Sleep problems may affect as many as 70 million Americans. Getting a good rest each night is key to good health, but things like stress, long work hours and even your diet can disrupt sleep patterns. This can cause problems with concentration, memory and coordination.
To deal with sleep issues, many people turn to prescription or over-the-counter pills. But these medications can have potentially serious risks and side effects. Fortunately, cannabidiol (CBD) can help promote healthy sleep, without the side effects of common aids.
The Many Kinds of Sleep Problems
Everyone knows sleep is essential for good health. If you’ve ever done an all-night study session, worked the late shift, or tossed and turned all night with worry, you can feel the effects the next day.
Insomnia—difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep—is most likely the best-known sleep problem. But people suffer from a variety of other disturbances, such as:
- Sleep apnea: This is a condition in which a person has abnormal breathing patterns throughout the night. That person may intermittently stop breathing or have other kinds of disruptions to their regular breathing. Sleep apnea sufferers may not wake up when their breathing becomes abnormal, but they can experience symptoms such as daytime sleepiness or poor concentration.
- Narcolepsy: People who suffer from this condition report periods of extreme sleepiness and episodes of suddenly falling asleep during the daytime.
- Restless legs syndrome: Also known as RLS, this is a sleep movement disorder that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an urge to move them as you’re falling asleep.
- Parasomnia: This is a group of sleep disorders that includes sleepwalking, sleep terrors or other unusual behavior that only occurs when a person is asleep.
- Sleep paralysis: This is when a person is temporarily unable to move while either falling asleep or waking up.
- Seasonal affective disorder: Also known as SAD, this condition causes excessive sleepiness and depression during the winter, when a key part of the brain doesn’t receive enough bright light.
- REM behavior disorder: This condition causes people to act out intense and often violent dreams.
- Circadian rhythm disorders: This is a group of sleep issues with an underlying imbalance in a person’s internal, biological clock. These disorders can cause sleep cycles to be out of sync with external cues, such as light and darkness, which tell the body it’s time to sleep.
Many health conditions can also contribute to problems, too, since the symptoms can make it hard to get comfortable or relax enough for sleep.
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How Do People Usually Tackle Their Sleep Problems?
Because disturbances can have so many causes, there’s a long list of medications developed to treat them. These can include true hypnotic medications like Ambien and Lunesta, along with a number of medications to treat anxiety, depression and other issues that can contribute to problems.
But even limited use of sleep aids can cause a hangover effect that impacts functioning the next day. CBD can be a more effective and less risky option, because of how it works with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a major role in regulating sleep.
The Endocannabinoid System Regulates Sleep Cycles
The ECS is a network of receptors found almost everywhere in the body. These receptors respond to compounds the body itself makes, as well as those found in the cannabis plant.
The ECS plays a major role in maintaining homeostasis, or balance, in the body’s many different systems, including the sleep-wake cycle and other kinds of circadian rhythms.
The relationship between different cannabis compounds such as CBD and the ECS is complicated, especially as it relates to sleep. Many people say that CBD helps them stay alert and focused. But in higher doses, it appears to help people fall asleep and stay asleep, with fewer episodes of interruptions.
CBD also seems to reduce the symptoms of REM behavior disorder, a sleep disorder that causes people to act out violent or vivid dreams.
And studies have shown that CBD can help relieve sleep problems caused by other health conditions, such as arthritis pain, nightmares from PTSD or the tremors of Parkinson’s disease.
With this in mind, here are five hemp CBD products that can ease sleeping problems and help you get the rest you need.
1. Relax Pain Spray From Basic Jane Relieves Aches
Basic Jane’s Relax Pain Spray is a fast-acting, high-CBD topical that brings relief from the pain of arthritis, sprains, strains and muscle cramps.
Formulated with Basic Jane’s signature blend of high-quality hemp and the soothing scents of lavender, clary sage and menthol, the spray also calms the mind and eases stress for a good night’s sleep. It’s easy to apply and works in combination with other Basic Jane topicals for maximum relief.
2. Aches Vape Cartridge by Wildflower Has Calming Lavender
Wildflower’s Aches Vaporizer Cartridge is a high-CBD cartomizer that’s compatible with Wildflower’s rechargeable vaporizer.
The cartridge contains 150 mg of CO2-extracted, full-spectrum CBD combined with the calming scents of lavender, peppermint and spearmint essential oils. One draw provides 1 mg of CBD to help relieve stress as well as the aches and pains that can keep you awake at night.
3. Relief Lotion by Vertly Soothes Before Bedtime
For gentle relief from daily aches and pains, reach for Vertly’s Relief Lotion. It combines 150 mg of CBD with:
- Organic oils
- Shea butter
- Arnica flower extract
Packaged with the calming scents of citrus and lavender, you can use this lotion before bedtime to soothe stress and ease minor discomforts.
4. Calm CBD Peppermints by Mr. Moxey’s Mints Includes Herbal Extracts for a Peaceful Sleep
Infused with full-spectrum, organic hemp oil, Calm CBD Peppermint Mints by Mr. Moxey’s Mints are naturally gluten free and vegan.
Each mint provides 5 mg of CBD along with extracts of Indian gooseberry and echinacea to boost the immune system while calming the mind for a peaceful sleep.
5. CBD+ Relief Tincture by Wildflower Helps Support a Restful Sleep
Wildflower’s CBD+ Relief tincture provides fast relief from sleep-robbing discomforts such as anxiety, and aches and pains.
This tincture provides 33 mg of full-spectrum, hemp CBD per dropper, combined with tropical fruit flavor. CBD+ Relief also supports the endocannabinoid system and boosts immunity for better health.
Getting a good night’s sleep is a key part of staying healthy. But for many, deep, restorative sleep remains elusive. In topicals, tinctures and all its other forms, CBD can relieve the pain, discomfort and stress that disrupts sleep—without the risks and side effects of common sleep medications.
Photo credits: Tracey Hocking
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