Does CBD help you sleep?

So how exactly does CBD help you sleep?

Let's first take a look at what is causing those sleepless nights. This can be chronic pain or physical conditions that you may be dealing with such as back and/or knee pain from an old injury, aching joints as a result of arthritis, or perhaps it's just the "damnit I'm getting old and things just ache" daily pains. Other things include anxiety and depression, which certainly isn't getting any better. Depression rates actually tripled during the pandemic according to nationally representative survey that was conducted between March 31 and April 13 of 2020. Not that it really took a real scientific study, just ask those around you and it's pretty obvious people struggle and continue to do so. There may also be other factors to consider. Perhaps where you live, where you work as well as work hours that could be causing sleeplessness.

Note: According to a recent nationally representative Consumer Reports survey, 10% of Americans who reported trying CBD said they used it to help them sleep with a majority of those people saying it worked.

If your sleep issue is anxiety related, research published in 2019 has shown that Cannabidiol may be beneficial for improving sleep. In one particular study, 72 people were given CBD (25mg) in capsule form every day. Of those 72 participants, 47 (mostly men) had issues with anxiety, and 25 (mostly women) had sleep issues. After the first monthly assessment of CBD treatment, 79.2% (57/72) and 66.7% (48/72) of all patients experienced an improvement in anxiety and sleep. The CBD was well-tolerated in all but 3 patients.

People with other forms of anxiety such as SAD (social anxiety disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) have shown improvements when given CBD. One particular study researched CBD’s effects on those dealing with SAD. Participants given an oral dose of 400MG of CBD experienced overall reduced anxiety levels.

Multiple recent studies have also shown that CBD can help with PTSD. These studies have confirmed CBD's ability to alter important aspects of unpleasant memories in humans and develop significant improvements as it relates to the symptoms of PTSD. CBD is being looked at as both a standalone PTSD treatment as well as a supplement to traditional treatments like medication and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

So What form of CBD is right for you?

Reducing chronic pain, anxiety and other ailments can certainly help with getting a better nights sleep. If you are dealing with chronic aches and pains from arthritis or general inflammation then perhaps a CBD topical cream or rub can help. For stress and anxiety, then perhaps CBD drops or capsules, or gummies might help. There are a number of options and flavors to choose from.

Although CBD is generally considered safe, it's mostly available as an unregulated supplement and can cause adverse reactions like diarrhea and fatigue in some people. It may also interfere with certain medications you may be taking so be sure to talk to your doctor.