CBD and The Science of Sleep
Sleep is critical to human wellbeing and health - recharging your batteries thoroughly at night means you can operate at peak performance day in, and day out. This does not mean more sleep equals more energy though, as too much sleep can be counterproductive. What you need is the right balance of activity, sleep and relaxation time.
In this piece, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about effective sleep and how CBD can help you achieve it. Knowledge is power and if you can understand how sleep works, you can further understand how to get more of it!
The Importance of Sleep and its Cycle
Over a several-hour period, your body goes through different stages of sleep and all are important to successful rest. The most important type of sleep, however, that many struggle with, is deep sleep. If you miss out on this stage, you can wake up feeling like you are not properly rested.
The Stages of Sleep
Stage 1: Dozing off
You are easily woken still at this point. (non-Rapid Eye Movement (REM)
Stage 2: Light sleep
Heart rate slows, breathing slows, and temperature drops. This prepares our bodies for deep sleep. (non-REM)
Stage 3: Deep sleep
With all your vital functions reduced, especially brain activity, this is where the body really gets to recharge. This stage is where your body repairs tissue, builds bones, strengthens your immune system and strengthens muscles. (non-REM)
Stage 4: REM sleep
Usually lasts for around an hour each time. Your vitals increase, brain activity resumes and at this stage, you are most likely to have vivid dreams. So-called for the rapid eye movement (REM) experienced under closed lids, this stage stimulates the brain.
These stages may repeat several times through your sleep. As you grow older, you will require less sleep and the stages will shorten. You can read more on sleep stages here.
Good sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle as it gives your brain and body the chance to recover and reset. When it comes to tackling the most common issues around proper sleep patterns, CBD has had some successful results in early studies, read further to find out how.
Insomnia
Dreaded insomnia affects more people than you might imagine. In the UK alone, it is estimated that around 16 million adults (that’s around 25%) are affected by some kind of sleep disorder. This lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and even changes in your personality.
Issues with sleep such as insomnia are normally associated with stress, emotional distress, work patterns or depression. They can also be triggered by health issues such as sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and of course, insomnia.
Other known causes for lack of sleep can be associated with lifestyles, such as alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, overeating, periods or even climate. There are multiple ways to counter these issues which may seem obvious, but there are other ways to help work towards a more successful night’s sleep.
Adjusting your sleeping quarters to be darker and quieter can help. Exercise and a proper diet can also lead to finding a better solution for sleep. For those stuck in perpetual cycles of night and day shifts at work, however, there may seem like there really is no way out.
For those suffering from insomnia, the cycle can perpetuate itself. No sleep at night leads to naps and prolonged tiredness throughout the day, leading to no sleep at night. Finding a stopping point to get off the merry-go-round can be near impossible.
Can CBD Help With Sleep?
A 2019 study looked at whether CBD Oils could improve sleep and/or reduce anxiety. The study involved 72 subjects, with 47 experiencing anxiety and 25 experiencing poor sleep. The subjects were each given 25 milligrams of CBD (slightly less than in each Goodrays can) in capsule form each day. In the first month, 79.2% of the patients reported lower anxiety levels and 66.7% reported better sleep.
In smaller-scale studies, It has also been shown to help increase overall sleep amounts, promote deep sleep and reduce the amount of time taken to fall asleep.
Conversely, in smaller doses, CBD stimulates alertness and reduces daytime sleepiness, which is obviously important for daytime performance and focus, but in turn, helps to provide for improved nighttime sleep.
While CBD studies have had successful results in supporting sleep and reducing anxiety we still don’t know for certain how it works. Further research is needed and larger data sets are required to prove exactly how, why and to what extent cannabinoids influence our sleep.
Reducing alcohol intake, getting regular exercise and avoiding screens in the hour before going to bed are all useful sleep tips to follow but making CBD Oil drops a part of your regular evening routine might just be the key to a night of contented slumber.
How Does CBD Help You Sleep?
In the endless search for a solution, you may have tried several sleep aids - holistic, prescribed or even researched specific routines. An increasingly popular solution over the last few years though has been CBD, whether in oil, gummies or drink form.
With the loosening of laws around the cannabis plant, studies have been undertaken to uncover the many benefits of this wonder plant. One such benefit has been linked to sleep and sleeping patterns.
With a dose of CBD, even in the morning, users of the compound have found their sleeping patterns to become more regimented. This, in part, is assumed to be down to the relaxing, anti-anxiety and calming nature of the plant extract.
For those suffering from insomnia, taking CBD before bed has shown positive results. How the CBD is consumed, and how to properly dose the compound can vary from drinks to sweets or even straight tinctures.
CBD Drops and Sleep
Taking CBD in its most basic extracted form, a tincture, CBD drops are a great way to deliver a dose with ease and precision. A drop or two under the tongue and the compound gets to work entering the bloodstream within about 60 seconds. The effects are felt usually between 20 minutes and 1 hour.
As CBD promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety, it allows the body to reach the natural status required to sleep. Lowering heart rate, breathing and temperature, CBD drops can offer a fast track to slumberland.
Users of the drops recommend taking them up to an hour before going to sleep, although this may change on an individual basis. The joy of a drop is that you can start small, with just one, and increase the dosage if needed.
Finding the right balance for your body is the key, and that is where CBD drops really hit the key notes. With a small pipette to load the drops in, simple measurements can be delivered to the underside of your tongue as part of a night-time ritual. Increasing or decreasing the drops to your requirement means you can find your balance.
Goodrays Peppermint CBD sleep drops contain 20% CBD to help unwind your mind and relax your body, preparing you for uninterrupted, deep sleep. There are no side effects from the drops, and they won’t leave you drowsy so you are still safe to drive or operate heavy machinery.
The science behind the solution is simple. By reducing stress and anxiety, Goodrays UK CBD oil drops help you to relax into your evenings and have a better sleeping pattern. Shop Goodrays UK CBD oil & enjoy the art of relaxation!
If you'd like to learn more about the fascinating world of sleep check out the brilliant book 'Why We Sleep' by author and sleep expert Matthew Walker.
