Sleep is a fundamental body function that revitalizes your body and mind. Research indicates that more than 50-70 million adults across the US experience some form of sleeping disorder. Many turn to over-the-counter prescription aids that are quite addictive and come with numerous side effects. Read on to find 5 reasons you should try CBD for sleep.
Cannabidiol (CBD) acts on receptors throughout your body, commonly referred to as the endocannabinoid system. This system controls many physiological processes in your body, including the sleep and wake cycles, hormone levels, immune system, and pain receptors.
The ability of CBD to manage sleeplessness may vary depending on your unique biology and tolerance. But if you’re exploring possible treatment for a sleeping disorder, CBD as a treatment is a safe and non-habit forming alternative to pharmaceutical drugs.
CBD as a Treatment for Sleep Disorders
You should try CBD for sleep as it is only a component in cannabis and should not be equated to taking cannabis in the traditional sense. Here are some top reasons to use CBD as a treatment for sleeplessness and related disorders.
- Reduces Stress and Soothes Mood
Stress and anxiety is one of the major causes of insomnia. If you aren’t able to turn off your mind long enough to drift to sleep, you will wake up exhausted.
Researchers have discovered that if CBD is used in the right potency and quantity, it aids in managing stress and anxiety. CBD has an effect on the nervous system and stimulates production of hormones that eliminate racing thoughts that keep you up, hence increasing the amount of time you sleep, so you wake up fresh and rested.
- Pain Relief
If you’re struggling with sleeplessness due to chronic pain, CBD is a great natural alternative to pharmaceutical pain killers. It alleviates pain-induced sleeplessness by working on the symptoms rather than inducing a sedative effect like most sleep aids.
- Relaxed Muscles
Studies indicate that CBD is a possible treatment for movement disorders by helping reduce hypermobility and tremors in Parkinson’s disease patients. As a muscle relaxant, it alleviates muscle spasms at the molecular level. It, therefore, helps reduce sleeplessness and insomnia in patients with movement disorders like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.
- Eliminates Nightmares
Nightmares have a negative effect on sleep quality. For people who have Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder where you act out vivid and unpleasant dreams, a good night’s sleep may be nothing but a dream. Such patients, when treated with CBD, experience less restlessness and fewer nightmares.
- Relief from Somnolence
CBD can have a dual effect depending on your individual biology and when it’s administered. This is because it regulates both sleep and wake cycles hence promoting wakefulness during the day and relaxation at night. Somnolence and insomnia can negatively impact daytime productivity and ability to fall asleep at night. Try CBD for sleep as a treatment during daylight hours promotes alertness and leads to more restful sleep.
You may be shying away from CBD, thinking it has the same effects as marijuana. However, CBD is not psychoactive and won’t alter your state of mind. It doesn’t hurt to try CBD as a treatment for better sleep since it doesn’t cause negative side effects or addiction.