Can CBD Oil Prevent Insomnia and Help You Sleep?

If you are having problems with sleep, insomnia, or anxiety, it can be overwhelming. Losing sleep is not just frustrating. It can cause issues with your mind, your body, and other health areas over time, in addition to reducing productivity. However, you might be wondering what CBD oil is and if it can help. Here is what you should know about its potential benefits on sleep and anxiety:

What is CBD?

CBD is short for Cannabidiol, which is a Cannabinoid found in Hemp (a member of the Cannabis family). CBD is unlike THC in that it is not psychoactive. In other words, you will not get "high" when you take CBD, even though it does have positive mood altering effects and it reduces inflammation.

In fact, all of our CBD is made with less than .3 percent of THC, making it federally legal to consume in all 50 states. In addition, there are not any side effects that are widely known. You can take CBD with food or on an empty stomach so you don't have to wait to start feeling effects when the insomnia or stress kicks in.

CBD is acts on something called you Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Your ECS is a system of cells, neurotransmitters, and receptors that regulate various portions of your body's health and well-being.

For instance, your ECS is responsible for your immune system, inflammation, pain, focus, cell growth, sleep, anxiety, and homeostasis (balance). This means that your ECS has a very important effect on your body being in the best state possible.

However, through the stress of modern society and environmental toxins, your ECS can get overwhelmed. Some of the receptors and other parts of your system can get damaged. Your body has natural endocannabinoids called Anandamide and 2AG. These interact with your ECS receptors.

If your ECS receptors are not in working order, then your body is not getting the messages it needs to keep things running smoothly. CBD actually boosts this natural system in your body (your ECS) so it can do its job like normal, and even better. That is why researchers have been doing so much work with CBD and are excited about its ability to help with sleep and anxiety.

How does CBD work?

At its core, CBD works by mimicking your body's natural endocannabinoids. They are similar in molecular composition. Therefore, it can boost your ECS so that it works to create more balance in your body.

When your ECS is functioning normally, you have plenty of Anandamide and 2-AG acting on your CB1 and CB2 receptors (the two most common receptors in your Endocannabinoid System). The Anandamide in particular can lower in quantity when you are stressed or unable to sleep.

This is due to a certain enzyme that breaks down the Anandamide too quickly. What CBD does is limit the enyzme that breaks down the Anandamide. It also binds to your receptors. Thus, your body has more Anandamide (the "bliss molecule") in your system and it stays in your system longer, aiding mood and other areas of your health.

Benefits of CBD

CBD has been shown to have a number of benefits. A quick internet search on CBD will yield you an overwhelming amount of benefits that have been studied by researchers all over. From Israel, to Germany, to Japan, and the United States, CBD has health benefits for various ailments.

It can reduce inflammation, which is a silent killer in people. Inflammation is known to be behind neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and others like diabetes. It also can be applied topically.

When CBD is applied on the skin, it helps to boost the immune system. This means that your skin can heal faster. This has already been used in children with rare skin diseases to help them get faster pain relief and also heal faster when nothing else worked.

You could spend hours researching the various benefits of CBD, but the short answer is that the benefits of this miracle oil are only starting to be researched and talked about. One of the key benefits, however, is that you do not experience the major side effects like with other pharmaceutical drugs.

When you take something for sleep or anxiety, for example, that is prescribed by one of the Big Pharma companies, it will come with a host of side effects. These side effects are often even worse than the illness or ailment itself. That is not the case with CBD, which has not been shown to have any widely known negative effects on your system after taking it, whether orally, sublingually, in edibles, via a vape, or topically.

In addition, you don't need to have a full meal or even a partial one with your CBD dose. You can if you choose to, but it will have an effect either way. Another benefit to CBD is that it doesn't tear away at your stomach lining like ibuprofen or other NSAIDs, further reducing the need to take it with food.

How Does CBD Help with Sleeping Disorders?

Serotonin is a common neurotransmitter that is linked to poor sleep. In fact, Cannabidiol is similar to how it affects your brain. Therefore, when you consume CBD, you are getting a similar effect that sleep drugs give you, without all the negative side effects.

CBD also works on a molecular level. It limits the amount of calcium that is transferring back and forth between cells. This means that your cells are more balanced and don't have to perform as much activity to stay in homeostasis. Therefore, your brain gets signals that it can begin to relax more.

How CBD Helps Anxiety

Anxiety seems to be a way of life in the modern world. With so many things happening and especially with social media, you might find that you just want to wind down and not have thoughts racing. This is normal, and you shouldn't feel that you are alone in this struggle.

However, you don't need to suffer from anxiety if you take CBD. What CBD does is to act on your actual ECS. This system regulates mood, among other things in your body. CBD basically sends signals to feel better, reduce stress, and release more calming chemicals into your mind. Unlike SSRI's, which are commonly prescribed by doctors these days, CBD does not give you Serotonin deficiencies which are difficult to overcome.

Ways to Incorporate CBD into Your Bedtime Ritual

CBD allows more of the "bliss" molecule to circulate in your mind. This molecule, called Anandamide, was first discovered when scientists began looking at the Endocannabinoid system in more detail. What they found was that CBD can help produce and protect more of this chemical that produces positive feelings in your mind.

You can incorporate this more into your ritual by having around 10-20mg before bed. For some people, they might what to try less. Others may feel like more is a good dose for them. The key is to experiment and find the dose that makes you feel the best.

When it comes to getting better sleep and reducing your anxiety, it can be difficult to find the right solutions. After all, many of the Big Pharma options come with side effects that are just not worth it. However, studies and testimonials from around the world are beginning to show the potential for CBD to help with sleep and anxiety disorders.