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CBD is great for sleep

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Bad sleep: we’re all familiar with it. Whether you live in a traffic-heavy location, your neighbours are noisy through the night, or you just can’t get your brain to switch off, it feels like there’s always something to keep you awake. It is estimated that the average adult needs around seven to nine hours of sleep to function best, but a study by the Sleep Association found that a third of the population doesn’t even manage seven hours over a typical 24-hour period.

With a lack of sleep being proven to lower life expectancy and put you at risk of a host of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, mental health problems and infertility, it’s clear that finding a way to get a good night’s rest is essential. The issue is, there aren’t so many solutions available. Meditation and sleep apps unfortunately don’t work for everyone, and many people are wary of taking sleeping tablets in case of becoming dependant on them.

Thankfully, many natural sleep promoters are now hitting the health markets, with one of the biggest and most effective being CBD. If you’re considering taking CBD for a sleeping problem, or you just want to know why the compound is so great for sleep, read on.

What is CBD?

CBD is a compound that is found inside the cannabis plant. It is extracted, often using alcohol, which is then evaporated to leave just the oil. You can purchase CBD in a number of different forms, with the most popular and widely available being full-spectrum pure CBD oil. If oil isn’t for you, you can also find CBD creams, edibles, tablets, suppositories, patches, vaping E-liquids, and even chocolates and biscuits.

How can CBD help me sleep?

CBD works inside the body by causing reactions inside the endocannabinoid system. This system contains receptors that are responsible for almost every function the body can carry out, and can regulate our appetite, mood, inflammation and pain sensation, and our concentration levels says CBDology.

It is unclear as of yet why, but scientists believe that when CBD enters the endocannabinoid system, it causes these receptors to switch on and off to the benefit of the body. In the brain, for example, CBD can prevent receptors from responding to the stress hormone, cortisol, and encourage them to respond to the happy hormones, endorphins and serotonin. This in itself is thought to aid in a good night’s sleep, because it will prevent the mind from being clouded with anxious or unhappy thoughts.

How should I take CBD to improve my sleep?

If you want to specifically benefit sleep-wise from CBD, you need to be mindful of when you choose to take the compound. Generally, it takes ingested CBD around one-to-two hours to enter your system fully, and the effects last around six hours on average. If you’re vaping CBD oil, however, or using a suppository or CBD patch, you will experience a much faster reaction, as the CBD will enter far more quickly into your bloodstream.