Can CBD Oil Help Insomnia?

The short answer is that it depends on who you ask. But, you shouldn’t be disappointed by the absence of a single, definitive answer as it’s often the case when health is concerned that there just isn’t a straightforward answer.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder where sufferers find it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or cause you to wake up early and be unable to get back to sleep again. Despite how tired you may still feel!

Insomnia can really take it out of you and deplete your energy levels. This can translate into a low mood, poor health, lack of motivation and quality of life.

The symptoms of insomnia include (taken from MayoClinic):

• Difficulty falling asleep at night
• Waking up during the night
• Waking up too early
• Not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep
• Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
• Irritability, depression or anxiety
• Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
• Increased errors or accidents
• Ongoing worries about sleep

Could CBD help beat your insomnia?

So, can CBD oil help you sleep if you suffer from insomnia? One of the most straightforward answers is that CBD oil has been shown in preliminary studies to have “therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia”. That doesn’t commit too much, but it does tell us that when reviewing the evidence, it wasn’t possible to dismiss the idea that CBD oil can help you sleep. Moving forward, that means more research needs to be done to come to a more helpful conclusion.

In the meantime, we can look at what people themselves have said based on their own personal experience of using CBD for sleep and anxiety. There are many people on a wide range of CBD  forums who talk about how CBD oil has been great for their condition and would strongly recommend it.

Should I try CBD Oil for Insomnia?

For those who have struggled with insomnia for some time, any kind of relief is welcome. Whether or not CBD oil works for you can only be determined by experimenting with it. The fact that there’s very few side effects associated with CBD, means there’s probably little to be lost in trying.

So we looked into the idea of people trying CBD oil for themselves. We posted the results on a previous blog post which you can find here.

When trying CBD oil for insomnia, it’s important to acknowledge that there are several variables to experiment with. This includes dosage and time taken before bedtime. These matters are very important and should be taken into account when finding what works for you personally.

Can CBD Oil Cause Insomnia?

‘Can CBD oil cause insomnia?’ is a commonly asked question. This idea is supported in that CBD oil activates the same adenosine receptors as caffeine which is a well-understood stimulant. Whilst this science is true, the effect isn’t the same. CBD has what is often known as a ‘balancing effect’ when taken a few hours before bedtime.

With a wide range of CBD products to try, each with their own focus, ultimately it’s down to personal preference. Why not check out our most popular CBD products below

How should you take CBD for sleep?

There are a number of different ways to take CBD. The best way is always what works for you, and what you enjoy too. Options to consider are:

• Vape eliquid
• CBD oil drops
• Gummies
• CBD bath bombs
• Edibles
• Tea

You might take your CBD in the early evening and really settle into your relaxing evening routine to help you get the best chance at getting to sleep.

How else can I help beat insomnia?

If CBD for insomnia doesn’t work for you, then there are a few other things you could try.

• Avoid high-intensity exercise too close to bedtime. Try yoga or pilates instead
• Have a bedtime routine
• Eat something such as cereal with milk if you often wake up hungry
• Avoid caffeine after lunchtime
• Put your phone down and turn off the TV
• Have a warm bath before bed
• Meditate using an app such as Calm or Headspace

You might even try CBD alongside those other suggestions to really get you into the bedtime zone.