CBD for sleep disorders: Insomnia, fatigue, and more

With long-term use of medications such as sleeping pills and allergy or cold medicines, unhealthy habits are developed, and adverse side effects are provoked. Your body develops a psychological addiction to sedative drugs such as Ambien and Lunesta. As a result, you often might feel shaky in the morning, even after eight hours of sleep.

In addition to lifestyle changes that help you sleep better at night, taking CBD oil before bedtime can naturally help you get a peaceful sleep at night. To understand how CBD helps modulate sleep, we have referred to some medical studies that have been conducted over the last ten years. These studies assess the health efficacy of CBD in treating patients who suffer from different types of sleep disorders. The results of the studies are discussed in the following text.

An interesting thing about CBD and sleep is that CBD is slightly stimulating in small to medium doses – it stimulates the same receptors as caffeine. However, some of the patients with insomnia have reported that using CBD oil (in the form of tincture or extract) a few hours before bedtime leads to excellent sleep quality. So why are the anecdotal results at variance with reported medical studies?

Research on cannabis and its effects on sleep is still in diapers and has produced mixed results. Thus, there is undoubtedly yet a lot to be discovered. In addition, other issues, such as anxiety, stress, PTSD, or chronic pain, might be the cause of various sleep disorders. While CBD is not considered inherently sedative, it does fight against the base state that causes many sleep disorders.

Study results:

A 2016 study assessed the effects of CBD on a 10-year-old girl with pediatric anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. “Pharmaceutical drugs provided partial relief. However, the results did not show long-term effects, and there were severe side effects. Nevertheless, the part of the study, which includes CBD oil, led to a steady decline in anxiety and a constant improvement in the patient’s sleep quality and quantity.

CBD oil, an increasingly popular treatment for anxiety and sleep problems, has been documented as an effective alternative to traditional drugs. This case study in a young girl with post-traumatic stress disorder provided clinical data supporting the use of CBD oil as a safe treatment reducing anxiety and improve sleep.”

 In 2017, a review of existing studies on cannabinoids and sleep concluded that “CBD can be a promising pathway for patients suffering from the REM sleep disorder and [suppress] excessive daytime sleepiness…”

Recommended CBD regimen for the sleep disorders treatment

When determining the CBD regimen for any type of disease and difficulty (such as sleep disorder), it is essential to use CBD regularly to achieve maximum efficacy. It is also advisable to understand whether a condition such as anxiety, PTSD, or pain is the leading cause of sleep disorder.

The recommended regimen will also slightly vary depending on the type of sleep disorder you suffer from. i.e., those who suffer from insomnia must take CBD at a different time of the day than those suffering from excessive daily fatigue.

Author: Elena Moreau