Insomnia isn’t just missing a few hours of sleep here or there, and over time it can seriously impact your quality of life. Read on to discover why many insomniacs are turning to Full-Spectrum CBD for relief.
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Does this sound familiar? Difficulty falling asleep. Maybe waking up too early and being unable to get back to sleep. What about being unable to focus the next day from lack of sleep? While everyone experiences this from time to time, dealing with this for weeks or months at a time might mean you’re suffering from insomnia.
Many sufferers, however, are now turning to Full-Spectrum CBD Oil to find relief and finally rest. What is it about CBD that makes it so helpful though? Does it have to be Full-Spectrum? Why aren’t prescription sleep aids enough? If you find yourself asking these same questions, you’re not alone. Insomnia is tricky. While one method may be wildly successful for one person, it may not be enough for someone else.
That’s why we’re taking a closer look at sleep science today. While sleeping may be a natural and necessary part of our biology, that doesn’t mean your sleep cycle can’t be thrown out of balance. Keep reading to discover how CBD is helping people rebalance their sleep schedules and regain control of their lives.
Disclaimer: We want to take a moment and remind everyone that while CBD is considered a safe and mild supplement, you should always talk with your doctor before adding CBD into your regimen. While side-effects are rare and usually mild, it’s better to err on the side of caution. This goes double for those taking any prescriptions, as CBD can interact with some medications.
What is Insomnia?
In the United States, there are roughly seventy million people suffering from some sort of sleep disorder. These common conditions keep people from getting restorative sleep, which ends up causing daytime drowsiness and dysfunction. There are several different types of sleep disorders (sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, etc.), but at some point almost fifty percent of adults experience insomnia.
If you’ve experienced any of the following sleep issues, you may have dealt with acute or chronic insomnia at some point in your life:
- Waking up feeling tired and/or groggy
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Waking up throughout the night
- Waking up too early and being unable to fall back asleep
- Being fatigued during the day due to sleeplessness
- Mood and concentration problems due to sleeplessness
While insomnia can occur by itself, it can also be associated with other medical conditions, as a result of certain medications, or even from mental health issues. When someone experiences insomnia for at least three nights a week for over a month, it’s considered chronic insomnia. That’s when insomnia can become dangerous.
When your energy and focus are too low during the day, it can make regular tasks difficult. Maybe that doesn’t sound too bad, but driving or managing heavy equipment can be considered regular tasks. Sleeplessness makes us more accident-prone, and when that happens it’s time to start looking for solutions.
Common Solutions for Insomnia
For many people, changing a few habits is enough to help overcome insomnia. That might include maintaining a regular sleep schedule, daytime physical activity, avoiding naps, limiting caffeine and alcohol, limiting screen time, and even developing a bedtime ritual to help you wind down.
If your insomnia is related to an underlying issue, however, these small changes may not be enough. If a medication is causing sleeplessness, you may need to discuss dose and frequency with your doctor. Oftentimes, chronic pain can make it hard to sleep, so some kind of pain management protocol needs to be followed. When a mental health issue (stress, anxiety, PTSD, etc.) causes insomnia, sometimes meditation, therapy, and/or anti-anxiety medications can help.
For many of these issues, prescription sleep aids are often recommended by medical professionals as well. While these help some, for others they’re either ineffective or the side-effects aren’t worth the sleep. When that’s the case, it’s common for insomniacs to feel hopeless.
Luckily, there’s another way…
The Endocannabinoid System and Your Sleep Cycle
Before we jump into how Full-Spectrum CBD may help, we need to cover a few biology basics. Mainly, your endocannabinoid system (ECS) which helps various bodily systems maintain homeostasis (balance).
Our bodies produce their own cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids) that help promote balance throughout the body. The chemical structure of CBD is similar enough to our endocannabinoids that the ECS is able to utilize them the same way. That’s the whole reason why CBD has any effect on us at all.
The ECS uses cannabinoids to promote balance by binding them to receptors throughout the human body. That might mean a more balanced immune system, stress response, or even a more balanced circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). When our circadian rhythm is balanced, our bodies naturally move through periods of sleep and wakefulness. When that particular rhythm gets out of balance though, sleep can become more difficult.
When that happens, the ECS hops into action to promote balance in several ways. Research is showing the ECS can directly regulate the sleep-wake cycle through a series of complex cell signaling. Basically, it helps balance your circadian rhythms so your body more easily remembers when it’s supposed to be awake and when it should be asleep. You might be wondering, however, why some of us still struggle to sleep if your ECS is supposed to do this naturally.
For a wide variety of reasons, your body may or may not be producing enough endocannabinoids. It could also be that your ECS is trying to balance too many things at once. That’s why taking a full-spectrum CBD supplement can be so helpful. Since CBD is so similar to our endocannabinoids, it’s like giving your ECS additional hands to help out.
CBD can also help reduce stress and anxiety that may be causing insomnia. This is great news for anyone who lays awake at night with racing thoughts. Its powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties mean it can also help relieve chronic pain that may be keeping you awake. Honestly, CBD is pretty amazing. But why does it have to be full-spectrum?
Why Full-Spectrum CBD Helps Relieve Insomnia
When it comes to CBD, you may run into products labeled Isolates, Broad-Spectrum, or Full-Spectrum. We’ll let you in on a little secret though–when it comes to pain, anxiety, and/or sleep problems, you definitely want Full-Spectrum CBD.
CBD isolates only have CBD. Broad-Spectrum products have everything except for the negligible amount of THC found in full-spectrum products. These options are useful for anyone with THC sensitivities, specific allergies, or anyone worried about drug tests (rare but not impossible).
Full-Spectrum products, on the other hand, have it all. They include CBD, the various other cannabinoids and botanical compounds, a tiny amount of THC, and any terpenes present in the plant. But what’s the big deal? If the small amount of THC isn’t enough to cause any psychoactive effects, then why do you need it in there at all? It’s because of the Entourage Effect.
Each of these different compounds has its own unique benefits, but when taken together their effects can be amplified. The THC is particularly important because it helps people overcome what’s called a “bell-shaped dose-response.” This response just means that if you take CBD as an isolate, the effects stay consistent even with increased dosages. That doesn’t mean CBD isolates won’t provide you with relief. However, if you needed to increase your dose for any reason, it wouldn’t necessarily increase the effects.
How to Use Full-Spectrum CBD to Relieve Insomnia
Before beginning, you’ll want to make sure you’re using high-quality CBD products that make it easy for you to access a Certificate of Analysis. If you’re trying to improve your health, then there’s no point in using products that may contain unwanted chemicals. Plus, that’s the best way to ensure the CBD levels are accurate.
If your insomnia is related to chronic pain, then applying a CBD topical to any uncomfortable areas an hour before bed should do the trick. It takes topicals longer to take effect, so be patient and take that time to focus on winding down. For severe chronic pain, combining CBD gel and CBD oil may give you the extra relief you need.
If you’re ingesting CBD at all, you’ll want to pay special attention to the strength of your product. Many insomniacs report using higher strength CBD to fall asleep, but it’s always better to start with a lower dose and work your way up from there. Finding which CBD strength is right for you can take some trial and error, so be patient and take notes.
Since you’re trying to fall asleep, it’s recommended to use CBD before bedtime. However, feel free to tinker around and find out what works best for you!
Get the Rest You Deserve With CBD
Until you’ve experienced insomnia, or watched a loved one suffer from it, you may have difficulty understanding just how exhausting it can be. If you, or someone you know, is suffering, we highly recommend starting a CBD supplement today.
As always, remember to consult with your doctor before starting any new supplements, especially if you’re on any medications. Insomnia can be so all-consuming, but you’re not alone and you deserve restorative sleep. Contact us today with questions and start feeling like yourself again.