One in four people develops insomnia every year in the United States.
As a result, we have a society of zombies, moving from task to task, living but not truly living. Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased motor skills, increased irritability, and a general lack of productivity.
Thankfully, natural solutions can help. In recent years, CBD oil has risen among the ranks of insomnia solutions. Both anecdotal and scientific evidence has proven CBD alleviates pain and leads to deeper, more consistent sleep.
With CBD available at every truck stop, pharmacy, and grocery store, how do you know that you're getting what you need for your insomnia? How can you determine which is the best CBD for insomnia? Are you holding a golden bottle of rest or just cannabidiol snake oil?
How Does Cannabis Work?
To understand if you have quality CBD, you first must understand how cannabis works.
Our brains have these tiny messengers called neurons. These brain cells send chemical messages that determine everything we feel, think, and do.
Think about it like this: you stick your hand in a fire. The nerves in your hand send a signal to your brain. The neurons in your brain then release a neurotransmitter to travel across a gap (called the synapse) and then attach to receptors in the nearby neuron.
In a sense, your brain is playing the game telephone.
Everyone's brain has a system called the EC or endocannabinoid system that works differently, though.
When your body activates a postsynaptic neuron, the fat cells or lipid precursors make cannabinoids, a chemical messenger, on-demand. The cell then releases the cannabinoid to travel back to the presynaptic neuron, and it attaches to the cannabinoid receptor.
The cannabinoids in your body act like dimmer switches for the neurons that haven't released anything yet. They limit the amount of dopamine or feel-good hormone the neuron releases.
The cannabinoids affect how a cell receives, sends, and processes messages.
How does CBD Oil Alleviate Insomnia?
So, what does any of this have to do with insomnia?
CB1 and CB2
Research has revealed that your brain has two different receptors for cannabinoids: the CB1 and the CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are in your brain and deal with coordination and movement, pain, emotions, mood, thinking, appetite, memory, and other functions. If you take marijuana in its pure form, it has noticeable levels of THC, the part of marijuana that leads to a high. THC attaches to the CB1 receptors.
CB2 receptors, however, exist commonly in the immune system, affecting both inflammation and pain. When the CB2 receptors age or malfunction, you end up with a compromised immune system and potentially more inflammation and pain.
Insomnia: A Result of a Problem
Enter insomnia. The compromised immune system can lead to sleeplessness and chronic insomnia.
Though idiopathic insomnia (insomnia with no apparent cause), most insomnia has a particular cause.
So if you can remove the cause, you can cure insomnia.
This is where CBD comes in.
CBD has already proven itself in the pain relief realm, offering patients with chronic pain a natural and effective solution. The pleasant side effect is better quality sleep.
Additionally, now recent studies are reporting CBD may help individuals sleep better. Ten percent of the users who responded to a survey with Consumer Reports claim they sleep better as a side effect.
Furthermore, CBD increases wakefulness. Ironically, its ability to help you be alert during the day facilitates better sleep at the end of the day.
How to Take CBD Oil for Sleep
CBD rookies may wonder exactly how does one "take" CBD oil?
While you may certainly consumer it exactly as the manufacturer directs, you can also mix CBD into recipes that give you added benefits.
One popular cocktail uses CBD as one more secret ingredient to help with sleeplessness. If you mix a cup of tart cherry juice with a cup of white grape juice, a half a dropper of valerian root tincture, and the preferred dose of CBD oil, you'll have the natural melatonin in the cherry juice and the soothing effects of valerian root to give you the perfect bedtime drink.
What is the Best CBD for Insomnia?
First, make sure you are looking for a legal form of CBD. Not every state has legalized all forms of CBD.
Crystalline isolate has just CBD. The manufacturer has removed the other cannabinoids.
Full-spectrum CBD is not legal in all states. This form of CBD retains THC and other cannabinoids. Only states laws that legalize marijuana allow full-spectrum CBD oils.
Reading online reviews of cannabidiol products will help you know which CBD oil works best for you. However, most CBD oils have generally proven themselves to be effective for insomniacs.
PureKana CBD Oil
PureKana cannabidiol uses a unique CO2 extraction process. They also ensure their CBD has no pesticides, solvents, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers.
Customers report that PureKana works especially well for sleep disorders, anxiety, pain relief, and stress.
PureKana also offers a wide range of potencies, with doses ranging from 300 mg to 5,000 mg.
Sabaidee
Sabaidee CBD also uses C)2 extraction as opposed to the pressed method that most hemp oils go through. Sabaidee produces its oil without potentially toxic chemicals like chlorophyll and solvents.
They grow their hemp on strictly monitored organic farms where they submit all batches for strict in-house testing immediately after they extract the oils.
Sabaidee offers its oil in three different strengths.
Their Good Vibes label has 8.33 mg of CBD per serving, and the strongest oil, the Mega Good Vibes, offers 88.33 mg of CBD per serving.
They also offer their CBD oils in both mint and unflavored varieties.
Premium Jane Full Spectrum
While Premium Jane is a new company, it has qualities and results right up there with the previous two brands mentioned.
Customers report that their 300 mg and 600 mg tinctures work especially well to ease anxiety and promote relaxation. Both of these problems lead to insomnia, so if the CBD helps you relax, you can naturally fall asleep better.
Premium Jane offers a 1,000 mg tincture as well for individuals dealing with severe physical complications.
If you do not like tinctures, Premium Jane also has 25 mg CBD gummies. So you get a treat and a good night's sleep.
One Big Drop for One Good Sleep
Ultimately, finding the best CBD for insomnia depends on the cause of insomnia and the person dealing with it. If you can relax and rest with cannabidiol, then you can sleep and kick that insomnia to the curb.