Will CBD Oil Make Me Sleepy

By B Gardner on

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.

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