Using Hemp Oil for Sleep: A Helpful Guide

If you’re reading this post, you’ve likely already realized that the benefits of CBD-rich hemp oil are far-reaching. Since the passing of the Farm Bill, people of all backgrounds started using hemp oil for various reasons. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to use hemp oil for sleep and the benefits of hemp for sleep.

There is seemingly a never-ending supply of products that promote a good night’s sleep. Let’s face it, the times we live in are wrought with stress, frustrations, and other negative factors that prevent us from getting the sleep we need and the sleep we deserve.

However, with all the products designed for better sleep, it seems as if half of them don’t work, and the other half that do work makes you feel groggy and intoxicated. It’s 2021; how is it possible that there isn’t there a better solution? If you’ve ever asked yourself that question or simply decided to settle for less rest, you should consider trying hemp oil for sleep.

Broad-Spectrum vs. Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil for Sleep

CBD is excellent, but this cannabinoid only begins to scratch the surface when it comes to hemp. That’s why we prefer the term hemp oil because it encompasses the total plant profile. However, if you’re looking to get the full benefits of hemp oil for sleep, we recommend using full-spectrum hemp oil. Full-spectrum hemp oil for sleep is a superior choice because it contains terpenes and other cannabinoids that work synergistically to provide better results.

Most importantly, using full-spectrum hemp oil for sleep works without adverse side effects like grogginess and intoxication. If you know how to use hemp oil for sleep correctly (which means that you don’t use too much CBD or too little), you can enjoy all the benefits of hemp oil for sleep without having to worry about waking up feeling anything less than fully refreshed and ready to attack the day. 

The Benefits of Hemp Oil for Sleep: A natural Rebalancing

First, let’s look at how CBD works with your body to promote healthier sleep patterns. As we have discussed in other blogs, CBD works directly with your endocannabinoid system. Humans and most mammals have an endocannabinoid system playing a vital role within our bodies. The endocannabinoid system is a regulatory system that promotes homeostasis or overall balance. Homeostasis helps our bodies maintain equilibrium throughout all processes, systems, and functions, playing an impactful role in our day-to-day lives.

Homeostasis includes everything from maintaining core body temperature to the immune system and pain responses. So, as you can imagine, treating our endocannabinoid system with the same reverence and care as we would any other part of the body is crucial.

If you look at how humans sleep, our bodies are actually working hard in order to get us ready to fall asleep. This organic effort to get to sleep is called the circadian rhythm, which is our natural sleep cycle. All of us as humans are “programmed” by this cycle that is primarily affected by natural daylight and darkness. Unfortunately for us humans, our daily lives are full of outside circumstances and factors that throw off our natural balance. This, in turn, diminishes our quality of sleep and thus our quality of life.

A common problem people have when it comes to getting quality sleep is the day-to-day stress we face that interrupts our lives and creates a chemical imbalance. Increased cortisol levels are elevated due to stress, and this throws off our natural circadian rhythms. Our body produces cortisol, which in some cases is a good thing.

A Natural Reset

When our bodies are in homeostasis, we naturally produce high levels of cortisol in the mornings. This increase in cortisol levels actually helps us wake up feeling fresh and alert. Consequently, at night, our levels of cortisol naturally decrease in order to help us fall asleep.

When CBD interacts with your endocannabinoid system, it naturally inhibits excessive levels of cortisol. This is why people associate CBD with feeling calm and why many people use CBD for stress and anxiety. However, a natural byproduct of feeling less stressed is our minds and bodies’ ability to do what they do naturally, which means a proper circadian rhythm.

CBD & Sleep: How it Works

When CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system, it triggers various responses that work to get your body into total homeostasis. One of the primary goals of homeostasis is optimizing our metabolism, which happens to be a critical piece in our circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm promotes high metabolic function in the early afternoon, and this same metabolic activity decreases at night. Believe it or not, having low metabolism at night is a natural process that our bodies use to regulate sleep.

Call it the chicken and the egg or circadian rhythm and your endocannabinoid system. In both cases, the research can’t explain which comes first. In our case, it is difficult to tell which process affects the other first. Does our endocannabinoid system control our circadian rhythm, or does throwing off our circadian rhythm also throw us out of homeostasis? This is a question that researchers continue to drill down on.

CBD & Sleep: A Deeper Dive

Research has shown that loss of sleep and appetite cravings, especially appetite cravings at night when our metabolism should be waning, often go hand in hand. Without getting bogged down too much in the scientific process and scientific terms, our endocannabinoid system helps to regulate our appetite by naturally producing endocannabinoids.

One of these endocannabinoids, 2-AG, is responsible for an increase in appetite. Given the goal of optimal balance, it should come as no surprise, our body naturally produces this endocannabinoid, usually during daytime hours when our metabolism is at its peak. Remember the chicken and egg theory when it comes to our endocannabinoid system and our natural circadian rhythms? This is an example where it’s not clear what process is driving the other, and sometimes it seems these two processes flip-flop on which one activates the other. 

Studies have concluded that sleep-deprived individuals have increased levels of the endocannabinoid 2-AG and that those increased levels of 2-AG are heightened for more extended periods. This increase leads to more eating at later hours of the evening, all of which impacts our sleep and leads to poor sleep habits.

Using CBD triggers a response from our endocannabinoid system, which regulates appetite. With the help of CBD-rich hemp oil, our bodies can return to proper levels of homeostasis when it comes to food cravings and aligns our eating patterns with our natural circadian rhythms, all of which help us sleep better at night.

Beyond CBD: Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil for Sleep

CBD is not the only cannabinoid found within the hemp plant. In fact, there are several other “minor cannabinoids” that are present within the plant. One of these “minor cannabinoids” is CBN or cannabinol. While not as widely researched as CBD, CBN is quickly gaining popularity for its sedative properties.

It is essential to use a full-spectrum hemp oil tincture for sleep because of the potential presence of other cannabinoids like CBN. While preliminary research shows CBN as a sedative, you must understand that it is not a sedative from an intoxicating standpoint. Instead, think of it like you had a long but well relaxed day, and now you are drifting off to bed. That sleepiness or drowsiness you feel after a well-rounded day is more akin to CBN’s sedative feeling than the intoxicating feeling other sleep aids produce.

A Quick Note on Terpenes

Full-spectrum hemp oil also contains terpenes, a lesser-known “powerhouse,” and are found not only in hemp but also in most plants and spices. Terpenes are what give plants and spices their aromatic qualities, and they also have potent medicinal properties. Terpenes alone are powerful, but when used in conjunction with cannabinoids, they can compound their effects. 

If you’re someone who likes to use an essential oil diffuser before bed, you are no stranger to the relaxing and soothing qualities of terpenes.

One of the more relaxing and soothing terpenes is linalool which is found in abundance in lavender. But found in cannabis or hemp too. If you love the smell of lavender and if you have candles, soaps, and essential oils from lavender, you’ve already experienced the relaxing effects of linalool.

The same can be said with Pinene, a cognitive boosting terpene most commonly found in pine trees’ pine needs but also found in hemp cannabis as well. If you’ve ever walked through a pine forest or been around a lot of pine trees, you’ve probably noticed the invigorating scent of pine. This is the beauty of terpenes at work and why it is vital to use full-spectrum hemp for sleep.

All of hemp’s compounds work together synergistically, which enhances their benefits and effects. This is what we call the entourage effect, but we won’t get into that here. All you need to know is that full-spectrum hemp oil represents the complete plant profile, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of the entourage effect and the hemp plant. Everything from a better night’s rest to a clearer and calmer mind throughout the day is made possible by these cannabinoids and terpenes working together.

Where to Find the Best Hemp Oil for Sleep

Unfortunately, most CBD products do not contain terpenes or even a substantial percentage of other cannabinoids. That’s why we worked with experts to create the Bloom Essentials. A line of full-spectrum hemp oil featuring targeted terpene blends, additional cannabinoids, and other active plant ingredients. Each of these blends was formulated with a specific purpose in mind. Including our calming blend, which is perfect for anyone looking for a tincture for anxiety and sleep.

For instance, this hemp oil tincture for sleep and relaxation features CBN, terpenes, and active ingredients, including lavender that naturally works together to cultivate a lasting calm and support a good night’s rest.

If you’re looking to experience the benefits of hemp oil for sleep, look no further than Bloom. This calming blend is doctor-formulated to ensure that every drop makes a difference that you can feel. Best of all, backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee, if you aren’t satisfied with your experience, we’ll refund your order. 

Experience the Benefits of Hemp Oil for Sleep

Now that you have a total understanding of how to use hemp oil for sleep, how using hemp for sleep works, and all the benefits of hemp oil for sleep, the only thing left to do is experience it for yourself!  

The best part is that you also know more about how CBD and the endocannabinoid system works than all of your friends. So next time you hear someone throw out the words “snake oil,” you can correct them with confidence.