How CBD may be able to help people with certain sleep-related conditions
The morning light creeps through the crack between the shades and the edge of the window. You groan, roll, and throw a pillow over your head. Then, the alarm goes off.
As anyone who has tossed and turned through the night on a regular basis will tell you, sleep disorders are nothing to yawn at. And the morning can be the absolute worst.
In 2010, researchers published a review of sleep and sleep disorders. [1] Their report indicated that the most commonly reported problems associated with poor sleep include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Insomnia
- Abnormal movements or behavior during sleep
- Inability to sleep at the desired time
Many current treatment options for sleep disorders aren’t always effective and they even can be addictive. So, people might be worried about using any kind of drug to help them sleep, including cannabis-based medicines. According to a report from 2018, however, CBD does not negatively impact the sleep-wake cycle.[2]
The researchers pointed out that “unlike widely used anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs such as benzodiazepines and SSRIs, the acute administration of an anxiolytic dose of CBD does not appear to interfere with the sleep cycle of healthy volunteers.”
With that in mind, CBD may be able to help with some sleep disorders – but perhaps not all.
In 2019, researchers published a case series review that evaluated 72 patients who indicated they had trouble with anxiety or sleep.[3] CBD treatment reduced anxiety and sleep dysfunction in the first month. Reported anxiety continued to trend down throughout the study while the impact on sleep fluctuated over time.
Additional studies have pointed out that much of the research that has been done regarding cannabinoids and sleep have focused on sleep as a secondary aspect. [4] A review summarized what the research has to say about CBD and sleep.
Overal, cannabinoids seem to:
- Improve sleep quality
- Decrease sleep disturbances
- Decrease sleep onset latency
This means that if you have trouble falling asleep quickly, sleeping well throughout the night, and/or staying asleep until morning, CBD may be able to help.
If you’ve been having trouble sleeping, have you thought about trying CBD or cannabinoids? As always, talk to your doctor, as sleep problems can be associated with many different conditions. However, if you are using CBD to help with sleep, let us know your experience in the comment section below!
Image source: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/5-reasons-a-good-night-s-sleep-is-the-secret-to-success/
References
- Chokroverty, S., “Overview of Sleep & Sleep Disorders.” The Indian Journal of Medical Research. vol.131, 2010, pg. 126-140.
- Linares, I.M.P., et al., “No Acute Effects of Cannabidiol on the Sleep-Wake Cycle of Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study.” Frontiers in Pharmacology,9, 2018, pg. 1-21.
- Shannon, S., et al., “Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series.” The Permanente Journal, vol. 23, 2019, pg. 1-16.
- Kuhathasan, N., et al., “The Use of Cannabinoids for Sleep: A Critical Review on Clinical Trials.” Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, vol.27, no.4, 2019, pg. 383-401.
