The CBD market has grown so much in the past few years as more people have integrated different CBD-infused products into their lives. Many are trying CBD as a sleep aid to see if it can help them have a more restful night and a lot of them have gotten good results. Plus, there is CBD’s connection to marijuana which causes sleepiness in its users.
So it’s no surprise if you’re wondering “will CBD oil make me sleepy?” In this article, Full Circle Hemp takes a more in-depth look into CBD oil’s sleep-inducing effects and answer all your questions. Does CBD make you tired? Does CBD actually help you sleep? To better understand the connection between CBD and sleep, we’re going to start with an introduction to CBD and how it affects your mind and body.
An Introduction to CBD
CBD is one of at least 100 natural components of the hemp plant known as cannabinoids. Hemp is the sister plant to marijuana and both belong to the Cannabis sativa family. While having similarities, they’re also quite different. Marijuana is higher in another cannabinoid known as THC which is responsible for the euphoric high people feel after smoking it. Hemp, on the other hand, has a higher concentration of CBD which is not intoxicating like THC. In fact, CBD is being studied for its potential medicinal beneNits. Since legal CBD oil is extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stems of industrial hemp plants, it contains a lower amount of THC. So it’s safe for its users.
The exact processes through which CBD affects the body are still not completely understood, but scientists believe that it has something to do with the endocannabinoid system or ECS. Associated with the immune and nervous
systems through a series of receptors, research shows that ECS might have a role in regulating some of our important biological functions like our levels of anxiety, pain, stress, sleep, fatigue, and wakefulness. And here is where the important question rises “Will CBD oil make me sleepy?” Let’s look into that.
Does CBD Make You Tired and Sleepy?
The answer to “will CBD oil make me sleepy?” is a bit more complicated than just a yes or no. There are a few points you need to keep in mind in regards to CBD making you feel tired. One is that each body reacts to CBD oil differently. So depending on your weight, lifestyle, genetics, and the type and dosage of the CBD oil you’re using, you might feel a stronger effect than others. And although the medical community has announced CBD as a safe component with no major side effects, it can still have minor side effects in some users. And drowsiness is the most common one.
Another thing is that you might be misinterpreting the calming effects of CBD for drowsiness. CBD’s potential in reducing anxiety and stress will leave you feeling relaxed and if the stresses of everyday life don’t allow you to experience this feeling too often, you might mistake it with sleepiness. Plus, as can be seen with marijuana with its high amounts of THC, sleepiness from a CBD oil can also be the result of a higher concentration of THC. But if you purchase the oil from a reliable brand that follows the legal guidelines for the amount of THC they can include in their products, you will not feel tired afterward. You might even feel more alert.
How Does CBD Make You Feel More Alert?
A lot of people turn to CBD oil to become more alert and focused. Studies show that low to medium doses of CBD are great for this purpose. Some CBD companies even add a bit of caffeine to their products to increase this effect. The exact mechanisms through which CBD creates this effect are not completely known, but increasing the levels of serotonin seems to be one of them. By enhancing the activity of serotonin receptors in the body, CBD helps produce more serotonin and improves focus.
It also seems like CBD can adjust to your body’s needs and natural rhythms. Making you more alert during the day and more relaxed during the night.
How Does CBD Help Combat Sleep Disorders?
Getting enough quality sleep is one of the most important things to keep your mind and body healthy, but according to the sleep foundation, 30% of people struggle with this. They have to turn to sleeping pills for disorders like insomnia and these pills can have significant side effects. CBD is showing potential as a safe and natural replacement for these harmful medications. While research about the effects of CBD oil on sleep is still ongoing, the published studies all point toward the efficiency of CBD as a sleep aid.
As was shown by the University of Pennsylvania, low doses of CBD can have stimulating effects while higher doses can provide better quality sleep, making you less tired during the day. Although these studies were not mainly focused on the beneNits of CBD for sleep and the exact mechanisms in the body are not known, scientists believe that CBD can regulate the sleep-wake cycle by fighting the underlying reasons of sleep disorders or by directly interacting with the receptors.
Pain and anxiety are the hidden causes of insomnia in many people and CBD’s potential in combating these conditions is well proven by different studies. Recent findings suggest that CBD can manage the symptoms of anxiety and be helpful for people losing sleep due to stress. It has even been a successful stress reliever in people with PTSD. It also shows potential in reducing inflammation and chronic pain in many studies.
But what if pain and anxiety aren’t the cause of your sleep disorder? Well, new studies are focusing on the direct effect that CBD has on the receptors in the ECS. Research in 2019 showed that cannabinoids like CBD and THC helped subjects fall asleep faster and improved the quality of their sleep by reducing disturbances.
Despite concrete evidence, all findings point to CBD’s potential as a sleep aid. So if you’re suffering from a sleeping disorder, you can give it a try and take CBD oil several hours before bedtime to see if it can help you enjoy a peaceful night. But which type of CBD oil is best for this purpose?
The Best CBD Oil for Sleep
While you might prefer broad spectrum CBD oils or CBD isolates, when it comes to using CBD as a sleep aid, you should consider full spectrum CBD oils. These oils contain all the beneficial compounds that hemp has to offer. From cannabinoids to different terpenes, everything in the full spectrum oil contributes to the product’s overall effect through the entourage effect and maximises the impact.
Cannabinoids
Apart from CBD and THC, full spectrum CBD oil has other cannabinoids that contribute to the relaxing effects of the product. CBN is one of those cannabinoids with mild sedative and pain-relieving effects that are enhanced when combined with THC. CBDa is another cannabinoid and the precursor to CBD with anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies show that CBDa has the potential to improve sleep by interacting with the body’s serotonin receptors. Plus, CBDa has the advantage of being much more bioavailable and 100 times stronger than CBD. Other cannabinoids of note in the full spectrum CBD oil include CBG, CBC, CBDV, and THCA, all of which play a part in the product’s final effect.
Terpenes
Terpenes are organic compounds that give cannabis its aroma. They also possess sedating effects that can work with cannabinoids and help you sleep better. More than 100 terpenes have been found in cannabis, with some having more prominent relaxing effects.
β-Caryophyllene is one of those terpenes that has a spicy scent and can also be found in cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. This is the only terpene that binds directly to the cannabinoid receptors.
β-Caryophyllene has soothing properties that can alleviate pain and anxiety, granting you a good night’s rest. β-Myrcene is the most abundant terpene in cannabis with an earthy aroma that can also be found in mango, thyme, and lemongrass. According to a study on mice, β-myrcene increases the duration and quality of sleep.
Pinene is another notable terpene with a woody scent similar to the aroma of a pine forest and can be found in rosemary, orange peel, and parsley. This terpene comes in the form of α-Pinene and β-Pinene. β-Pinene has pain relieving and anti-anxiety properties while α-Pinene has anxiolytic beneNits with studies suggesting that it can increase the level of non-REM sleep. These components along with other terpenes like terpinolene, linalool, and nerolidol coupled with various cannabinoids in the full spectrum CBD oil make for a luxurious night of sleep.
Final Thoughts
“So will CBD oil make me sleepy?”
CBD oil’s relaxing effects shouldn’t necessarily make you sleepy. Eventually, it can all come down to the quality of the product you’re using. If your current CBD oil is making you tired, try a different one from a more reputable company. Buying your CBD oil from an award-winning CBD brand like Full Circle Hemp can make all the difference in your experience.
No matter if you want to sleep better or stay alert, our CBD oil has the potential to make the process easier. If you’re on medication, consult your doctor before adding CBD to your routine, and remember that every person responds differently to CBD. You have to try different doses and potencies at different times to see which one works best for you. Any oil with over 25mg of CBD in one dosage can have a sedative effect and Full Circle Hemp carries a range of full spectrum CBD oils at various potencies for every preference. You can boost your focus with our 5% CBD oil and go up all the way to our 40% CBD oil for a more relaxing effect.
Have you ever tried CBD oil to sleep better? Share this article with your friends and let us know in the comments.