The Benefits of CBD Oil for Insomnia

If you’re one of those people who battle to fall asleep at night or wake up during the night and can’t go back to sleep, you’re not alone. Many people around the world suffer from sleep problems.

Insomnia can reach the point where it starts interfering with your daily life, affecting your relationships, your work and your health. This is why so many people are excited about the potential of using CBD oil for treating insomnia.

What causes acute and chronic insomnia?

Insomnia is very common and some people may experience it for a few weeks (acute), while for others, it is a regular occurrence (chronic). If you can’t get to sleep at times when you have an exam the next day or an interview for a job, this is completely normal. Once the event is over, your sleep usually becomes regular again. However, if your insomnia is long-lasting, it can have a really negative effect on your life and you need to do something about it.

According to the Mayo Clinic, insomnia has many causes. Medication can disturb your sleep-wake cycle. Environmental factors, like loud noises, high temperatures or an uncomfortable bed can make you sleep badly.

Physical conditions, like pain or restless leg syndrome, can affect your sleep. Caffeine, especially if you consume it late in the day is another culprit. Ongoing stress and anxiety can also prevent you from sleeping.

Insomnia treatment depends on its causes

Insomnia treatment depends largely on what is causing it and how serious it is. For instance, testing at a sleep clinic may be necessary if you’re suspected of having sleep apnea. If snoring is preventing you from sleeping, various measures such as sleeping on your side or wearing a snore guard may help.

Authors of a 2018 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology note that there is evidence to support the fact that CBD can soothe the pain. If you are suffering from insomnia related to pain, CBD could help you to sleep by helping reducing inflammation and soothing pain.

In one study, many participants with anxiety improved their sleep scores over the period of a month by using CBD. CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in your body that helps to keep your body in homeostasis by regulating bodily functions.

If you have low serotonin levels, CBD interacts with the CBI receptors in your body to remedy this, causing you to suffer less anxiety and fall asleep more easily.

Differences between prescription medication and CBD

Many people rely on sleeping tablets to help them sleep. Unfortunately, they often have unwelcome side effects, like groggy feelings the next morning and developing a dependency.

CBD is a compound found in the cannabis plant but unlike THC, it does not get you high. It has few serious side effects and it isn’t addictive. It is also almost impossible to overdose.

Ways to take CBD for insomnia

For anxiety, it helps to vape or use CBD oil sublingually for quick relief. Using the oil drops under the tongue works quickly because they are absorbed into the bloodstream.

If you experience pain in a specific area, you may find relief by using a lotion or topical cream to reduce inflammation.

Edible products, like CBD gummies, take longer to work but the effects are also long-lasting.

Many people like to take CBD capsules to help them sleep because they are odourless, tasteless and you take in the same way as other medication.

How much CBD do you need to take for insomnia?

Your dosage for insomnia will depend on various factors, such as your weight, the type of product and the nature of your problem. You need to experiment as what works for one person doesn’t work for another. In clinical trials, participants have been given anything from 25mg to 1,500 mg a day. Always start with a low dosage and gradually increase it to find what works for you.

The time you take a product before bedtime will depend on the nature of the product – edibles need to be taken earlier because they can take up to 90 minutes to work.

It is important to discuss using CBD for insomnia with your doctor, especially if you are already using prescription medication.