If you spend more time tossing and turning than snoozing, you’re not alone. A survey conducted in 2017 found that nearly one-third of Americans sleep fewer than six hours per night. With an increase in biological and lifestyle stressors as well as an accelerated pace of life, a good night’s sleep is hard to find, and that can take a devastating toll on our overall health. Poor sleep has been linked to health problems such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Luckily, researchers have begun to examine the relationship between CBD use and sleep quality, especially when it comes to stress-related insomnia. Here’s what science has to say about how CBD affects sleep quality and the best CBD product for sleep.
The Endocannabinoid System and Stress
One of the endocannabinoid system’s functions is to help maintain bodily homeostasis, or biological harmony in response to changes in the environment. It is involved in a wide variety of functions, including pain, memory, mood, appetite, stress, and sleep. The endocannabinoid system optimizes stress management, leading to better sleep and a reduction in anxiety. In a 2019 retrospective case study, researchers found that two-thirds of individuals with sleep complaints saw improvement in the first month of using CBD. CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system to help you feel your best.
No Pain, All Gain
Pain is a major factor in the gap between the amount of sleep Americans say they need and the amount they actually get. Although CBD is not currently an FDA-approved treatment of pain or sleep problems, the collection of scientific literature specifically observing sleep-related results in individuals with pain disorders is exciting and intriguing. Imagine springing out of bed every morning feeling fresh and free of creakiness!
Sleep Cycle: the Internal Clock
It’s possible that CBD may promote wakefulness by increasing dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. How does this result in better sleep? When using CBD in the day to stay awake, the result is better sleep when you need it most — at night. The endocannabinoid system works with brain areas like the nucleus accumbens to help regulate the sleep-wake cycle, balancing your body’s natural rhythms. Researchers are even exploring the possibility that CBD may smooth the irregularities seen in elderly individuals with sleep problems.
How to Get Better Sleep Tonight
Along with the addition of RESET Bioscience’s pharmaceutical-grade advanced water based CBD to your daily routine, watch your caffeine intake, reduce screen use at night and try to go to sleep and wake up at consistent times. Most of all, commit to a stress-free lifestyle — because less stress means better sleep.
Erica Garza is an author and essayist. Her work has appeared in TIME, Health, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, The Telegraph and VICE. She lives in Los Angeles.
References:
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/almost-one-third-americans-sleep-fewer-six-hours-night-180971116/
- https://www.cdc.gov/features/sleep-heart-health/index.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28349316
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21068301
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/pain-and-sleep
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28885454
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16282192
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21262236
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24845114
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2903762/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820295/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23029032
