Does CBD help you sleep better?

We all need sleep and some of us struggle with it – from insomnia to waking up multiple times a night, sleep problems are very common. But, is there a solution?

Sleep is absolutely essential – there is no denial in that. It optimizes health, our performance, and it’s even linked to weight loss if we get adequate (think 7 to 8) hours of sleep.

But does CBD help you sleep better? Let’s dive in.

How Does Sleep Work?

When we fall asleep we move through four stages and the process is not linear. The four stages are: drifting off, light sleep, deep sleep and dream sleep.

We go from the first stage to the second and to the third and then again in the second stage. After these three stages, there are two options – waking up or going into REM or dream sleep.

REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. In this stage, just as the name suggests, your eyes move rapidly without sending any visual information directly to your brain. This is also when dreams happen.

In this phase, the brain becomes more active than in the other three phases since it removes non-useful information, boosts memory by combining the experiences of the day with your precious memories, and facilitates neural growth and learning.

This happens in short outbursts, typically around 3 to 5 times per night, and can last anywhere from 10 minutes to a full hour. Then the cycle repeats itself. These cycles last around 90 minutes and repeat around 4 to 5 times.

How does CBD relate to this?

CBD activates our endocannabinoid system that regulates and balances immune responses, appetite, metabolism, communication between cells as well as our memory. In sum, our endocannabinoid system is in charge to promote balance in our bodies.

So, when you experience a disruption or a reaction is needed from your end, your body releases endocannabinoids when the threat has passed.

If the situation you’re experiencing is stressful, your body wants to prepare you to survive the event by initiating a fight-or-flight response that has evolutionarily protected us from bears chasing us to being stuck in traffic.

So, when you feel that it has passed, your body supports that by releasing endocannabinoids to calm you down and reduce your heart rate, and body temperature – basically everything that “went out of control” during the stressful moment. Thanks to this you relax, recover, and grow.

However, given the amount of stress we have in our daily lives (55% of Americans feel stressed at least once daily) it becomes a burden to your body to constantly deal with this.

So, a little help is never a bad idea. Using CBD supplements can help with dealing with anxiety, fear and the daily stress we experience in these troubling times. CBD has been proven to reduce anxiety, especially before going to bed.

So, when our body is restless and struggles with stress, insomnia or anxiety before going to bed, CBD helps the endocannabinoid system to regulate and restore hormone balance. So, it’s a great equalizer.

Now that you know how sleep works and that CBD can help you get a good night’s sleep, you can always find a CBD supplement in the most popular local coffeeshops in Amsterdam.