A good restful sleep has become a luxury for many people today. The fast-paced lifestyle, rat race, and underlying health issues, all lead to a disrupted sleep routine. Cannabinoids are quickly gaining popularity as the perfect remedy not only for improving sleep and restfulness but also for day-to-day anxiety, stress, and pain management.
But, there are more than 100 cannabinoids in sativa plants, each with unique healing and therapeutic effects. It can be confusing for newcomers when it comes to buying the best CBN oil or CBD oil for their health.
Many users report that CBN is better for sleep as compared to CBD, but is that true? Well, giddy up because that’s exactly what we will try to find out today.
Let’s understand CBD and CBN.
CBD (cannabidiol) is the most well-known, researched, and widely used cannabinoid. It’s mainly extracted from hemp plants and doesn’t have any intoxicating effects. So there’s no risk of getting high or stoned with everyday CBD consumption.
Studies show that it’s effective for recovery, pain, inflammation, stress, anxiety, skin health, seizures, and even neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. Epidolex is the world’s first and only FDA-approved CBD-based drug as of now, deemed safe for even kids as small as 2 years old.
Nowadays, it’s easily available in the form of miniatures, gummies, oils, balms, and even beverages and snacks. Heck, there are brands out there selling CBD-infused clothes, liquor, pillows, and whatnot.
CBN, or cannabigerol, is a lesser-known cannabinoid that is quickly gaining popularity as the best cannabinoid for sleep hygiene. Unlike CBD, CBN is mainly found in old, mature, or curated cannabis plants. That’s because it synthesizes only when THC (Tetrhydorcnannbidiol) breaks down gradually because of the plant’s exposure to heat, light, oxygen, and moisture.
It’s a much weaker form of THC, so there’s no risk of proper high or intoxication, but it does tend to be slightly more sedative and mildly psychoactive in higher doses. Hence, the idea is that it’s better for sleep than CBD because of the little drowsiness and relaxation a person might feel after consuming it.
Fun fact: it was the first cannabinoid to kickstart the research for other cannabinoids. Other than sleep, CBN can also be good for epidermolysis bullosa, brain health, pain, and itching. It’s also popular for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Should I take CBD or CBN for sleep?
Honestly, it can be a tough choice, and it mainly boils down to your spending power and the type of effects you seek. For most people, CBD oil is more than enough for all things, including sleep troubles, anxiety, pain, and skin issues. However, some people have severe insomnia or disturbed circadian rhythm.
If you belong to this group and have already tried CBD without any success, then maybe CBN can be the ultimate sleep weapon. Usually, pure CBN oils sell for a higher price tag than plain old CBD oil, so it might not be a complete value-for-money proposition for some people.
This is because, as we discussed above, CBN is not found in abundance in hemp plants, and some brands have to spend extra for specific genetically modified strains. A recent study also confirmed that CBN can be effective for people who consistently wake up at night and have severe sleep disturbance issues.
A 20 mg dose was given to subjects, who reported better sleep without and no fatigue the next whole day. If you are still confused, then it’s best to go with brands that sell a combination of CBD and CBN in a single tincture bottle. This will help you to experience the benefits of both the compounds and somewhat of the entourage effects.
Are there any side effects of CBN or CBD oil?
In most clinical trials involving cannabinoids, subjects hardly ever reported any major side effects. It’s a well-established fact that CBD, CBN, and the whole spectrum of cannabinoids are well tolerated by the human body.
Even at high doses of 1500 mg, CBD was proven to be effective without any severe side effects in humans. This is a major reason why many experts believe that products like CBD or CBN oil are much better for pain and anxiety as compared to opioid-based medications.
There’s hardly any risk of overdosing or addiction. However, nothing is perfect, and in some cases, CBD or CBN oil may cause some slow and mild side effects. This includes dehydration, nausea, fatigue, watery eyes, headaches, or an upset stomach.
It usually happens with people who consume too much in one go or are biggins and have never used cannabinoids before. After all, the body needs time to adjust to the compound. You may increase your water intake and take your oil or gummies with food to avoid such discomfort.
The Key Takeaways
To sum it up, yes, CBN is better than CBD for sleep. It has slightly better sedative effects because it forms in plants when THC breaks down. Naturally, it carries some of these mild psychoactive effects and better relaxing properties.
Still, more research in depth and on a on a large scale is required to solidify this claim. It’s best to go with brands like Colorado Botanicals, as they sell a combination of CBD+CBN oil in a single bottle. This allows you to experience the benefits both compounds have to offer. Just make sure to start with a low dose and increase your water intake to avoid dehydration.