Categories: Lifestyle

When To Take CBD Oil For Sleep & Is It A Safe Sleep Aid?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main cannabinoids of the cannabis plant. These compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system, helping the body maintain balance and homeostasis. Because of this, CBD is processed into an oil that can be easily infused with food and drink. CBD oil has become more and more popular over the years. It is commonly used to treat anxiety and chronic pain and is even infused in baked goods and beverages.

It’s a common misconception that taking marijuana can make you high. But to set the record straight, CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, which means it will not make you high, unlike the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) counterpart.

Health Canal, a trustworthy source of CBD information agrees with the benefits of medical marijuana as an effective sleep aid for people with sleep disorders or who experience difficulty sleeping. Keep reading below to know more about CBD oils and how they impact sleep quality.

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Can CBD Oil Help Improve Sleep? What The Research Says

Research on the effects of taking CBD oil on managing sleep disorders is still preliminary. However, these people who take CBD oil for pain relief report improved sleep. Currently, it’s unclear whether these patients fall asleep better because of the anti-inflammatory effect or because CBD affects their sleep.

Some initial studies of CBD for sleep disorders suggest positive outcomes; however, not everyone experiences restful sleep with CBD oil. It’s because the different dosages can lead to different effects.

Research suggests that lower doses of CBD than the recommended are stimulating, while higher doses induce sedative effects. Meanwhile, the effects of taking CBD can also be attributed to the method of administration. In short, further research is still needed to know the full potential of CBD as a sleep aid for people who have trouble falling asleep.

How And When To Take CBD Oil For Sleep?

Despite a few studies that have been done on the effectiveness of CBD oils, people who are struggling to stay asleep still use them as natural alternatives for sleeping pills. There are several ways to take CBD oil to get a deep night’s rest. Let’s get to know them.

You can take CBD oil by putting it directly on your tongue. This part of your mouth is capillary-rich, so the CBD will reach your bloodstream more quickly.
CBD oil is blended into a smoothie, coffee, cocktails, and other beverages to mask its pungent, earthy taste.
CBD oil comes in capsule form, making it generally safe for people who want to maintain a consistent dose of CBD in their bodies. Since it must undergo the first-pass effect, you must wait 30 minutes or more to reach cannabinoid receptors and elicit the effect.
CBD oil can be easily infused in baked goods, such as cookies, brownies, gummies, and even candies.

The best time of day to take CBD oil will be an hour before bedtime. It’s because after taking CBD for sleep, it will probably take around 20 minutes before you start feeling its sedative effect; for some, it might take longer. Therefore, include this in your nightly routine to wind down all your day-to-day stresses.

Dosage Suggestions

Regarding CBD products, how much CBD you take will vary depending on different factors, so it’s better to leave it in the hands of medical professionals. CBD dosage is often expressed in milligrams, and it largely depends on the conditions and symptoms you’re trying to treat. But note that there’s only one CBD product that’s legal to use, and it’s for treating seizures associated with a particular syndrome.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate the use of CBD in the treatment of any condition. Therefore, CBD dosage for managing other conditions remains an area of active research to determine the appropriate dosing, safety, and efficacy.

When it comes to any marijuana-containing products, start small, then gradually increase your dose to a level that gives you the desired effect. Your starting point might look like a drop of CBD oil. The FDA doesn’t recommend how much you take, but experts generally recommend 1 to 6 mg per every 10 lbs of body weight. For instance, if you weigh 100 lbs, you can take 10 to 60 mg daily.

With oil and sprays, it may not tell you how much CBD is contained in each drop. In this case, you have to do a little math. Each drop is 0.05 mL, so if you have a 10 mL bottle of CBD oil, the bottle can deliver 200 drops. If the bottle says it contains 500 mg of CBD, it will give you 2.5 mg of CBD per drop, and if you want to take 25 mg of CBD, it will take ten drops.

When taking CBD for insomnia or serious cases of sleep disruption, you need to be in the higher range of recommended use. It’s better to speak to your doctor about how much you can take, especially if you have underlying medical conditions.

When taking CBD to improve sleep, track how long it would take to fall asleep, how many times you woke during the night, how long you slept, and how you felt when you woke up. For other conditions, here is the recommended dosage:

To manage anxiety, take around 300 to 600 mg daily.
For serious joint pains, like arthritis, a maximum of 30 mg a day or 250 mg is applied topically.
For opioid addiction, take 400 to 800 mg per day.
For Neuropathic and other diseases that target the immune system, such as multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, fibromyalgia, and many more, a maximum of 30 mg per day

Other Natural Ways To Improve Sleep Quality

Difficulty in falling asleep is inconvenient that leaves you dragging the next day. It can affect your physical and emotional health. Fortunately, here are some natural ways that can improve your sleep:

Drink warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice. Avoid drinking anything that contains caffeine.
Do not work out within two hours of bedtime.
Keep your room cool. The ideal temperature for your thermostat should be between 65 and 72 degrees.
Turn off the TV and keep away from mobile devices 30 minutes before bed.
Smell lavender oil before bedtime

Conclusion

Before taking any CBD products, it’s still best to consult your doctor. Your doctor has enough knowledge to tell you how to make the best use of CBD to improve your sleep. Or you may seek professional medical advice from a sleep medicine specialist to discuss what kind of treatment option is best suited for you.