kamran sharief Alcohol causes a decline in the brain’s electrical signals, and this can cause feelings of relaxation, drowsiness, and eventually sleep. However, this doesn’t come without a downside.
Metabolism of alcohol occurs in the liver, and when its concentration reduces in circulation, it can lead to waking up in the middle of the night. You might think taking more might overcome this, but it induces the opposite effect, people take a longer time to fall asleep.
Luckily, many alternatives can help with your sleep issues. One of them is CBD or cannabidiol. Read on to learn how CBD capsules for sleep can work to improve your rest.
Table of Contents
What is CBD?
CBD is one of the 100+ cannabinoids found in cannabis. The others include cannabinol (CBN), Cannabigerol (CBG), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp contains high concentrations of CBD, making it the best source.
Hemp is also the best place to acquire CBD as it also has the lowest THC content (0.3%) as required legally. So what happens when you process hemp flowers? You get CBD oil. This is achievable through the supercritical CO2 process, use of alcohol, butane, and others.
CBD products come in 3 purification levels:
- CBD isolates containing only pure CBD
- Full-spectrum CBD contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids
- Broad-spectrum CBD, which doesn’t contain THC
CBD oil can be used to manufacture various products such as CBD concentrates, edibles, tinctures, capsules, vape oils, lotions, and creams. They are popular in helping manage conditions such as anxiety, depression, pain and muscle soreness, epilepsy, and sleep disorders.
Cannabidiol employs its body relaxation properties without getting you ‘hammered’, which would be the case if you used a THC product.
CBD For Sleep
In the early 1990s, scientists identified that the endocannabinoid system has a role in the sleep/wake cycle, appetite regulation, memory, mood, and reproductive functions. It’s present in every human being’s body and makes use of two endocannabinoids; anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).
The endocannabinoids act as second messengers to ensure body functions run smoothly. Most cannabinoids work through receptors such as CB1 and CB2. The former is mainly in the nervous system, while the latter is found in the immune system.
Using Sunday Scaries CBD helps block two enzymes that break down endocannabinoids; these are hydrolase and lipase. When they stay on receptors for longer, their action is prolonged.
CBD also works by inhibiting the release of cortisol, which keeps us awake. It also curbs anxiety which is a significant cause of insomnia as it interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain.
Using CBD
Different CBD products come with different onset times, potency, and how long the effects last. Tinctures, vaping, or smoking CBD flowers are among the fastest ways to get relief for your ailments. This is because they deliver CBD directly into the bloodstream.
Edibles take the longest time to kick in, which is about an hour. This is because they undergo digestion, absorption, then transportation throughout the body. However, edibles compensate for this by having a more profound and longer-lasting response which can take up to 8 hours.
People react differently to CBD because of different body composition factors between individuals. These include genetics, sex, metabolism, tolerance levels, and concentration of CBD.
How do you consume CBD safely?
If you’re new to cannabis, you can start by purchasing a small amount of CBD for a test. You can take a small amount, monitor the response, then increase the dosage over a few days until you get the response you need.
Side Effects of CBD
There are no adverse side effects of CBD. While high doses can cause fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, it’s well-tolerated overall.
While more CBD research needs to be done, the compound is tolerable and can decrease insomnia symptoms. You can couple this with other sleep habits such as exercise, a good diet, and reducing caffeine intake for the best results.
How Do You Vet Companies Selling CBD products?
- Check for analysis certificates, cultivation, and manufacturing processes. Third-party labs test for pesticides, heavy metals, and cannabinoids. Terpenes, flavonoids, and the array of cannabinoids in the products can help users get the entourage effects to enhance the CBD experience.
- Concentration and potency of the products.
- Other ingredients coupled with CBD can also aid in sleep – These can be melatonin, chamomile, or others.
- Positive customer reviews.
- Lack of health claims.
- Comprehensive product inventory.
Conclusion
CBD can be an excellent alternative to alcohol use, and this is because of the relatively safe tolerance.
Before consuming CBD products, make sure to consult your doctor. CBD should not be used as a substitute for prescribed meds. Moreover, without proper consultation, CBD can react with some meds you’re taking, which you certainly don’t want.