CBD for fighting insomnia

Little sleep and loss of hours of nightly rest is not good for our health. A study published in PNAS, Proceeding of the Natilan Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, carried out by researchers of the National Institutes of Health in collaboration with the Yale University has demonstrated that a sleepless night increases the beta-amyloid load of the right part of the hippocampus and the thalamus.

Beta-amyloid is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease, organic alterations which are characterized by a deterioration in mood and result correlated to a genetic risk, the so-called APOE genotype.

How many people suffer from insomnia? 

Over a 40% of the world populations suffers from sleep disorders, in Italy there are 12 million people not sleeping well and 4 million suffering from chronic insomnia.  

Each year, worldwide, before the equinox World Sleep Day is celebrated, organized by the World Association of Sleep Medicine,  a period of the year in which sleeping problems worsen.

CBD can help to sleep better?

Cannabidiol, due to its neuroprotectant potential, based on the combination of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties could reveal to be useful in contrasting insomnia.

A study published in 2017 “Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature”, states that “preliminary research on cannabis and insomnia suggest that cannabidiol (CBD) could have a therapeutic potential in treating insomnia. Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can reduce sleep latency , but also compromises the quality of sleep in the long-term.

Sleep latency is measured through a test, which takes place an hour and a half, three hours after nocturnal sleep, in which the patient, in a quiet, dark environment with a constant temperature, is invited to fall asleep, four-five times at a two hour interval.

The test is concluded 15 minutes after the patients falls asleep or after having tried for 20 minutes to fall asleep without succeeding. Sleep latency, reproduced several times, under 5 minutes is pathological, between 5 and 10 minutes is within the limit values.

“CBD – the researchers write –  can be effective in case of REM sleep behaviour disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness”.

The researchers underline how the research on cannabis and sleep is only just beginning and that further research is essential to improve full understanding of the research results and the clinical implications.

Evidence is emerging from a research study conducted at the National Taiwan University of Taipei on how CBD can directly affect the nightly cycle, preventing the suppression of REM sleep, in this specific case, in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The patients with post-traumatic stress disorder often report sleep disorders, like insomnia and anomaly of rapid eye movement sleep (REM)” and CBD can “block the alteration of REM sleep induced by anxiety, due to its anxiolytic effect rather than by the regulation of sleep itself”.

A study conducted by the Cannabinoid Research Institute in 2016 has examined the effects of CBD on the quality of sleep of a teenage girl suffering from post-traumatic stress-syndrome.

The investigation demonstrated how the girl slept better by taking CBD sublingually.

How to take CBD?

Nowadays it is possible to take cannabidiol in many different forms; on the market you can find CBD oil, crystals and capsules. CBD can be a valid ally, however, if you are affected by sleeping problems, it is recommended to consult a physician who will be able to investigate on the causes of your problem in a precise manner.  

CBD dosage 

The quantity of CBD to be taken is very personal, depends on the specific needs of the individual, whether we use cannabidiol in a therapeutic mode or not. Metabolism of CBD being involved in many physiological processes as a modulator of other systems, and not just the endocannabinoid system, is very subjective.  

Observing oneself is the right answer, parting from just a few drops and trying to find the necessary dosage for one’s own individual needs. When used for specific pathologies, it is important to consult a doctor.