Sleeping Disorders
Low quality sleep is something many individuals suffer from. Today, one in three adults do not get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is one thing, but what about getting enough quality sleep? 6 hours of high-quality sleep can be more energizing and vitalizing then 10 hours of low quality sleep. Awake or asleep, our brains are just as active. How well we sleep at night determines how we will feel for the following day. A steady sleeping schedule is harder to obtain for some then it is for others. When it is difficult to obtain, many of us choose to ignore it and deal with it instead of putting in the small amount of work that will most likely help in return.
For how much our brains depend on quality sleep, we should be prioritizing it. In this article, we will look at how CBD can work as an effective aid for sleeping disorders as well as a few other tips that may help you wind down at the end of a busy day.
What is CBD?
As always, we will go over the basics CBD for anyone who is hearing about it for the first time! CBDÂ cannabidiol, is one of 113 cannabinoids that can be found in the hemp and.or cannabis plant. Higher volumes of this cannabinoid are often found in hemp. Because of this, CBD is most commonly extracted from hemp rather than cannabis. You may already be familiar with a more popular cannabinoid called THC. This cannabinoid is psychoactive, meaning it gets you high. THC can only be found in cannabis and not in hemp.
Both THC and CBD hold a huge amount of health benefits. However, one of the main differences between CBD and THC is that CBD is not psychoactive, unlike THC. This means you can take as much CBD as you want and it will not result in a high. CBDÂ is also legal in most areas of the world while THC is not. For these reasons, CBD is a fantastic alternative for those wishing to reap the benefits of THC without getting high or illegally acquiring it.
How can CBD help improve
one's quality of sleep?
Taking CBDÂ before you go to bed can significantly improve your quality of sleep. Many of us deal with similar issues when faced with the night. Facing thoughts, physical discomfort, restlessness, etc. Far too many of us just deal with these negative things that are blocking us from having a good nights rest, when in reality, there are some simple things you can do to help.
1) Change your relationship with sleep. Educate yourself on why good sleep is so important and how you can improve it through rebuilding a new relationship with it. A great book to read or listen to is ‘Why we sleep’ by Matthew Walker.
2) Try to not look at your phone or laptop an hour or two before bed. The blue light stimulates your brain and will make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. Plus it is best to stay away from things like emails and social media before going to sleep to get you into a ‘wind down’ mode.
3) Don’t eat for a few hours before going to bed. This way your body can shut down instead of using a lot of energy to break down any food you consume.
4) Try using a mindful practice as a tool. This can be exercised through soft yoga, breathing, meditation or any other stillness practices.
5) Take CBD to relax the mind and body. It physically relaxes and loosens up all areas of the body and eases the mind.
THC is also a great tool to help you get to sleep, however, recent studies have shown that THC disrupts REM sleep. REM sleep, or rapid eye movement, is an essential stage of sleep in which you dream. REM sleep is responsible for stimulating the areas of your brain that are essential in regards to learning new things, making/retaining memories. Your brain exercises important neural connections and networks which are key for quality brain function(s) and health. So far, there are no negative effects on REM sleep for CBD users. The high of THC will most likely knock you out a lot faster than CBD. However, if you are looking for a way to improve your sleep without damaging your REM sleep cycle, CBD is probably the better option.
One of the best things about using CBD for sleep improvement is that there are zero known side-effects! Unlike traditional sleeping medication, CBD is completely harmless! You could literally take as much CBD oil as you want without any risk of negative effects. CBD is non-addictive, non-psychoactive, making it a great natural sleep remedy. How amazing is that?!
What are the best CBD products for treating
sleeping disorders?
Nowadays there are so many different CBD products on the market. Although, they all seem to have their own unique functions. Let’s look at a few CBD products that are more suited for boosting your quality of sleep.
1) CBD oil.
CBD oil is likely the most commonly used CBD product for sleep. This is a simple and easy way to get your CBD dose in before you go to bed. As far as dosages go, start small and work your way up until you found an effective dosage for you. This dosage will depend on the strength that is in your CBD drops and how severe your sleeping issues are. There are no specific storing instructions for CBD oil, so you can keep it by your bedside, bathroom, or kitchen.Â
2) CBD tea.
This is a tasty and delicious way to get your CBD needed to rest up. However, I should warn you to be careful when picking the right CBD tea. Lots of CBD tea have little to no CBD contents in them. It is important to also make sure the only other ingredients in the tea is calming. For example, there are CBD teas on the market that have a lot of sugar and additives in them. Stay away from these or teas and only go for brands that include natural and healthy ingredients that will truly relax you. There is tons of CBD tea on the market, so, choose wisely!
Unlike CBD tea and oil, there is one negative side effect for CBD herb/hash. Smoking it through a bong or pipe could damage your lungs.
The best way to supplement CBD in the form of herb or hash is to use a vaporizer.
This way, you can get the benefits without the harm. Vaporizing CBD hash or herb will also allow the CBD to react with your cannabinoid receptors a lot more quickly vs CBD oil.
Final Thoughts:
Not getting enough sleep can be extremely frustrating and can get to you. I hope this article helped you even a little bit and answered some basic questions you may have had when considering adding CBD to your evening routine. Of course, a healthy lifestyle alongside CBD and other sleep-enhancing products is best. When it comes to sleeping disorders, there is no quick fix that is sustainable. You and your brain/body deserve to feel truly rested. Do the work and figure out how to improve your nightly slumber. Trust me, it’s worth it!
