There are endless websites, books, news stories, and celebrity educators that provide advice about how we can take better care of ourselves. Most of this information revolves around diet and exercise. But good sleep is equally important, and it doesn’t get the airtime it deserves.
CBD for sleep recently became a hot topic in the United States. Preliminary evidence and personal stories suggest that CBD could be a healthful addition to your evening routine.
But there’s some misunderstanding when it comes to finding the best CBD for sleep.
To be clear, CBD is a single compound. Sure, it’s available in a wide range of products. Some of them are simple – CBD or hemp extracts mixed into a carrier oil. Others are more complex, and combine CBD with a range of approved drugs, botanicals, or established supplements like melatonin or vitamin C.
As a result, all kinds of creams, capsules, oils, and bath products can help you better prepare for a good night’s sleep. Some can provide effective pain relief, help you relax before bed, or otherwise maintain a regular sleep routine.
So you’re not really looking for the best CBD for sleep. You’re really looking for the best sleep-related product that contains CBD.
Below, we’ll look at the importance of sleep, explore what the early science says about CBD for sleep, and see what CBD products can fit into your evening routine.
Optimal Health Starts with Good Sleep
It’s easy to think of sleep as a roadblock to getting things done, but that's not true. You may not be aware of it, but your body does a lot of work while you’re asleep.
And we need to give our bodies time to do these vital tasks – at least seven to nine hours each night.
For instance, your brain is quite active at night. During sleep, your mind files the huge amounts of information you gathered during your waking hours.
In a consolidation process, our brains move important information from short-term working memory into a more secure long-term memory. This process allows us to recall that information for years to come. If you give your brain time to do this properly, you’ll perform better at work, school, and favorite hobbies.
And speaking of performance, sleep is a huge factor in recovery from hard work or strenuous exercise.
Your body does some heavy lifting when you’re snoozing. That’s when tissue repairs happen, growth hormones are synthesized, and muscle growth occurs.
To see this in practice, a study of basketball players revealed that players who enjoy longer periods of sleep showed increased speed, reaction times, skill, and mental state.
And while you may not play basketball, you can bet that all of those gains will come in handy for you as well, especially if your work is strenuous or requires a great deal of concentration.
It’s also worth mentioning that alcohol and sleeplessness affect the brain in similar ways.
Isn’t There Research on the Best CBD for Sleep?
Unfortunately, CBD users’ anecdotes about the best CBD for sleep are way ahead of the research. Scientists have not completed any clinical trials on the topic of CBD and sleep at this point.
At present, most of the completed work consists of laboratory, animal, and human studies with tiny sample sizes. Therefore, scientists are far from a conclusion about using CBD specifically for sleep.
Another problem is consumer confusion about what CBD is exactly.
CBD is a single compound. So when you ask, “What’s the best CBD for sleep,” it’s like asking, “What’s the best acetaminophen for pain?”
CBD is CBD, and acetaminophen is acetaminophen. There’s no best CBD for sleep. And there’s no best acetaminophen for pain.
But there is a wide range of products that contain CBD that may help you during your evening routine. But they can vary greatly in quality, so it’s important to do your research. Brands that verify good manufacturing practices, independent lab tests, and excellent reviews should top your list.
You also need to consider which kind of hemp extract you’d like to use – broad spectrum, full spectrum, or isolate.
As for ways CBD products can help at night, pain seriously affects one's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Some CBD products contain pain relievers that can provide relief for those who have problems with sore muscles and joints.
Stress is another problem that can make sleep difficult, and many users report using CBD products as part of their relaxation rituals.
Some products combine CBD with melatonin, a popular sleep supplement.
Melatonin and CBD
When people talk about the best CBD oil for sleep, they’re often referring to CBD oils and capsules that combine CBD, melatonin and calming botanical extracts.
But what is melatonin exactly?
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by your brain, and it helps you sleep by regulating your sleep-wake cycle. Darkness signals your brain to start producing melatonin, which in turn prepares your body for sleep.
The melatonin found in dietary supplements is usually made in a lab, but the compound is the same as what your body produces.
Melatonin and CBD aren’t defined as drugs in the United States. In other words, they’re not considered a remedy for a disease, like chronic insomnia.
However, melatonin can assist with maintaining a regular sleep cycle as part of your daily routine.
But what does that mean, exactly? Let’s take a closer look.
Melatonin and CBD for Sleep: Two Tools Among Many
You can use CBD and melatonin separately
But when people think of the best CBD for sleep, they’re usually thinking of supplements that combine CBD with melatonin.
You can use CBD and melatonin the same way you might use vitamins, minerals, or protein drinks. No reasonable person takes a multivitamin alone and expects optimal health. You also need to exercise, eat a balanced diet, reduce stress, and practice good hygiene.
Alongside CBD and melatonin, here are a few things you should do to improve your sleep routine.
Allow for at Least Seven or More Hours of Sleep
Eight or nine hours of sleep is ideal for most people. But adults should sleep no less than seven hours each night. Active people, like athletes in training, should get as much sleep as possible – up to 10 hours each day.
Keep a Consistent Schedule
Sticking to the same rhythm is vital to good sleep hygiene. It’s easier to wake up and go to bed at the same time during the week, but you also should keep the same schedule during weekends and vacations.
Get Some Exercise
One of the most common treatments for sleeplessness is exercise. You don’t have to train like a triathlete or anything. But 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day can go a long way towards a restful night’s sleep.
The Bedroom is for Sleep and Sex
Your bedroom should be a dedicated space for sleep and intimate moments. Make sure the bedroom is quiet, comfortable, dark, and distraction-free.
Avoid Excessive Drinking, Eating, and Caffeine in the Evening
The problem with caffeine is obvious. But alcohol can cause poor sleep too, even if you feel like you get to sleep faster after a few drinks. Going to bed on a full stomach can cause uncomfortable indigestion and heartburn, making it difficult to fall asleep.
CBD and Your Evening Wind Down
It’s vital to give your mind and body time to prepare for sleep, to achieve that goal, set aside at least 30 minutes to unwind before going to bed.
You can start by turning off your screens. Yes, all of them. You should also lower the lights in your home and set your thermostat to a cooler temperature.
At this point, you can take any supplements and your preferred CBD serving.
At this point, you can start your evening hygiene routine if you wish. If you prefer to shower before bed, you may need to give yourself a little extra time. You can also spend some spare time relaxing with a CBD bath.
After you’re finished with your hygiene routine, it’s a good time to close your eyes and meditate. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You don’t have to seek enlightenment.
Just set aside three to five minutes to close your eyes, concentrate on your breathing, and clear your mind. Be aware of your feelings, and try to focus on the here and now.
If you’re anxious about the next day, it’s a good idea to write down your to-do list and put it aside. It can help clear your thoughts.
After doing all of this, you should be ready to settle into bed for a good night’s rest.
What are the Best CBD Products for Evening Routines
There are a lot of products to choose, but there are a few products that are ideal for your nightly wind down.
cbdMD's CBD PM Sleep Aids
CBD PM products are made specifically for use at night. They contain CBD, melatonin, and a variety of soothing botanicals. CBD PM is available as a tincture and in softgel capsules.
It’s important to note that CBD PM tinctures won Product of the Year in the CBD Sleep Aid category. A survey of 40,000 U.S. consumers determined the award.
cbdMD Tinctures and Capsules
Even though cbdMD’s tinctures and capsules do not contain melatonin, they provide a lot of versatility. Both come in a wide range of CBD concentrations, which allows you to dial in a preferred CBD oil dosage. You can even use tinctures to add CBD to a soothing cup of herbal tea. But remember, no caffeine before bed.
cbdMD Bath Bombs
If you have time, a warm bath with a CBD bath bomb can make the perfect addition to your evening routine. To be clear, they’re not explicitly intended as a sleep-aid, but the relaxation you’ll feel from a CBD bath can undoubtedly help you calm down after a stressful day.
cbdMD Topical Pain Relievers
Joint and muscle pain is a huge problem for many people. It interferes with your workday, hobbies, and sleep.
cbdMD offers two topical pain relief formulas, cbdMD Freeze and cbdMD Recover. Each combines CBD with an approved topical pain reliever and a range of other soothing ingredients.
cbdMD’s Freeze roller also won Product of the Year in its category, CBD Topical.
The Best CBD for Sleep: Final Verdict
CBD is not currently recognized as a sleep aid, and it will take time for researchers to complete studies. But there are products formulated with CBD that can help with issues related to sleep, and many CBD formulas can fit easily into your nightly routine.
So in your search for the best CBD for sleep, you’re looking for the right combination of high-quality ingredients.
Smart sleep routines like those described above, can certainly help those who experience occasional sleeplessness. But people with serious sleep problems should consult their doctor. You should also talk to a physician before starting any new supplement routine.