By Andy Coffaro
Cannabidiol (CBD) is gaining public steam like a locomotive chugging down a mountainside. Consumers are increasingly using it in everything from iced coffees to easy-to-swallow gel caps. You can even soak in an evening bath swirling with CBD-soothing salts.
CBD has a laundry list of benefits ranging from muscle recovery to anxiety relief, but did you know it can help with your insomnia?
Neuroscientist and Why We Sleep author Matthew Walker has dedicated his life to educating the public about the benefits of sleep. From instilling the importance of eight hours of nightly snoozing to advice like keeping your bedroom around 65 degrees, there’s no shortage of expert advice on how to fall and stay in a blissful state of slumber.
But along with Walker’s time-honored tips, how can CBD help you fall asleep quicker and hibernate for the night versus tossing and turning?
1. How CBD Promotes Better Sleep
While there is still much research to be done, initial studies believe that cannabinoids interact with specific receptors within the endocannabinoid system to alleviate disruptive sleep factors like pain and anxiety.
2. CBD Products
Sleep-inducing cannabidiols are available in a wide variety of products, so spend some time researching what might work best. Here are some popular and under-the-radar options to explore:
- Edibles: Don’t worry, these aren’t the THC-laced brownies and cookies you see in comedy movies or memes. Edibles are available as gummy bears, peanut butter cups, and oodles of additional options with CBD concentrations listed in milligrams.
- Vaping: Convenient and discrete vape pens are great alternatives to its messy flower counterpart.
- Tinctures: Simply add a few drops to your favorite beverage, including non-caffeinated “sleepy time” teas in the evening.
- Bath salts: Studies have shown that taking warm baths at night can help you fall asleep faster, so tossing in a generous handful of CBD bath salts can help even more.
3. Don’t Count Sheep, Count Milligrams
In the same way your body might react differently to prescribed medications or a single glass of wine compared to others, there’s no exact science when it comes to taking CBD. While it may take trial and error to discover how many milligrams of CBD provide you with restful sleep, it’s always smart to adhere to the adage, “You can always take more, but you can’t take less.”
4. When to Take CBD before Jumping Into Bed
Similar to using trial and error to determine the right milligram strength, the time it takes for CBD products to kick-in varies as well. Generally speaking, most packaging purports anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes for it to take effect.
5. Convenience
Unlike its THC counterpart, CBD items containing THC below 0.3% by weight can not only be purchased and shipped anywhere in the continental United States, but also you can throw it in your bag when traveling to combat sleep issues far from home.
While CBD can help alleviate your insomnia in dozens of additional ways, these five tips can help propel you to vastly improved slumber as soon as tonight.
