Does CBD Make You Sleepy: CBD’s Effect on Sleep Patterns

CBD is short for cannabidiol. Alongside THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is one of the main cannabinoids in marijuana. Cannabinoids are one of the leading organic compounds found in cannabis, and the other vital components are terpenes. Although it appears in marijuana, CBD appears in even higher quantities in industrial hemp. Hemp is also less controversial to grow because it only contains some trace amounts of THC, and it yields more CBD.

One of the significant advantages of CBD is that it not psychoactive, and it is, therefore, legal. In many jurisdictions, it is possible to acquire it even without a medical marijuana card. Among the benefits of using CBD is that it enables one to sleep if they have insomnia or other sleep disorders. CBD also has a host of other therapeutic effects on the user.

Some manufacturers add some ingredients in CBD products to improve the effectiveness and bioavailability of CBD. A CBD product that is formulated to help with sleep may be infused with serotonin. This doesn’t mean that CBD on itself can’t cause sleep, but its effects may be enhanced by other ingredients and by improved bioavailability.

To understand how CBD works, we need to know how the body receives it. The Endocannabinoid system is the organ system that receives cannabinoids in the body. This system is designed to receive and work with cannabinoids that the body produces to maintain homeostasis. The cannabinoids that are internally generated by the body are referred to as endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) can also synthesize plant-based cannabinoids. Plant-based cannabinoids are referred to as phytocannabinoids. CBD falls under this category.

The ECS has three parts:

• Cannabinoids
• Cannabinoid receptors
• Synthesizing enzymes

The endocannabinoid system is probably the most widespread organ system as it is found in all parts of the body. Due to its predominance, cannabinoids affect the entire body in one way or another.

When CBD (the cannabinoid) is introduced to the body, it connects with the cannabinoid receptors. There are two types of cannabinoid receptors, CB1, which are mainly found in the Central Nervous System, and CB2 receptors are found in the peripheral parts of the nervous system. The CB2 receptors influence matters such as pain, inflammation, relaxation, among others.

Once CBD connects to the ECS, it influences the entire nervous system, and it is in this way that it causes its effects on areas such as moods, relaxation, and so on, in the body.

The speed with which CBD takes effect in the body is usually determined by the method of intake. If you take it as capsules, CBD gummies, or other edibles, they have to go through the stomach and the liver. This is commonly referred to as the first-pass process. This process is longer, and the effects of the CBD take longer to be felt in the body. When CBD is taken through a dermal patch or sublingually, it goes directly to the bloodstream, and its effects are felt more quickly.

Having understood how CBD works, let us now look at how it causes one to be sleepy. There are various ways in which it induces sleep. It also enhances the quality of sleep.

• Releasing neurochemicals: – Although CBD mostly connects to CBD2 connectors, it also connects with CBD1 connectors to a lower extent. When it binds to CB1, it influences the release of biochemicals such as serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is instrumental in helping people sleep, and this is how CBD causes people to be sleepy.
• By regulating Cortisol: – Cortisol is a hormone that causes anxiety which in turn leads to sleeplessness.  The increase of the hormone in the body has a significant impact on non-REM sleep. When it regulates the production of cortisol, CBD enables the user to fall asleep faster and also to enjoy higher quality sleep.
• By relaxing muscles: – stiff, tired muscles, tremors, hypermotility, among other conditions on the muscle are some of the reasons why a person may find it difficult to sleep. As observed earlier, the CBD2 connectors, which are located on the peripheral parts of the nervous system, have a higher affinity for cannabidiol. Muscles are among the places where these receptors can be found in the body, and when they connect to CBD, they lead to relaxation and enable the user to sleep better.
• By reducing nightmares: – nightmares are another reason why people are not able to sleep well. They are especially prevalent in people who have Rapid Eye Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD). When a person is suffering from this condition, they are likely to experience better sleep. This information is borne out by research.
• It helps to regulate the sleep/wake cycle: – Some people suffer from somnolence, which refers to day time sleepiness and insomnia. When a person takes CBD, it makes people awake during the day so that they can sleep at night.
• It relieves pain: – pain is one of the reasons why people lose sleep. CBD, when it connects with the cannabinoid receptors, reduces the intensity of pain signals transmitted to the brain, and they thus reduce sleeplessness that comes as a result of pain.

People with pregnancy-induced insomnia also have the quality of their sleep enhanced by CBD. CBD does this by helping them deal with the conditions mentioned above.  Many of these conditions are the reason for insomnia during pregnancy. People with PTSD may also enjoy better sleep by using CBD since it helps them manage anxiety, which is the leading cause of their sleeplessness.

Research is still ongoing on whether CBD causes tiredness; there, however, are some indications that it may cause fatigue. It does this by blocking 5-HT1 receptors, which are the receptors responsible for binding with serotonin. Having these receptors bound may lead to tiredness, depending on the user’s body chemistry. This tiredness may lead to sleepiness during working hours or at night. However, some studies have shown that dosage is a factor in determining whether the CBD will cause alertness or sleepiness. A higher dosage usually leads to tiredness and drowsiness, while a lower one leads to alertness.

CBD causes the user to fall asleep, as described above, without any adverse effects. Concerning THC, research shows that it may have some sedative effects on the user. It is also a bronchodilator, which means that it helps open up the respiratory system for people with conditions such as asthma. It also enables people to breathe better in their sleep, thus enhancing their quality of sleep. Its effect as a bronchodilator is more pronounced when THC is inhaled. The challenge with THC is that it is also psychoactive. Its psychoactivity may lead to the user suffering effects like nightmares that would make it difficult for them to enjoy sleep. With psychoactivity being such a militating effect, THC loses soundly to CBD on which of the two is better to help you with sleep.

The following are some sleep disorders and how CBD affects them: –

• Insomnia: – CBD may cause sleep at night if it is taken in high enough doses. Research conducted on this matter shows that a dosage of 160mg per day, which is pretty standard, reduces the amount of time it takes to sleep. It also reduces the number of times a user wakes up at night.
• Snoring: – Snoring doesn’t only reduce the quality of sleep of people sleeping near a snoring person when it is severe enough; it may affect the sleep of the snorer. A person has their sleep affected by their snoring when it impacts their breathing. This, in turn, affects the amount of oxygen that gets into the brain. Research shows that CBD protects the brains from the effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, thus improving the quality of sleep.