CBD for Insomnia

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a condition where individuals experience difficulty with various aspects of their sleep, leading to significant distress or disruptions in daily life. This can include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep throughout the night, waking up too early or feeling dissatisfied with the quality and duration of rest. Over the years, insomnia has become increasingly common, affecting more than 46 million Americans and impacting overall well-being.

What are Signs and Symptoms of Insomnia?

Some of the signs of insomnia are relatively obvious, given the definition of insomnia. For instance, having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or waking up throughout the night or too early in the morning are symptoms of insomnia. However, other symptoms may be troubling but less noticeably a sign of insomnia. These symptoms include daytime tiredness, irritability, depression, and anxiety. Difficulty focusing or having more frequent accidents or making more frequent errors can also be signs of insomnia. 

Several things can lead to insomnia, including poor sleeping habits, acute or chronic stress, and eating too late in the evening. Consuming some substances, like caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine may interfere with sleep, and certain medical conditions or medications can also negatively influence sleep and lead to the development of insomnia. 

While there are both over-the-counter sleep aids and prescription pharmaceuticals that can address insomnia, many people prefer to avoid these drugs unless they are absolutely necessary in their battle against insomnia. 

How Might CBD Help with Insomnia?

For those who would rather avoid drugs but for whom lifestyle changes don’t adequately relieve their insomnia, cannabidiol (CBD) may become of interest. CBD has indeed been shown to influence sleep in different ways, depending on the dose of CBD that’s taken. 

While low doses of CBD have been associated with enhanced wakefulness, doses of 160 milligrams (mg) per day in people who suffer from insomnia has been shown to increase total sleep time and also to reduce the frequency of arousals throughout the night.

To get at why CBD may affect the nature of our sleep, scientists have investigated what occurs in those with sleep disorders when they use CBD. One thing they have observed through this work is that CBD can limit behaviors associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers have also conducted preclinical work that has demonstrated that CBD can prevent abnormal loss of REM sleep, which is commonly observed in those with anxiety.  These results corroborate case study data showing that CBD oil can reduce insomnia symptoms and sleep disturbances related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Given the results of studies looking at the relationship between CBD and sleep, it may be the case that the beneficial effects that CBD can have in those with insomnia relate to the role of CBD in combating anxiety. Importantly, in addition to work showing that CBD can impact the nature of sleep, it will important for future research to help clarify whether CBD is associated with improvements in certain symptoms of insomnia and if it can be used to manage troubling aspects of the disorder such as somnolence. 

Can I Mix CBD and Melatonin?

Yes, you can! Melatonin and CBD oil work together naturally to aid in sleep with no serious side effects.

What Dosage of CBD Should I Take for Insomnia?

There is no dosage that will work for everyone because effects are dependent on body weight, but experts recommend 1-6 mg per ten pounds of body weight.

Read more about FULL SPECTRUM CBD OIL FOR SLEEP