A common question surrounding CBD use is, "does CBD oil make you tired?"
For a clear understanding of the answer to whether or not CBD can make you sleepy, it's important first to understand how CBD works. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the many naturally occurring compounds harvested in cannabis plants proven to exert a long list of health benefits, including a good night's sleep without concerning side effects.
In this article, we'll cover the different mechanisms through which CBD interacts with the body to produce its effects, why CBD may make you drowsy or sleepy, and how to use it for better sleep.
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Does CBD Make You Tired?
CBD may produce a sense of contentment by slowing the breakdown of anandamide, which may help you feel more relaxed, leading to better sleep. However, this unique interaction simply isn't enough to produce sedative effects.
Some users report, "CBD makes me sleepy" and reach for CBD oil as a natural sleep aid. Simultaneously, many other users turn to CBD to help them feel more alert and clear-headed. So, does CBD make you sleepy or awake?
Researchers are still looking to understand CBD's effects and pharmacological pathways fully, but it's believed that CBD's interaction in the endocannabinoid system helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle through its relaxation effect.
Some factors that may influence how taking CBD makes you feel may include:
- Genetics
- Lifestyle
- Dosage
- Type of CBD oil you're taking
How the CBD Dosage Affects Your Tiredness
Figuring out your ideal dosage can be tricky as people respond to CBD differently.
If you're planning on taking CBD and have an underlying health condition, we recommend speaking with your health care practitioner so that they can provide you with better guidance given your condition, medical history, and medication you may be taking.
For those using CBD products recreationally, dosing can be a perplexing field to navigate, and the only way through it is with some experimentation. If you're new to CBD, always start with lighter doses (as recommended on the label) and gradually build your way over the course of a week until you reach your desired effects. If you jump the gun too quickly with large doses, ingesting CBD products can make you feel slight discomfort but could help trigger your eyes to shut.
A 2017 review of sleep and cannabis in the Journal of Current Psychiatry reported that CBD interacts with the receptors in our brains that govern sleep/wake cycles. This means that CBD making you feel more alert during the day, can naturally contribute to you feeling more relaxed and ready for sleep at night.
How Does CBD Make You Tired?
How much CBD you take can affect how CBD oil makes you feel.
At high doses, CBD may increase Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) activity in the brain.
GABA is a neurotransmitter best known as the break-pedal to the stress response in an overly stimulated central nervous system. GABA in the brain pumps the break on the fight-or-flight response, helping to induce calmness and relaxation that can help you fall asleep [ 2].
For those looking to gain CBD benefits for sleep support, it's recommended you take higher doses of CBD as you're winding down for bed. Full spectrum CBD, containing a natural range of cannabinoids (alongside THC and CBD) found in the hemp plant is also known to have stronger effects over CBD isolate.
You can also incorporate other sleep hygiene practices to improve your sleep quality, including:
- Avoiding screen time in the evenings
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon
- Getting regular exercise in the day, but avoid heavy exercise before bed
- Set a regular sleep and wake time
- Set your room temperature to a cooler temperature
CBD May Support Better Sleep Quality
CBD itself does not have a direct sedative effect. For many people, falling asleep isn't the issue, but staying asleep to get deep restorative sleep is.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is a cycle of sleep that occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep. It's called REM because our eyes move quickly behind the eyelids, and our brains are the most active, undergoing renewal.
As CBD may help slow down the stress response, you're not as likely to be disturbed from sleep, allowing you to get into the deeper, more restorative sleep phase so that you wake up feeling well-rested and energized in the morning.
Always make sure you're shopping CBD oil for sleep with high-quality ingredients and third-party lab tests to back up their contents.
How To Choose CBD Oil For Sleep
Potency
All CBD oil will be labeled with a concentration of CBD in MG on the package.
It can vary from 500MG per bottle all the way to 12,000MG, so choosing the appropriate potency of CBD oil is essential to getting the desired benefits you seek.
To get the most benefits for sleep support, you may want to consider a high potency of CBD oil so that you can achieve higher doses in smaller amounts of oil. This will be the most cost-effective option over time.
Additional Ingredients
CBD has a broad range of health benefits, mainly because it supports the balance of so many of our vital systems. To steer the benefits of CBD for more targeted use, some brands will include natural ingredients to work alongside CBD.
For sleep support, you may explore outside of CBD oil and try a CBD tea with chamomile or CBD Gummies with melatonin. These ingredients contain compounds that work on similar pathways to help reduce stress, improve sleep quality, & make you tired.
The Side-Effects Of CBD
Countless studies explore the safety of CBD and found that CBD is a safe compound that's well-tolerated in humans, even in the strongest CBD Oil doses over a long time [5].
However, that's not to say that CBD is without side-effects. Thankfully, the adverse effects of CBD are short-term, only lasting for as long as the compound remains active in your system (3–5 hours). Some of the short term side-effects of CBD include:
- Drowsiness
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Changes in appetite
Most of these side-effects arise when you've taken too much CBD. Notably, properly dosed CBD for nausea can also be beneficial. If you find that CBD makes you drowsy and you don't want this effect, you may need to adjust your CBD dose.
The Takeaway: Can CBD Make You Tired?
For some, CBD can make them feel tired or drowsy. For others, CBD is their go-to supplement to support their focus and alertness. The point is that CBD's diverse effects may produce different results for individuals.
If you're looking to use CBD to support your sleep, you should take larger doses as CBD has been shown to provide calming and relaxing benefits in higher quantities. This may be enough to help you fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.
FAQ
How soon can CBD oil make you sleepy?
Some people have reported a sleep feeling between 45-60 minutes after taking a high CBD oil dose, but it hasn’t been clinically proven to be sedating.
Does CBD make you tired?
CBD may cause drowsiness in some individuals due to its potential to interact with the body's endocannabinoid system and promote relaxation. However, its effects on sleepiness can differ based on factors like dosage, individual tolerance, and the type of CBD product used.
Does THC make you tired?
THC can induce drowsiness and relaxation by affecting brain receptors that regulate sleep-wake cycles, leading to its sedative properties. Individual responses to THC vary, with some experiencing sleepiness and relaxation, while others may feel euphoria or increased energy, alongside potential adverse effects such as dizziness, nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, vomiting, confusion, loss of balance, or hallucinations.
Does Delta 8 make you groggy in the morning?
Too much Delta 8 THC might make you feel groggy and sleepy the next morning due to its sedative properties. It can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to residual drowsiness upon waking, affecting the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, but individual responses can vary based on dosage and sensitivity.
Why does CBD make me so sleepy?
CBD may cause drowsiness due to its interaction with the endocannabinoid system, specifically by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitter adenosine, which promotes relaxation and sleepiness. CBD may also affect serotonin receptors, contributing to its calming effects.
Does hemp oil make you sleepy?
Hemp oil extracted from hemp seeds does not contain cannabinoids and is not known to cause sleepiness. Its calming effect is attributed to essential fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-6, which are known to have potential relaxation effects and overall well-being.
Does CBD make your eyes heavy?
CBD alone is not known to cause heaviness in the eyes. The potential relaxation and heaviness in the eyelids are typically associated with THC. This effect may be accompanied by redness and sensitivity to light, serving as noticeable signs of cannabis intoxication.
Can I use CBD for fatigue?
CBD shows potential in managing chronic fatigue pain by reducing inflammation and oxidative processes. Some studies suggest it may also promote alertness and reduce fatigue. CBD can be used in various forms, such as oils, capsules, edibles, topicals, vape products, and beverages.
Does CBD make you lazy?
CBD has been reported to relax muscles, alleviate pain, and reduce anxiety, which can lead to feelings of relaxation and potential fatigue in some individuals. Its impact on energy levels can vary, and not everyone may experience tiredness after CBD use. Individual responses to CBD are influenced by factors such as dosage, tolerance, and overall health.
Resources:
- Huestis, M. A., Gorelick, D. A., Heishman, S. J., Preston, K. L., Nelson, R. A., Moolchan, E. T., & Frank, R. A. (2001). Blockade of effects of smoked marijuana by the CB1-selective cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716. Archives of general psychiatry, 58(4), 322-328.
- Bakas, T., Van Nieuwenhuijzen, P. S., Devenish, S. O., McGregor, I. S., Arnold, J. C., & Chebib, M. (2017). The direct actions of cannabidiol and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol at GABAA receptors. Pharmacological research, 119, 358-370.
- Costenla, A. R., Cunha, R. A., & De Mendonça, A. (2010). Caffeine, adenosine receptors, and synaptic plasticity. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 20(s1), S25-S34.
- Machado Bergamaschi, M., Helena Costa Queiroz, R., Waldo Zuardi, A., & Crippa, A. S. (2011). Safety and side effects of cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent. Current drug safety, 6(4), 237-249.
- De Gregorio, D., McLaughlin, R. J., Posa, L., Ochoa-Sanchez, R., Enns, J., Lopez-Canul, M., ... & Gobbi, G. (2019). Cannabidiol modulates serotonergic transmission and reverses both allodynia and anxiety-like behavior in a model of neuropathic pain. Pain, 160(1), 136.
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.
