If you’re all too familiar with struggling to get a good night’s sleep, you know how debilitating it can be, and while popular sedatives may offer the rest you need, certain fears commonly surround them.
Fortunately, for those interested in a more natural alternative, there’s no doubt a simple google search has brought up both CBD and melatonin as the answer to your sleep conundrums. The next step is deciding which one is right for you, or if both could do the trick.
In 2019, the Permanente Journal performed a study looking at CBD’s ability to support quality sleep. The study gave 72 subjects who have sleep problems a total of 25MG of CBD each day and within one month, 66.7% reported better sleep [1].
CBD Oil has become a health and wellness staple for health conscious all over the world in the last 5 years as it climbed to popularity for its ability to support a wide array of health related concerns. CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), helping you to maintain homeostasis (a state of stability and balance), which naturally affects: sleep, mood, focus, inflammatory function, and joint mobility.
CBD or Melatonin: Which Should I use for sleep?
Deciding whether to use CBD products or melatonin for better sleep will need to come with a bit of experimenting on your part. Both have been shown to be helpful in the realm of sleep and can provide differing results based on what you need.
CBD is known for helping to support:
- A sense of relaxation
- Mood
- Normal inflammatory function
These effects in and of themselves have promising results for sleep, in fact, a 2017 literature review by Current Psychiatry Reports found that CBD may have promising therapeutic results for sleep [3] due to its proposed inflammatory effects.
Melatonin supplements, on the other hand, is well observed for helping to support:
- Jet-lag
- Natural sleep-wake cycles
- Decreased time falling asleep
Current research does support melatonin’s ability to help people fall asleep quicker, but the remainder of the research is less direct. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health presented mixed results in helping adults with more serious, diagnosable sleep struggles [4].
Can I Take CBD with Melatonin?
Yes, CBD and melatonin have shown to be helpful for supporting a good night’s sleep.
Fortunately, these days you have the option to try one or the other, or both at the same time thanks to new CBD and melatonin infused products. However, we recommend trying both forms independently before trying them together, as in, try a CBD gummy with no melatonin, and try melatonin by itself first.
CBD has become known for bringing about unique effects, with some individuals reporting a boost in energy and focus while others report a sense of calm and ease. Melatonin has also been known to affect each person differently, with some finally gaining the ability to doze off more easily or a slight sense of grogginess the next morning.
Melatonin is a hormone that’s naturally produced by the pineal gland. This hormone, in essence, kicks in to let our bodies know that it’s time to go to sleep.
Melatonin products (like gummies) doesn’t cause you to fall asleep, it simply tells both your body and brain that it’s bed time and works to regulate your sleep and wake cycle. For this reason, melatonin can be of great help in situations where your sleep cycle is disrupted, for example, with jet lag.
What is CBD and Melatonin’s Interaction?
CBD and melatonin interact in a unique way to help support natural sleep wake cycle: melatonin has been shown to help you fall asleep quicker, while CBD lends itself to sleep quality through supporting mood and inflammatory function.
However, it’s important to get the dosage right when combining these two products. Whereas CBD has been shown to be positively tolerated at high dosages, melatonin has not.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism deemed the ideal dose of melatonin to be 0.3- 1.0MG [5]. While most people report positive effects with up to 5MG of melatonin, it’s possible you could find sleep aids with up to 15MG of melatonin - a dose high enough to potentially cause feelings of grogginess the next morning.
CBD Products for Sleep
CBD comes in a variety of convenient forms from gummies, to oils & capsules, and more. CBD Oil dominant products can either be derived from the marijuana or hemp plant. However, most popular CBD companies today turn to hemp due to its desirability for having a naturally low THC content. Not only does this make it straightforward for hemp manufacturers, it’s ideal for customers who have THC sensitivity and don’t enjoy the ‘high’ feeling that accompanies THC heavy extracts.
CBD products has become a popular natural alternative for quality sleep. While the exact component of CBD that makes it an effective sedative is still being discovered, scientists believe it relates to the cannabis plant molecule’s ability to help support mood and relaxation, thereby, bringing about a good night’s rest.
Depending on the form of CBD you choose to take, the time it takes CBD to produce positive results varies from type to type. However, both CBD oil and CBD smokables clock in as the fastest CBD delivery method, with the benefits being felt in as little as 5-15 minutes.
CBD or Melatonin For Sleep
In this day and age, so many things threaten the quality of our sleep from blue light to environmental stressors and even the current unfolding of the pandemic.If you're deciding between CBD or melatonin for sleep, start by trying both independently. If you experience positive benefits from both, you can begin to try them together in CBD Gummies with Melatonin.
Sound sleep is imperative to our emotional, mental, and physical health benefits and there's no shame in leaning on a supplement for support. However, long-term use of a sleep aid to meet the needs of more serious sleep disorders is not recommended.
CBD vs Melatonin: What is the Difference?
CBD and melatonin are two popular options for managing sleep-related issues. CBD, derived from cannabis plants, interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system to promote relaxation and potentially improve sleep quality. Melatonin, a hormone naturally produced by the body, helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Is CBD Oil Better than Melatonin for Sleep?
CBN (cannabinol) and melatonin are sleep aids with distinct benefits. Melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, can help improve sleep quality and manage jet lag. On the other hand, CBN, a compound derived from cannabis, is associated with potential sedative effects and is believed to induce sleep without causing grogginess the next day. The choice between CBN and melatonin depends on individual needs and preferences.
Can you take CBD and Melatonin together?
Fortunately, thanks to new CBD and melatonin infused products, you may now test both at the same time. However, we recommend trying both types separately before combining them to ensure that CBD and Melatonin work well for you.
How effective is CBD gummies for sleep compared to Melatonin?
CBD gummies interact with the endocannabinoid system to promote relaxation and alleviate anxiety, potentially aiding in better sleep quality. However, scientific evidence supporting CBD's efficacy for sleep is limited. On the other hand, Melatonin is a hormone regulating sleep-wake cycles, it is widely used and considered a more reliable and evidence-based option for improving sleep compared to CBD gummies.
Resources:
- Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: a review of the literature. Current psychiatry reports, 19(4), 1-12.
- Liu, J., Clough, S. J., Hutchinson, A. J., Adamah-Biassi, E. B., Popovska-Gorevski, M., & Dubocovich, M. L. (2016). MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors: a therapeutic perspective. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology, 56, 361.
- Chagas, M. H. N., Crippa, J. A. S., Zuardi, A. W., Hallak, J. E., Machado-de-Sousa, J. P., Hirotsu, C., ... & Andersen, M. L. (2013). Effects of acute systemic administration of cannabidiol on sleep-wake cycle in rats. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 27(3), 312-316.
- Pierpaoli, W., Regelson, W., & Colman, C. (1996). The melatonin miracle: Nature's age-reversing, disease-fighting, sex-enhancing hormone. Simon and Schuster.
- Zhdanova, I. V., Wurtman, R. J., Regan, M. M., Taylor, J. A., Shi, J. P., & Leclair, O. U. (2001). Melatonin treatment for age-related insomnia. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 86(10), 4727-4730.
Disclaimer
The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.
