In the modern world, everyone seems to be chasing sleep. Constantly we’re told, ‘Get more sleep. Get higher quality sleep. Take this. Take that. Relax. Count sheep. Sleep, right now!’
But it’s rarely that easy. The stress of a global pandemic. Doom-scrolling on your phone until the wee hours while the digital light knocks down your melatonin levels. And then laying there in bed, worrying about not sleeping, making you even more unable to sleep.
Then there’s dozens of products clamoring for you to use them to finally find a restful night. But which do you trust?
We suggest trying one of the oldest sleep-inducing plants in human history: hemp.
CBD for sleep
CBD-rich hemp extracts are all the rage now. And one of the top reasons that you see in all the surveys about why people use CBD is for sleep. Even the Sleep Foundation agrees.
When humans first encountered hemp, it spread widely so quickly because it was useful medicine in many different areas. And we didn’t know it then, but it turns out that humans – in fact, all mammals and most other forms of life – all share an endocannabinoid system. The cannabinoids of the hemp plant interact with the cannabinoids inside us to heal and soothe.
Our endocannabinoid system is our system of balance. It’s not only tied up in our stress response, it helps to regulate our immune and hormonal systems, our inflammation response and much more. All of this is involved with our ability to sleep. Plus, CBD has recently been shown to interact with our orexin neurotransmitter, a key regulator of sleep. Oftentimes, the ability of CBD to enhance the quality of sleep is linked to its ability to lower anxiety.
The stories of CBD users confirms the science: Many people have found CBD helpful for a better night’s rest. But it’s different for everyone.
How to use CBD for sleep
With everyone’s endocannabinoid so unique, everyone reacts differently to CBD. It might take some experimentation to find out what works for you.
For many people, they take their CBD an hour before bed and that’s just right for calming their minds and preparing their bodies to drift off to slumber. But for others, they might find that CBD gives them some energy, similar to a cup of tea, and they don’t take it after a certain time of day. For these users, they often find that taking their CBD in the morning leads to less mental anxiety during the day and thus a better sleep that night.
The amounts of CBD to take and the times of day to take it are different for everyone. The best advice is to start low and go slow. Let your body get used to CBD and for it help balance your endocannabinoid system. You can keep increasing your serving size until you find the sweet spot (and times of day) that work for you.
One other thing to note is that in general, tolerance does not develop to the effects of CBD. Once you find the sweet spot that helps you sleep, you should be able to keep taking that amount at that time of day and keep reaping the restful benefits.
Don’t forget good sleep hygiene
Of course, doing your part to have a good night’s rest helps the CBD to work better. Try to establish a bedtime routine that has you in bed at the same time every night. Avoid phone screens, caffeine late in the day and give yourself time to unwind from the tensions of the day. Plus, daytime naps and exercise both help to prepare your body for sleep that night.
What CBD to try
The easiest way to get CBD into your system is with a tasty gummy or a spray of CBD oil. These are easy methods for knowing exactly how much CBD is getting into your system. After a week or so of trying the minimum serving size, you can keep increasing your amounts until you find just the right amount to help you sleep.
If you feel like you might need a little more help, these Sleep Gummies also contain 3 milligrams of melatonin – the natural hormone of your sleep cycle – as well as 50 milligrams each of lemon balm extract and magnolia bark extract, two traditional plants for calm and sleep. It’s a particularly potent mix for finding a good night’s rest.
Whatever you find that works for you, we hope that you start enjoying better and deeper sleep!