The Complete Guide to Using CBN for Sleep
After COVID disrupted everyone’s lives for what felt like an eternity, things finally seem to be going back to normal. But many people still find themselves dealing with the aftermath.
The stress of the pandemic and lockdowns has greatly impacted people’s health, especially sleep.
Likely due to confinement, increased screen time, and other dramatic lifestyle changes, sleep problems may now affect as much as 18% of the population, according to a meta-analysis spanning 39 countries. The situation for over-burdened healthcare workers is even more daunting, with an estimated 31% now dealing with sleep issues.
Other research estimates that insufficient sleep resulting in decreased functioning may affect up to 36% of the entire U.S. population. This has profound health implications, as inadequate sleep is related to inflammation, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, hypertension, and other conditions.
So even as life gets moving again, you may be one of the many people struggling with newfound sleep issues and searching for a solution to help improve your quality of life.
Unfortunately, over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids are often not ideal since they can be quite habit-forming with long lists of side effects and high rates of misuse. So, if you’ve been looking for a natural sleep aid, you’re not alone.
Though proper medical research is still in progress, people have used certain strains of cannabis to sleep for thousands of years with minimal side effects. And CBN is one of the best cannabis-based compounds for sleep.
If you’re curious about how CBN works as a potential natural sleep aid, its benefits, and how to take it, keep reading. We’ll answer all your questions about CBN for sleeping.
CBN for Sleep: How does it work?
Cannabinol (CBN) is one of over 100 cannabinoids, the naturally-occurring chemical compounds in hemp plants. CBN is a by-product of THC, forming as THC degrades as cannabis plant matter ages or comes into contact with heat, light, and/or oxygen.
Though THC has potent psychoactive properties, inducing a high, CBN only has 10-25% the psychoactive properties of THC, not enough to cause a high at normal doses.
This is due to the difference in how CBN interacts with the human body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS has a role in helping the body regulate many immune and central nervous system functions, with effects on sleep.
So when the ECS uses cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2 receptors) to process CBN, the effects on the body and mind can include reduced inflammation, pain, and stress. Many people also fall and stay asleep more easily, so CBN has become very popular for its sedating effects.
What are the Benefits of Using CBN for Sleep?
While many users increasingly notice positive results with CBN, we still need more research to understand the precise mechanisms behind CBN’s sedative effects.
But effective sleep-promoting abilities at low doses with seemingly minimal and mild side effects make CBN the perfect candidate for more exhaustive research in the future. According to some of the existing science, here are the possible advantages of CBN as a sleep aid:
Promotes and Improves Sleep
CBN’s sedative properties seem to significantly relieve sleep difficulty across all measures, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, getting less than seven hours, and waking up unrested.
CBN reduced the incidence of sleeping less than seven hours from 41% of study participants to 13%, and the number of individuals with difficulty falling asleep reduced from 43% to 2%. In addition, the number of participants struggling to stay asleep dropped from 57% to 22%, the prevalence of waking up too early went from 43% to 15%, and those who woke up feeling unrested decreased from 60% to 13%.
Many study participants also reported enhanced dreaming, indicating that CBN may have helped them progress more normally through the sleep stages, including REM.
Effective at Low Doses
The above sleep improvements occurred at low doses, as participants only took between 1 and 4 mg of CBN. However, despite the low dosage, 98.3% of individuals in the study reported dramatic improvements in sleep from CBN’s sedative properties.
Minimal Side Effects
Compared to pharmaceutical sleep aids, CBN’s side effects are apparently minimal and mild. It’s widely considered safe, with no intoxicating activity at regular doses, and little to no negative side effects, even in very high doses up to 400 mg.
Only about 21% of study participants experienced side effects, and just one person discontinued CBN due to adverse side effects. Adverse side effects seemed to stem from taking excessive amounts of CBN and resolved with dosage adjustments.
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What’s the Best Way to Take CBN for Sleep?
Rarely produced and sold by itself, CBN (like other cannabinoids) is more effective when combined with other cannabinoids due to the entourage effect.
There are supplements available that mix CBN with various levels of THC, CBD, and CBG. Combining THC with CBN can have significantly mind-altering results and cause substantial fatigue.
On the other hand, products containing CBN, CBG, and/or CBD don’t cause intoxication and are more likely to improve sleep without excess fatigue and other unwanted effects.
Best CBN Formulas for Sleep
Non-psychoactive CBG and CBD appear to have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, sleep-promoting, and calming/anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) as well. So these are ideal ingredients to combine with CBN for better sleep and energy.
Some CBN products also include low levels of melatonin, the natural human body hormone that helps induce sleep.
Though these varieties of CBN products seem to be safe and effective for many users, they do not yet have official approval for treating sleep disorders or any other medical condition.
The most crucial step in addressing sleep disorders or starting a new supplement is discussing it with your doctor first.
Another vital step is adjusting your lifestyle to give yourself a better baseline for sleeping. Practice sleep hygiene, by moderating and timing your caffeine use wisely, limiting your eating and screen time before bed, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.
You should also try to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits, since exercising regularly and eating nutritious foods in appropriate quantities will likely improve your sleep.
These practices should maximize your chances of better sleep and energy levels with and without taking CBN supplements.
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What kind of CBN supplement should I take?
There are even more options regarding the types of CBN supplements. You can choose whichever method of taking CBN works best for you:
CBN Softgels and Capsules
This is great for people who already prefer to take their sleep aids, vitamins, and supplements in standard pill, capsule, or softgel form. It’s discreet, convenient, and often the most affordable product per dose.
CBN Oil Tinctures
With CBN oil tinctures, you use a little dropper to either place the oil under your tongue or mix it into food/drinks. The dropper gives you greater control to precisely customize your dose.
CBN Gummies
Just like many gummy vitamins and supplements that look and taste like candy, you can find CBN supplements in the form of tasty gummies. This is another convenient and discreet way to take CBN.
How much CBN to take for sleep?
Some people can achieve better sleep and wake more rested with as little as 1-2 mg of CBN. Others prefer a beginner dose of up to 4-5 mg.
Men may need slightly more than women, and you should account for factors like your weight, CBN delivery method, and cannabinoid experience and tolerance when deciding on the right starting dose for you.
Start with a low dose, and if you’re not getting the results you want, adjust the dose as needed slightly over time until you find the CBN sweet spot. Your CBN product packaging should have a label with dosage instructions.
How do I incorporate CBN into my nighttime routine?
Certain methods of taking CBN take effect faster than others. For example, it may set in faster or stronger when mixed with other cannabinoids and/or melatonin, taking sublingually in oil form compared to edibles/gummies or mixing with food and drinks.
Taking the above factors into consideration, the best time to take CBN is between 30-60 minutes before bed.
Again, for the best results, incorporate CBN with healthy habits overall and a consistent nighttime ritual that helps you relax and unwind.
Can I take CBN every night?
Yes, you can take CBN every night before bed. That’s because CBN is not a drug, it’s non-habit forming, has few side effects, and your body is unlikely to build up a tolerance to it, especially in normal doses.
CBN for Sleeping FAQs
Is CBN similar to melatonin?
Yes, CBN has a similar sleep-improving effect to melatonin and some CBN products incorporate small amounts of melatonin. However, melatonin and CBN don’t appear to be related to each other.
Are there side effects from using CBN for sleep?
No, there are usually not side effects from taking CBN in moderation for sleep. But taking unnecessarily large doses may cause unwanted effects.
Is CBN psychoactive?
A little bit. CBN is roughly 10-25% as psychoactive as THC, but this effect is barely noticeable at responsible doses.
What is the best CBN for sleep?
The best way to take CBN for sleep is to take it alongside CBG and/or CBD.
Where can I buy CBN for sleep?
Nature’s Legend has high-quality, lab-tested CBN products specifically formulated for better sleep.
How have your habits and sleep quality changed in the past couple of years?
Have you recently experienced changes in your sleep quality, restfulness, or duration like many other people across the globe? Do you think CBN supplements might help?
Though we need more research to be sure, CBN apparently improves people’s ability to achieve quality sleep, and feel more rested in the morning. CBN could be a viable alternative to prescription and OTC sleep aids, since it has few mild side effects and works well at low doses.
If you’re ready to sleep more restfully and enjoy greater energy throughout the day, shop CBN products here to find supplements based on the latest research and produced in certified facilities.
