How CBD Can Help You Sleep

Though CBD oil isn't a complete solution for sleep issues, it can be helpful in supporting a healthy sleep lifestyle. It's believed to help with insomnia and may alleviate conditions that cause issues with sleep, including anxiety, stress, and pain.

What Is CBD?

CBD oil is an extract from the marijuana plant. Unlike THC, which also comes from marijuana, CBD oil does not produce psychoactive effects, otherwise known as a high. But CBD can offer some of the health benefits of marijuana without the high, which some users may prefer.
CBD can be used in a number of different ways. It's commonly offered as an edible, in capsules, tinctures, lotions, or as vapor in vaporizing pens.

What CBD Can Help With

CBD oil shows promise as a natural remedy for many health issues, including those that can affect sleep. And it may offer relief for insomnia sufferers.

Pain: CBD oil use may be helpful for relieving pain from inflammation related to multiple sclerosis and arthritis. If you're feeling pain and having a hard time sleeping, relieving pain might help you get rest.

Anxiety and depression: Anxiety and depression can make it difficult to sleep. You might stay up too late, plagued by racing anxious thoughts or just feel unable to let go of the day and drift off to sleep. CBD oil can encourage serotonin production, improving your mood and even social behavior.

Insomnia: One of the most common sleep disorders, insomnia can rob you of the sleep you need. Whether short term or long term, insomnia makes it difficult to rest and function well. But CBD oil can offer a calming effect for the central nervous system, encouraging sleep at night. It may also help get (or keep) your circadian rhythm on track.

Using CBD Oil to Improve Sleep

Whether you regularly struggle to sleep well or just have a rough night every now and then, CBD oil is a good resource to have if you need a little help. It's a good idea to try it as part of an overall approach to improve sleep, including examining your sleep hygiene for areas that can be improved.
CBD oil for sleep can be vaped just before bed if you just need help falling asleep. If you need help staying asleep, edibles or other more slow-acting options may be a good choice. Of course, you'll need to take them about an hour before bed to get help falling asleep. But they may give you the support you need to stay asleep through the night.

It's important to keep in mind that CBD oil is just one thing you can do for healthy sleep. You should work on other areas of sleep improvement, including your bedtime routine and sleep schedule. Make sure you're giving yourself enough time to sleep at night, too. You should aim for at least seven hours each night, though some people need nine hours or more to feel well rested.

You should also avoid some of the major sleep pitfalls that can complicate rest at night. Screen time is a common part of modern life, but it' can be a problem for sleep, especially if you're getting exposed to bright blue light from screens just before bed. It's a good idea to shut down screen time at least an hour before you plan to sleep. Other issues might stem from consuming caffeine late in the day, or even an alcohol nightcap -- which could help you fall asleep but result in more shallow, less satisfying sleep.

Talk to your doctor about any sleep issues you're having. Ask about how CBD can be used as part of an overall treatment plan for improving difficulty with sleep, especially if you struggle with pain, anxiety, or stress.