes to some extent, including improved sleep reported by many patients. For instance, in a study of CBD and patients with chronic pain, patients reported improved sleep, and scientists are unsure whether the improved sleep is due to pain relief or because CBD directly affects sleep. So, this calls out for more detailed research on the subject.
Here’s another example. Patients suffering from different types of anxiety disorders usually have difficulty sleeping. CBD helps reduce the severity of anxiety-induced symptoms, including muscle tension, restless mind, and rapid heart rate, which automatically calms down the person and puts them into a restful sleep.
Even people with insomnia prefer consuming cannabis edibles(gummies) to relax their minds and promote at least a few hours of good sleep. Now, the thing with CBD is that it might work differently for different people. Low doses of CBD are stimulating, while high doses can be sedative in most cases. So, it’s imperative to start slow and low with CBD or any other derivative of cannabis for that matter.
Different Ways to Take CBD for Sleep
Owing to the rising demand for cannabidiol, a variety of CBD products have entered the market. Below are the most common ways how people take CBD for sleep relief:
- CBD oil
- Edibles, such as fruity gummies, hard candies, lollipops, cookies, chocolates, etc
- Capsules
- Topicals, such as CBD-infused balms, creams, sprays, etc.
Final Thoughts
It is possible that a particular form of CBD might not bring the best result for your case. As mentioned earlier, CBD works differently for different bodies. Your struggle is to do some trials with different products and see what works best for you. Moreover, if you’re new to cannabis, start on a low dosage and gradually increase your intake if you feel you’re not getting desired results with the same dosage.
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