CBD & Melatonin: Your Route to Rest?

Up until a few years ago, the word CBD may not have meant much to you. We have long known of the public stigma that cannabis has faced for decades and still does today. The uproar over cannabis is a cry against THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, that produces a “high” sensation in humans when ingested. THC is one of the more than 100 compounds found in the cannabis or hemp plant, but it has psychoactive properties, unlike CBD. 

CBD is another one of the hundreds of compounds found in the cannabis and hemp plants, but CBD is not psychoactive, unlike THC. That means this compound will not give you a “high” sensation. Instead, many people believe it brings potential medicinal benefits for a wide range of conditions. 

Some studies have revealed the possibility that CBD could reverse or lessen some of the effects of THC. While that topic remains at the center of dozens of studies, many people are already putting CBD products to use, hoping to find relief. 

CBD is legal in Canada, but it is regulated under the Cannabis Act. The law requires dispensaries to adhere to strictly-enforced regulations when selling CBD products. 

CBD Studies

Researchers around the world are studying the potential impacts and effects CBD has on humans. This cannabis and hemp plant compound is at the heart of many studies involving inflammation, pain, and anxiety-related disorders. 

You can find many products, like topicals available in dispensaries intended to treat certain conditions, specifically inflammation. There are even sublingual CBD products formulated to help pets to remain calm. 

It’s currently the subject of a study of whether CBD could help with the symptoms of COVID-19. The primary factor they are looking at is how CBD compounds can help reduce lung inflammation caused by the virus. 

In one study in Canada, researchers are trying to weigh the possible benefits of CBD compounds on people living with mental disease. Their goal is to figure out if this is the first possible step in helping North America’s mental health crisis. 

CBD is believed to help people feel a sense of calm, which is why it is often looked at as a potential treatment for mental conditions. Apart from that, it is frequently studied for its potential benefits in helping people sleep better. 

In recent months, a U.S. veteran’s group even participated in a study to see if CBD could help men and women in uniform sleep better, even if they are battling post-traumatic stress disorder. 

What Is Melatonin?

You may be familiar with melatonin as a supplement, but it is a naturally-occurring hormone produced by the human pineal gland in your brain. This substance and gland help your body know when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake. 

Your body naturally produces more melatonin at night than during the day. For most people, their levels fluctuate based on the sun’s cycle and their circadian rhythm. 

Many people take melatonin supplements in capsule, pill, or liquid form to help them get more sleep. As with many supplements, melatonin has been at the center of numerous studies to determine its benefit or ability to help improve sleep. However, many study results are mixed. It often boils down to a person’s body chemistry and how it interacts with the brain chemicals with melatonin. 

Melatonin and CBD

When you combine any compounds or substances and ingest them, there are always potential risks involved. Because CBD is believed to help people feel a sense of calm and melatonin is a naturally-occurring chemical in the brain that helps you feel tired, you want to be cautious when combining the two. 

Melatonin CBD products are found most often in capsule or tablet form and liquid form. These products work in a two-fold manner. The supplement’s melatonin part is believed to increase the natural substance in your brain, while the CBD is believed to help you feel a sense of calm simultaneously. Many people think a sense of calmness and relaxation leads to a deeper rest, which can alleviate other conditions associated with a lack of sleep. Once the melatonin enters the bloodstream, it’s believed this substance then helps you stay asleep and get a long deep sleep as well. 

There are still plenty of questions, even from researchers, about how CBD works within the human body and how it can help improve sleep. One of the key factors is whether cannabidiol can help treat the causes of insomnia and sleep disruption instead of just helping ease the symptoms of not being able to sleep. 

Many people believe CBD helps with several different conditions, including pain, which is why researchers are working to figure out if CBD helps relieve pain enough to help people get a better night’s sleep. That same belief is echoed by those who suffer from mental or physical tension who say CBD products, specifically melatonin CBD products, help relieve enough tension to relax and rest. 

The Entourage Effect 

Loyal cannabis and hemp enthusiasts believe in something called the entourage effect. The theory is that cannabis and hemp plants work better in products when more of their compounds are kept together instead of isolated and extracted by themselves. 

That theory is echoed by many people when it comes to combining CBD products’ potential benefits as a potential sleep aid of a melatonin supplement. 

Closing Thoughts

For most of you, getting a full eight hours of sleep every night may seem impossible. Many people believe that the combination of CBD and melatonin may be the first step in the right direction in helping individuals who have difficulties falling and staying asleep. 

Before starting any supplement, though, you should always speak first with your medical provider. Although there are studies claiming the positive effects of supplements and cannabis or hemp-related products, there is still research needed to prove how much, if any, they do help.