Can CBD help you overcome insomnia?

Riders of the CBD storm

There has been a surge of interest of CBD products these last years. An estimated 15 - 20% of all citizens in the US, uses it regularly. There is a similar picture in most countries in western civilization.

There are 3 key areas, frequent CBD users consistently claim, CBD helps them improve. Those are:

sleep disorders
anxiety
pain relief

Suppliers report that the majority their customers are women. This matches, what we know from other studies, that more women than men, suffer from insomnia.

Within sleep disorders alone, CBD has allegedly helped users suffering from disorders like:

Insomnia
sleep disordered breathing
restless legs syndrome
narcolepsy
parasomnias

In fact 11% of CBD consumed in the US, is purchased for achieving better sleep. 28% of all CBD users, use their products on a daily basis. In other words, there is an ever growing number of enthusiastic CBD users in the US and many other places.

Does the effect come from CBD or placebo?

The big question is, the effect is real, or caused by placebo. Scientific studies on the subject, are still in their infancy. Lack of scientific proof, does however not mean, it does not work. After all, there is more to the placebo effect than positive thinking.

So far only one CBD product has been approved by the American FDA. It's a product, that proved effective in treating seizures in some rare forms of epilepsy. That's truly great news for the victims of those diseases.

The last 5 years have shown a remarkable increase in publications on cannabidiol or CBD. And many more are on the way.

There are promising signs that CBD is an effective treatment for improving and enhancing your sleep.

For instance, in one clinical study, 66% of the participants reported improved sleep quality with CBD. Still, that was based on subjective assessment, not measured and timed in a proper sleep lab. For that reason, the placebo effect can't be excluded.

Until we have undeniable evidence. If you know it helps you sleep - does it actually matter if it's caused by CBD or placebo? Why wait years and years for science to prove, what you already know?

How CBD works to improve your sleep

Even the studies that do conclude that CBD improves your sleep aren't always able to say why this is the case. Most of the studies emphasize the need for more research on CBD. Only then, will we fully understand how it affects our sleep.

However, researchers suggest that CBD improves your sleep because it tackles the root causes of insomnia. Those are often anxiety, racing thoughts and similar issues.

CBD doesn't make you 'high'. The psychoactive compound in hemp is called THC. Hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are legal federally. In the UK, the limit is 0.2%. Even so, CBD seems to have a calming effect on your nervous system, which again helps you sleep

Don't use CBD if you're on blood thinners!

If you read this far, you're probably interested in giving CBD a try.

Be aware that CBD may alter the effect of other drugs. If you consider combining other medication with CBD, please consult a doctor or a pharmacist first.

Do not take any unnecessary risks with your health. There is a reason, you were prescribed that medicine in the first place.

Your medication may stop working or you face an increased risk of side effects. This can eventually give you a stroke, if you're on e.g. blood thinners.

If you're on medication, always consult your doctor or pharmacist before trying CBD. This is especially true, if you use blood thinners (anticoagulants).

Proceed with caution

Not every supplier in the CBD business is concerned about quality nor do they care for their customers. They are in it for quick profits.

Several studies reveal that 65-70% of CBD products sold online are mislabeled. So, products from online retailers could contain higher levels of THC or other compounds. This is a really big problem, if e.g. you use CBD against anxiety.

If you decide to give CBD a try, always choose CBD products from reputable brands. If they can't provide third party lab reports, you should look elsewhere. I have full confidence in the companies, that are allowed to advertise on this site.

While we are on the warnings. Check local legislation, especially when traveling, to make sure you don't break any laws. As a very general rule of thumb, CBD is legal in "cosmetic" products.

Safety and side effects

In Denmark, where I live, you're allowed to drive a car after taking CBD. Compare that to the fact, that if you don't sleep for 24 hours, you're effectively as incapable of driving, as if you're had been drinking alcohol.

If you are a normal, healthy adult, the side effects are few and rare.

In clinical tests, daily doses of up to 200 mg have been used safely for up to 13 weeks. Most use way less than that.

Another small-scale clinical study with CBD treatment confirmed that CBD is effective, safe and well-tolerated. If you're an otherwise healthy adult, you should be safe with CBD.

Do remember to get it from a trustworthy supplier though - for your own safety.

Personal experience.

My personal experience hardly counts as valid, scientific evidence. Even so, while researching for this blog post, I decided to give CBD oils a try.

For the past 3 months, I've taken a small dose about 30 minutes before going to bed. I am positively convinced, that:

I fall asleep much faster, than without CBD.
I also tend to wake up fewer times during the night.
Less waking up to go for a pee*.
When I do wake up during the night, I fall back asleep faster.
When I don't set the alarm, I seem to sleep on average 30 - 45 minutes longer in the morning.

*) In some scientific studies, CBD has shown effective for improving urination frequency.

As a result of these improvements to my sleep quality, I feel so much more well rested every day. No more headaches in the morning. No more need for a power nap after lunch.

I'm extremely happy with this result - and I don't care if it's because of placebo or CBD.

Thanks for reading. May the sleep be with you!