The likelihood is you have heard anecdotal reports about THC related products, both stating that they can help you sleep and that they keep you awake. So what about CBD? Can CBD oil cause insomnia? Or can it help you sleep?
Let’s start by being open about this, CBD is not a sedative, it is not a magical cure that is guaranteed to help you sleep. Nor is CBD oil something that will ensure you stay awake, whether you want to or not. But there is a discussion to be had about the effects of CBD oil on sleep.
The Science Bit
We are not legally allowed to discuss the possible positive health benefits of CBD products (although we can’t stop you from doing so, or researching it, if you so choose) but we can discuss the science behind CBD and how it works.
CBD oil activates serotonin receptors in the brain, serotonin being released has been proven to have soothing effects on the body, lessening anxiety, and therefore making sleep easier.
Being calm and relaxed during sleep can also help with numerous sleep disorders including REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD) and others which have been known to create anxiety and discomfort during sleep.
These disorders have been known to disturb sleep, or keep sleepers awake. Pain and anxiety are regular symptoms and causes of these disorders, so anything that may help with that is likely to be of assistance to these disorders.
Is CBD Oil Used by Those with Insomnia?
Multiple respected organisations have undertaken studies and written about the most frequent reasons for patients to use CBD oil, including Harvard Health, and in all cases, insomnia is one of the most common conditions people use CBD to help.
As stated above, we cannot comment on positive health benefits directly due to the laws around CBD being in something of a state of flux at this point, while research continues, but what we can say is CBD is a popular tool for those with insomnia.
We cannot tell you whether it works, but we can tell you it is frequently used, and that it is not difficult to find reports from scientists and users of CBD oil that discuss the effects of the CBD oil on insomnia and other sleep related issues.
Does CBD Have Risks when Taken for Sleep Issues?
Many people assume CBD to be like THC, but this is not the case. CBD oils are regulated to ensure THC content is not above 0.2% (this is true in both the UK and the USA). THC is probably the most well-known cannabinoid but is not the same as CBD, they are simply two parts of the same plant.
CBD does not cause the ‘high’ that is associated with THC, and is also not known to cause issues with anxiety and psychosis that have been observed in some cases with THC. This makes CBD a much safer option (which certainly isn’t to say that THC is a risky one) with limited side effects.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that CBD will affect your sleep in a negative way, and while we cannot say conclusively that CBD oil can help insomnia (others may say that, and they may be right, and we certainly have our own opinions, we just can’t legally say it) we can say that there is more evidence to suggest that it helps, than there is evidence to suggest CBD oil negatively impacts people with insomnia.
Will CBD Oil Become a Recognised Cure for Insomnia?
It is impossible to say for sure what medical conditions CBD oils will and won’t be officially recognised as being able to help or alleviate. But it is certainly an interesting time in terms of scientific research and acceptance.
You have undoubtedly noticed that CBD is more prevalent in various areas than it was even a year ago, and this is likely to only increase. All signs are good for this, with the World Health Organisation stating that there is “there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
This means that trying CBD oil is not thought to be dangerous, so if you wanted to try it to see if it happened to help with insomnia or other sleep-related disorders, then the law and the science would both be okay with that!
Whether CBD becomes officially recognised by doctors and health organisations as an official and prescribed treatment for insomnia remains to be seen, but if you have queries, we are happy to discuss them with you, and suggest which CBD oils and other products may be right to help you answer your questions.