Does CBD & CBN Help With Sleep?

This report explores the latest statistics on CBD and CBG in relation to sleep disorders and common sleep-related concerns.

• CBD popularity: The popularity of CBD products has increased by 50% over a four-year period. 

• CBD as a sleep-aid: 42.5% of CBD users take CBD for sleep-related issues. 

• CBD efficacy: CBD may be useful for helping people fall asleep faster and promoting relaxation. 

• CBN efficacy: CBN shows strong promise for improving sleep quality and can help people have approximately 0.5 fewer nighttime awakenings per night. 

• Individual factors influencing efficacy: How CBD and CBN affect an individual will vary based on factors like body weight, liver function, medications and existing health conditions. 

• Side effects of CBD and CBN: 11.9%–30% of users report side effects with CBD, and 9.9% report side effects with CBN. 

• Demographic trends: Women are more likely to use CBD for anxiety and sleep, whereas men tend to use CBD for wellness, physical performance, and post-workout recovery. 

Trends in CBD Usage for Sleep

The number of people consuming CBD has increased over the past few years — in 2023, it was reported that there had been a 50% increase over four years [1]. And of these CBD users, a large majority of them are turning to CBD in the hope that their sleep issues can be remedied with sleep being one of the top reasons people turn to CBD. 

• CBD users take CBD for health-related benefits, with a 2018 study reporting that 62% of CBD users use CBD to treat a medical condition [2]. 

• The top reasons for using CBD include anxiety (62.8%) pain (50.4%) and sleep (48.8%) [3]. 

• In another study of CBD users, it was found that 42.5% of respondents used CBD for some sleep issue, relating to sleep quality or self-perceived insomnia [4]. 

• Addressing sleep concerns is consistently one of the most cited reasons people use CBD products.  

• People also use CBD to reduce stress, increase overall relaxation, and relieve pain — which in some cases, improves sleep quality. 

Efficacy of CBD for Sleep   

CBD is widely used for its calming, relaxing effects. CBD has been shown to offer relief for issues like inflammation, stress, and anxiety, all of which may make falling asleep harder. 

• In a 2024 study, 150MG of CBD was given daily to 30 adults with insomnia —  while CBD did not improve sleep significantly compared to placebo, it was linked to overall better sleep efficiency and overall well-being [5]. 

• In another study, however, it was found that the majority (66.7%) of psychiatric patients given 25MG of CBD per day, reported improved sleep within the first month of CBD use. In this study it was noted that the benefits weren’t consistent across time points, which may indicate more research is needed for its long-term effectiveness [6].

• The effect of CBD on sleep may also be dose-dependent — low doses of CBD may keep people awake, while higher doses may cause sedation and have a relaxing effect [7]. 

How Many People Believe CBD Works for Sleep Issues? 

Most CBD users believe that CBD provides medicinal benefits, particularly for the specific issue they’re trying to manage. People also believe that CBD is generally safe, with 65% of US adults believing that CBD is safer to consume than alcohol [8].

• 60% of 2000 US adults surveyed believe that CBD offers some medicinal benefits [8]. 

• In a study with 4000 US adults, 75% of people who had tried CBD said it was at least moderately effective in treating the issue they were trying to manage [9]. 

• Almost 36% of respondents reported that CBD treats their medical condition “very well by itself,” with only 4.3% of respondents reporting that CBD didn’t work very well [2].

• Also, in a survey of 1000 US CBD users, 22% of respondents said that CBD helped them replace over-the-counter drugs, with 36% of those replacing an opioid, and 22% replacing a sleep-drug [9]. 

• Many users of CBD believe that CBD is useful for improving their sleep quality, stress/anxiety levels, and believe that CBD is useful for overall general health and wellbeing [4].  

• In a study on people who had tried CBD, 48.2% reported that CBD alone helped them fall asleep faster [4].  

Effects of CBD + CBN for Sleep 

As cannabinoids like CBD and CBN interact with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), this interaction may show promise for supporting sleep, as the ECS is involved in regulating circadian sleep-wake cycles [7]. 

• In a 2023 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, participants who took 20MG of CBN alone experienced a statistically significant reduction in nighttime awakenings (half an awakening fewer per night) [10].

• Another study reported that taking 50MG of CBN showed significant sleep improvements compared to a placebo [11]. 

• CBN may be as effective as melatonin for improving sleep [12]. 

• When CBD was combined with CBN (in doses of 10MG, 20MG, or 100MG), the results showed no improvement in sleep outcomes compared to taking CBN alone [10].

Factors That Affect CBD’s Efficacy 

How well CBD works can vary from person to person and often depends on individual factors.  

• People with higher body weight may absorb less CBD, which could make it less effective for those with higher BMIs. [13]. 

• People with a higher BMI may also experience a reduction in appetite from CBD [14]. 

• People with impaired liver function may experience CBD differently and have varying effects compared to those with normal liver function [15]. 

• Some medications, like sedatives or antidepressants, may have a drug-drug interaction with CBD, meaning that CBD may affect the way some prescription medications are absorbed in the body [15]. 

• People with anxiety disorders may experience more pronounced anxiety-reducing effects from CBD [16]. 

Factors That Impact CBN’s Efficacy  

There is not as much literature on factors that influence CBN specifically, but it is widely believed that the cannabinoid is influenced by similar factors to CBD. 

• The effectiveness of CBN may be different for those with impaired liver function. 

• CBN may have a possible drug-drug interaction, and taking CBN with some medications may impact these drugs’ absorption [17]. 

How Common Are Side Effects With CBD? 

CBD has not shown any potential for abuse or dependency, is well tolerated, and is generally safe [18]. 

• In a 2023 clinical trial of 1793 adults using CBD-based sleep aids, only 11.9% reported negative side effects [19]. 

• Most common side effects of CBD use are grogginess, sleep disturbances, headaches, and an upset stomach [19].

• Another study reports that 75% of CBD users report no side effects, the most common being dry mouth and fatigue [9].   

• Other adverse effects may be hunger, red eyes, and sleepiness or grogginess [2]. 

How Common Are Side Effects of CBN?

Most documentation on possible side effects of CBN comes from small-scale studies or animal models; more human studies are needed to address potential short and long-term side effects of CBN. 

• In a 2024 study of CBN users, 9.9% of participants experienced adverse effects from CBN [20].

• Anecdotal reports and preliminary studies suggest that possible side effects of CBN may include: fatigue or grogginess, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, headache, or an upset stomach [21].  

CBD Usage Demographics 

• In 2019, it was reported that Millennials were the biggest users of CBD, followed by Gen Z [22].

• Women are more likely to use CBD for sleep and anxiety [9]. 

• Men use CBD for wellness or performance/post-workout relief [9]. 

• People who have underlying anxiety, stress, or chronic pain note the strongest sleep benefits from CBD [2].

Analysis: Findings on CBD and CBN Efficacy   

• Both CBD and CBN show promise as a viable sleep aid. While CBD may have an indirect impact on sleep quality through promoting relaxation, CBN has a more direct impact on sleep efficiency and reduced nighttime awakenings. 

• Most of the existing research on CBN comes from small-scale studies or animal models — meaning more human studies are needed to assess the long-term efficacy and side effects of CBN.

• Effects of CBD/CBN will depend on dose and individual factors like weight/metabolism, liver function, drug-drug interactions, and underlying medical conditions. 

References

1. Wilson-Poe, A. R., Smith, T., Elliott, M. R., Kruger, D. J., & Boehnke, K. F. (2023). Past-year use prevalence of cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabinol, and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol among US adults. JAMA Network Open, 6(12), e2347373-e2347373.

2. Corroon, J., & Phillips, J. A. (2018). A cross-sectional study of cannabidiol users. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 3(1), 152-161.

3. Kudrich, C., Chen, R., Meng, Y., Bachi, K., & Hurd, Y. L. (2024). Use and perceptions of Cannabidiol among individuals in treatment for opioid use disorder. Harm Reduction Journal, 21(1), 135.

4. Moltke, J., & Hindocha, C. (2021). Reasons for cannabidiol use: a cross-sectional study of CBD users, focusing on self-perceived stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Journal of cannabis research, 3, 1-12.

5. Narayan, A. J., Downey, L. A., Rose, S., Di Natale, L., & Hayley, A. C. (2024). Cannabidiol for moderate–severe insomnia: a randomized controlled pilot trial of 150 mg of nightly dosing. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 20(5), 753-763.

6. Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019). Cannabidiol in anxiety and sleep: a large case series. The Permanente Journal, 23, 18-041.

7. Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: A review of the literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(4), 23.

8. Forbes Health. (2023, July 31). CBD statistics: Usage, benefits and risks. https://www.forbes.com/health/cbd/cbd-statistics/

9. Consumer Reports. (2019, April 9). CBD goes mainstream. https://www.consumerreports.org/cbd/cbd-goes-mainstream/

10. Bonn-Miller, M. O., Feldner, M. T., Bynion, T. M., Eglit, G. M., Brunstetter, M., Kalaba, M., ... & Hennesy, M. (2024). A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the safety and effects of CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 32(3), 277.

11. Lindquist, A. (2024, May). EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF CANNABINOL IN SLEEP ENHANCEMENT: A BREAKTHROUGH IN NONINTOXICATING SOLUTIONS. In SLEEP (Vol. 47). JOURNALS DEPT, 2001 EVANS RD, CARY, NC 27513 USA: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

12. Kolobaric, A., Saleska, J., Hewlings, S. J., Bryant, C., Colwell, C. S., D’Adamo, C. R., Chen, J., & Pauli, E. K. (2024). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the effectiveness and safety of melatonin and three formulations of Floraworks proprietary TruCBN™ for improving sleep. Pharmaceuticals, 17(8), 977. 

13. Zhang, Q., Melchert, P. W., & Markowitz, J. S. (2024). Pharmacokinetic variability of oral cannabidiol and its major metabolites after short-term high-dose exposure in healthy subjects. Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, 7(1), 1–9.

14. Pinto, J. S., & Martel, F. (2022). Effects of cannabidiol on appetite and body weight: A systematic review. Clinical Drug Investigation, 42(11), 909–919.

15. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, November 13). Scientific memorandum: Cannabidiol (CBD). 

16. Oberbarnscheidt, T., & Miller, N. S. (2020). The impact of cannabidiol on psychiatric and medical conditions. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 12(7), 393–403.

17. Nasrin, S., Watson, C. J. W., Bardhi, K., Fort, G., Chen, G., & Lazarus, P. (2021). Cannabinoid metabolites as inhibitors of major hepatic CYP450 enzymes, with implications for cannabis-drug interactions. Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 49(12), 1081–1089.

18. World Health Organization. (2018). WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence: Fortieth report (WHO Technical Report Series, No. 1013). Geneva: World Health Organization.

19. Saleska, J. L., Bryant, C., Kolobaric, A., Colwell, C. S., Loewy, D., Chen, J., & Pauli, E. K. (2023). The safety and comparative effectiveness of non-psychoactive cannabinoid formulations for the improvement of sleep: A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 8(3), 147–158.

20. Masataka, Y., Umemura, F., Nagamine, A., Miki, N., Akahoshi, Y., Matsumoto, T., & Takumi, I. (2024). How cannabinol is utilized in Japan, a country with strict cannabis regulations—Its purposes, medical effects, adverse events, and dependence. Integrative Medicine Reports, 3(1), 1–9.

21. Pacheco, D. (2023, November 8). CBN for sleep. Sleep Foundation.

22. Statista. (2019). CBD/hemp oil usage, by generation U.S. 2019.