A Good Night’s Sleep: CBD vs Insomnia
Sleep is a basic necessity - yet for many of us, a good night of sleep is a luxury. Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds, causing us trouble to focus and stay alert and impacting our natural defenses. CBD, a natural compound extracted from hemp, has been shown to improve sleep on a handful of occasions. This is why a team of researchers set out to explore the effects of a rather high nightly dose of 150 mg of CBD on a group of people suffering with moderate to severe insomnia. Let’s see what they found!
Diving Into the Study
To tackle the question whether CBD could help to manage insomnia and really make a difference in people’s lives, the scientist’s trial involved 30 participants. They were equally divided between a CBD group and a placebo group, for a total duration of three weeks. The study had a meticulous setup to show whether CBD could be the missing part of the sleep puzzle: a mix of in-lab visits and at-home sleep tracking.
The Findings
At a first glance, it looked like the study wouldn’t amount to much. But upon closer inspection, the results were intriguing. On the surface, CBD and placebo were seemingly ranking neck-and-neck with neither producing a significant difference in several measurable key sleep metrics, such as how long it took participants to fall asleep or how often they woke up after falling asleep. But not all was as it seemed! The participants taking CBD reported feeling much better overall - hinting that CBD might be doing something subtle outside of the clinically measured parameters that was very impactful. Finally, after two weeks, the CBD group was getting a slightly better quality of sleep, also according to objective measures.
Reading Between the Lines
This study paints a complex but beautiful picture. It suggests that while CBD might not be a magic bullet for falling asleep faster or staying asleep longer from the first application - it could be playing a key role in enhancing overall wellbeing and improving the quality of sleep in ways that aren't immediately obvious. All without substantial side effects!
Where Do We Go from Here?
The journey can’t and won’t end here. The results of this trial are a clear motivation to conduct more research and see if we can fully understand CBD's influence on sleep management. It's crystal clear that CBD has something to offer here, but figuring out exactly what requires digging deeper into how different doses and longer treatment periods might affect various aspects of sleep and wellbeing.
When it comes to the treatment and management of insomnia, CBD might just be one piece of a big puzzle. However, it’s offering not just the hope of better sleep, but also the promise of better days through improved wellbeing.
