CBD has continued to be a popular choice among many to help manage several kinds of health challenges (like managing chronic pain and anxiety). What does the research say about insomnia and CBD? Does CBD help with insomnia?
Inside, we’ll take a look at specifically what insomnia is, if CBD helps with insomnia, and how else CBD may help improve your sleep.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia isn’t “when something is making it hard for you to sleep.” Specifically insomnia is a sleep disorder where someone may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early before you’ve gotten enough sleep. Insomnia can be tough to tackle because what causes it isn’t always clear (and may never be clear).
While insomnia is pretty common, effectively treating insomnia can be challenging.
What Research Has to Say about CBD and Insomnia
CBD hasn’t been legal that long (in the United States, it’s only been federally legal since 2018). That means CBD research is still new, and the research specifically about CBD and insomnia is pretty sparse. We want to emphasize that more research is needed to make any definitive conclusions about how CBD impacts insomnia.
Having said that, the research that does exist is promising. A 2022 survey of studies concluded that “CBD alone or with equal quantities of THC may be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of insomnia.” Another study survey in 2020 noted that there wasn’t enough research to draw strong conclusions, but stated “promising preliminary evidence provides the rationale for future randomized controlled trials of cannabinoid therapies” for not only insomnia, but a host of other conditions that can impact sleep.
There’s more research that looks into some of the mechanics that may contribute to insomnia. For example, higher cortisol levels (a stress hormone the body naturally produces) at unusual times are associated with those who struggle with insomnia. A 2019 study found that those who take high doses of CBD had lower cortisol levels, which may mean that CBD can directly alleviate the physiological disorders that may contribute to insomnia.
So, while we still need more research, preliminary studies suggest that CBD might be an excellent tool to tackle insomnia, especially when taken at high doses.
Which Method of Taking CBD Is Best for Insomnia?
Unfortunately, there’s not enough research to definitely say which method of CBD is best for insomnia (in the above research, CBD-infused oil is exclusively used). However, depending on how insomnia impacts your sleep, there may be better intake methods that can help overcome specific sleep challenges.
For example, if you have trouble falling asleep, but not staying asleep, then a fast-acting product might be a great fit. Inhalable CBD products (like the PhenoPen) allows CBD to be absorbed through the lungs, so sedative effects can be felt in as quickly as 15 minutes.
If you have trouble staying asleep, then a slow-release, long-lasting CBD product may be a better choice. For example, both PhenoGel and PhenoPatch are designed for slow, steady release, which may help you stay asleep through the night.
If you struggle with both falling asleep and staying asleep, then combining CBD products may be the solution you’re looking for!
How Else Can CBD Help with Sleep?
While we’ve been discussing how CBD can specifically help manage insomnia, many have found that CBD has improved their sleep in other ways. Specifically, CBD may help to manage conditions that make it difficult to get the appropriate amount of sleep needed to stay mentally and physically healthy.
CBD and Pain Management
If you have a hard time sleeping because of chronic pain, then CBD might be able to help! Research has suggested that CBD can help with inflammatory pain, like arthritis and joint pain. That study showed that patients reported improved symptoms and that they needed to take less of other medications.
CBD and Anxiety Management
If you struggle to sleep because of chronic anxiety, stress, or racing thoughts, then CBD may be able to help. A 2022 study said: “…it can be concluded that the personalized prescription of CBD can be a treatment option with a wide range of safety and efficacy and, when paired together with cognitive therapies, may aid in reducing anxiety and its related symptoms (such as insomnia)…”
The researchers added the caveat that CBD as part of anxiety treatment should be “pharmaceutical grade and legally sourced,” which means it’s very important that you get CBD from brands that sell it legally and with Certificate of Analysis, which proves that the products were third party tested.
Can CBD Help with Insomnia? – Wrap Up
Does CBD help with insomnia? While research is early, current studies suggest that it can! If you’re thinking about trying CBD to help with insomnia, here are a few factors to keep in mind:
- Start with low doses and work your way up to a dose that works
- Consistently take CBD (it can take 5-10 days for CBD to fully saturate your body and to start feeling the full relief CBD can give)
- Only buy from brands that lab test their products and show proof that testing has been completed
- Consult with your doctor before beginning to take CBD, especially if you’re already on prescription medication
If you have questions, we would love to help! The experts at PhenoLife can help you choose a product that’s the right fit, answer dosage questions, and give other tips that may help you get the results you want. You can take a look at our CBD formula that we’ve created specifically to help with sleep, as well as other CBD formulas that might provide the relief you need!
