CBD for Sleep: Can Cannabidiol Oil Really Help You Get Better Rest?

Second only to stress, sleep problems are the most commonly stated reason for using CBD products. But can CBD help with sleep?

In the UK, CBD you buy online or at a shop without a prescription is THC free (or contains negligible amounts). This means it doesn’t get you high, and it works in a very different way to cannabis oil that does contain THC – a cannabinoid which, while potentially helpful in many respects, can be detrimental when it comes to getting a fully restorative night’s sleep and can cause sleep disturbance. Although CBD oil in the UK doesn’t have the same ‘knock out’ effect that some heavier strains of cannabis can, there are multiple mechanisms through which this particular supplement can support your body in getting to sleep faster, staying asleep longer, and getting higher quality sleep too.

In this blog we’ll break it all down for you.

Can you take CBD to help with sleep?

In short, yes, but there is some useful context. If there was one thing that most people could say they don’t understand about CBD oil, it’s how it can supposedly be used in so many different ways and affect so many different things. But there’s a good reason for this. The CBD molecule is a pleotropic – this is a great word that means CBD, even without considering the other cannabinoids,  works through many different mechanisms and pathways in the body to achieve a variety of effects, all of which help to restore balance. Alongside that, in a broad or full-spectrum oil, you’ve also got a number of other cannabinoids and terpenes doing the same thing. 

When it comes to answering whether CBD can aid with sleep, it’s key to know that CBD works in the following ways:

CBD and Sleep: How It Works Through the Endocannabinoid System

The ECS is a complex network of receptors, found throughout the entire body, which sole purpose is to constantly restore and maintain equilibrium in all bodily processes. It works when activated by our naturally produced endocannabinoids – these are created and released on demand, when something in our body is ‘out of balance’ (this could be anything from moving a finger, when balance is stillness, or when the body is battling some sort of illness or stress). Once released they circulate in the bloodstream, activating the ECS receptors and telling them to bring everything back into balance.

Endocannabinoid imbalance can disrupt sleep

There are many things that can leave the body with an endocannabinoid deficiency, which as you might imagine can wreak havoc on all sorts of things, including sleep and heightened levels of stress. In fact, with sleep it’s a bit of a vicious cycle, because lack of sleep can cause endocannabinoid deficiency while also being a result of it.

Using CBD for Sleep, like Yoga or Meditation in a Bottle

Fortunately, when sleep problems are rife, taking CBD every day is a quick and easy way to elevate endocannabinoid levels in the body, restoring balance and making good sleep easier to come by. Some other things also known for improving sleep are also provide a natural endocannabinoid boost, including massage, yoga and meditation. So, you could think of CBD as this, in a bottle!

Does CBD boost Serotonin to help with sleep?

In a clinical trial on back pain, published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, 24 adults were treated with 30 minutes of massage therapy, twice a week for five weeks. As well as experiencing improved mobility and less pain overall, the results also showed that all participants had improved sleep. Much of this is likely to be down to the significantly raised serotonin and dopamine levels. 

CBD may help your body produce melatonin naturally

As mentioned above, like CBD, massage is a natural way to produce higher levels endocannabinoids needed to keep your ECS in balance. And like massage, CBD is a natural way to raise serotonin and dopamine, as this molecule also activates serotonin and dopamine receptors. Without appropriate levels of serotonin your body cannot create melatonin, a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and released into the bloodstream to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. By giving your body what it needs to make melatonin, you may find that sleep starts to come more naturally.

Are CBD products in the UK different to CBD elsewhere?

Cannabis and CBD regulations vary widely across the globe, so while CBD oil in the UK is THC free (or only contains a trace amount) CBD oil bought elsewhere could contain this psychoactive component, among other cannabinoids that are controlled in the UK. If you want to know exactly what’s in the oil you’re going to try as a potential sleep aid, always check the 3rd party lab reports that all trustworthy brands should be more than happy to provide.

CBD products in the UK vary more than you’d think

CBD in the UK differs widely too, with some being CBD isolate (just the CBD molecule on its own, suspended in carrier oil) while others, like the oils made by Unspun, are broad spectrum, containing a number of cannabinoids and terpenes. And again, even oils labelled broad spectrum differ! It all depends on the composition of the original plants and the processes used to create the product. There are many products labelled broad spectrum that are pretty much isolate, with trace amounts of a couple of other cannabinoids.

What you can do to find the best cbd products for sleep

For the most rounded wellbeing experience and the best chance at improving sleep quality, you want a CBD oil rich in cannabinoids and terpenes, particularly Myrcene, which is well known for having sedative properties. For more information about what Unspun oil contains, feel free to read the lab reports which are available to access on our website, or get in touch.