The Sleep You Need Starts with CBD
Everyone has a sleep routine. From streaming shows, reading books, meditating or working out, there are several ways of entering into that much-needed slumber at the end of each day. Even with many sleep-friendly tasks readily available at our convenience, most people end up having to rely on supplements in order to get the sleep they need. Melatonin and chamomile tea can only do so much. Luckily cannabidiol is here to help, and it’s as sleep-friendly and all-natural as ever.
Why Do We Need Sleep?
More than a third of Americans require medication in order to achieve an adequate amount of sleep. Our sleep is directly connected to our health and without it, we can experience a wide range of health issues. When compared to those who have a more frequent sleep cycle, short sleepers are more likely to report up to 10 chronic health conditions. Meanwhile, the National Sleep Foundation provides that 45% of Americans believe that a lack of sleep is the main culprit in inhibiting their daily activities. Luckily, the risks of sleeplessness are as real as they are avoidable. With many ways to receive it’s health benefits, there is no better time to add CBD to your sleep routine than now.
CBD & Sleep
While complex in its molecular structure, the ways in which CBD can be taken, metabolized, and digested are not complex at all. Far from it in fact. Through a variety of oils, capsules, and salves, CBD can provide an easy way to reap the sleep oriented rewards of cannabidiol. It’s through CBD that a healthier sleep can be attained.
When taken, cannabidiol interacts with the endocannabinoid system. This system maintains several of the physiological features of the human body. Hormone levels, the immune system, and yes, you guessed it, your sleep/wake cycle are all a part of the endocannabinoid system. Several studies prove the betterment of the sleep-wake cycle through CBD, but one specifically shows that it increases both the total sleep time as well as the sleep latency in a user. This means that CBD can not only allow for a longer period of sleep time but can allow users to fall asleep more easily and quickly.
How CBD Solves Common Sleep Problems
CBD alleviates many of the reasons people fail to get sleep in the first place. Both nightmares and constant aches and pains can adversely impact REM cycles.
From inflammation, PTSD, and muscle soreness, here are a few ways that CBD provides relief to the very issues that prevent sleep:
1.) Inflammation
When the body experiences physical trauma, whether due to injury or infection, it responds with pain and inflammation. These responses can cause disturbances for many at night, leading to a negative impact on their amount of sleep. The endocannabinoid system, the same system responsible for many of our physiological functions, is a main participating factor in such responses. CB2 receptors, also known as cannabinoid receptor 2’s are targeted by the endocannabinoid system, allowing for real-time benefits for those who experience pain. Studies have shown that these receptor agonists can block pain in certain areas where inflammation may occur. Additionally, many who experience musculoskeletal pain commonly use CBD as a form of pain relief, giving them relief at night time when they need all the rest they can get. From temporary inflammation to more acute pain, CBD can allow for relief during one’s sleep cycle.
2.) PTSD
While only pre-clinical evidence exists in relation to CBD’s influence on PTSD and anxiety, there is some anecdotal or comparative evidence that points towards CBD’s ability to provide relief to those who are being kept up at night. Nightmares are the central late night symptom for those with PTSD. They can cause strong disturbances to one’s REM cycle, leaving them with an REM imbalance.
Research shows, however, that CBD holds promising evidence towards reducing nightmares amongst those with PTSD, thus helping to alleviate REM imbalances that cause unhealthy sleep patterns.
Anxiety is equally an issue for those with PTSD that are trying to catch up on their sleep. However, certain studies have shown that there is value in CBD’s ability to improve the sleep of those with anxiety. One study in particular shows that out of a sample of 72 adults, 57 found their anxiety to decrease in the first month of usage. Along with these findings on anxiety levels, 48 of those patients reported improved sleep scores in the first month.
3.) Muscle Soreness
Muscular soreness as well as muscular disorders can wreak havoc on one’s sleep cycle. Fibromyalgia, a syndrome that produces widespread muscle pain, is a particularly disruptive disorder for the sleep cycle. This muscular disorder can lead to reduced rapid eye movement as well as alterations to the deepest stage of sleep, the slow-wave sleep. CBD can only provide relief for such disorders up to a certain point, however, it does hold certain effectiveness in aiding people with chronic aches and pains caused by disorders like fibromyalgia. In fact, studies have proven that chronic pain is the most frequent reason for CBD usage. Overall, CBD’s role in muscle soreness is providing comfort to aches and pains and a better quality of sleep.
Is CBD Right for You?
In conclusion, it’s time to go to bed. Your sleep matters and so do the issues that cause sleeplessness in the first place. Opt-out for the standard countertop solutions and try a natural remedy for those many sleep-depriving issues. CBD oils, capsules, or salves are all convenient ways to relieve whatever may be getting in the way of your sleep. More importantly, get back in bed with some assurance that you will be able to get that much-needed rest that we all deserve.