Sleep is vital. But sometimes, sleep aids can have a negative effect on your next day — no matter how deep your sleep was. For a sleep aid to be a viable solution, you need something that won't make you feel horrible the next day or lead to other complications.
Melatonin may be effective, but it can make it hard to wake up in the morning; Schedule I substances are, well, illegal; and prescription sleep aids can lead to expensive dependencies. But there's a reason so many people shell out, dig in, and reformat their whole day to get a good night's sleep: it's simply one of the best things we can do for our bodies.
Somewhere lost in the clamor of the hormone supplements, Schedule I substances, and prescription sleep aids, there are far more natural sleep aids.
CBN is an all-natural solution that doesn't form dependencies. Learn the importance of a good sleep routine, things that can disrupt your sleep, what CBN is, how it improves sleep, and how to find the right serving for you.
Why Are Good Sleep Habits Important?
From weight management to mood to immune system function, sleep plays an important role in human existence; it might be the most important thing we do each day.
The quality of your sleep can affect your blood pressure, cholesterol, mental performance, and weight gain and loss — and might even affect fertility. If sleep is so important that we need to spend a third of our life doing it, then we need to do all we can to make the most of that time.
Aside from your choice of mattress, pillows, and sheets, finding an all-natural, non-habit forming, affordable alternative to sleep aids is one of the best things you can do.
What Are Things That Throw Off Our Circadian Rhythm?
And what is the circadian rhythm in the first place?
Consider it your body's internal clock. It's our natural, cyclic production of hormones, endorphins, and enzymes that affect things from our appetite to our attentiveness and even our sensitivity to light.
As our body regulates when and where we produce which hormones, our body starts to learn when it needs to produce the most energy and when it can slow down to restore it. Using the most basic timekeeping system, the rise and fall of the sun, our body uses sensitivity to light and sun exposure to help us know when we should sleep and when we should be active.
However, some things, both natural and synthetic, can disrupt that cycle:
- Artificial lighting
- Caffeine
- Jet lag
- Screens
- Stress & anxiety
- Work schedule
Most are modern inventions that our millennia of genetics haven't quite caught up to.
For example, air travel that moves faster than the sunrise and sunset might throw off our body's calculation of sunrises and sunsets. Blue light from screens can fool our retinas and brains into thinking we're getting more early morning light exposure than we actually are. And since the industrial revolution, modern 9–5 jobs aren't nearly as accommodating of the standard “dawn to dusk” schedules that previous societies had been accustomed to.
Whatever the reason our circadian rhythm is off, as we work to get it back on track, one of the best things we can do is provide our bodies with deep and restorative slumber.
Reset Your Sleep Routine With CBN
CBN may be one of the greatest natural, non-habit-forming sleep aids available.
What Is CBN?
CBN is a compound of the same family as CBD and THC. About 100 different cannabinoids have so far been discovered in the hemp plant — of these, THC, CBD, and CBN are the most studied and most prevalent.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. When thinking of the typical “high” achieved from marijuana, you're thinking of THC.
CBD (cannabidiol), on the other hand — while still a compound found in hemp — does not contain psychoactive or mind-altering properties and is not federally regulated. However, it still contains many of the same benefits as THC, such as reducing pain or anxiety.
CBN (cannabinol) is making its way to the forefront of study alongside THC and CBD. While its psychoactive properties (or lack thereof) aren't very well understood yet, it seems to be more relaxing than CBD and may offer relief from muscle pain.
It's typically for those reasons that people are turning to CBN for sleep: a faster, safer, more natural, deeper sleep, with a better wake-up experience on the other side.
How Does CBN Improve Sleep?
While CBN carries the sedative qualities of CBD and THC, it is not as psychoactive. THC is the precursor to CBN. Over time, THC oxidizes, loses some of its chemical and atomic potency, and eventually breaks down into CBN. Since CBN is a natural metabolite of THC, it also communicates with our endocannabinoid system — just a little more efficiently than the other two.
While there's still much to learn about CBN, it's understood that it affects the endocannabinoid system in a way that may affect our mood, energy, and sleep.
Similar to chamomile, lavender, and mint, the best CBN for sleep typically carries terpenes that help neurotransmitters slow in preparation for sleep. CBN's terpenes, in association with its endocannabinoid communication, can help you to relax, may reduce inflammation, and might help to relieve anxiety as well, all leading to a better night's sleep.
How to Find the Right Serving of CBN
Finding the right amount of CBN can be tricky at first.
The best rule of thumb is always to start with a small amount and work your way up. If using a tincture, such as our Water Soluble CBN, start with half a dropper — or maybe even less, if you're particularly sensitive to other sleep aids.
If you're worried about sleeping too deeply and not waking up on time for work or school, try CBN for the first time when you don't need to be up early, like on a weekend or a day off.
Keep track of how much CBN you use and how you sleep with different servings. This can help you choose how much to use depending on your sleep needs — you might take a little on a regular basis and an extra serving when you need extra sleep support.
Get Your Circadian Rhythm Back on Track
Rather than just targeting your melatonin production, using CBN for sleep works to even out multiple hormones that can help you not just get to sleep faster but actually sleep deeper.
Whether you use CBN edibles for sleep, drink it in tea, or drop oil on your tongue, there are many ways to benefit. Experiencing a deeper, more restful sleep means a healthy, stronger, clearer, more fortified day–and it starts with a product that doesn't perpetuate dependencies or groggy mornings.
If you want to make CBN part of your bedtime routine, it's easy to do with our Water Soluble CBN tincture. Add it to a cup of chamomile tea for extra sleepytime benefits, or take a quick sublingual serving when you brush your teeth.
Sweet dreams!
Disclaimer: The information in this article is presented purely for educational purposes and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any condition. As always, consult your doctor before introducing a new supplement to your routine.
Research Sources:
Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know; National Institutes of Health; accessed August 2022
CANNABINOL (CBN): Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews; Web MD; accessed August 2022
Cannabidiol (CBD); MedlinePlus; accessed August 2022
Sleep and Fertility: How Much Rest You Need When Trying to Have a Baby; Raina Cordell; Sleep Advisor; accessed August 2022
What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency?; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; accessed August 2022
What are cannabis terpenes and what do they do?; Emma Stone; Leafly; accessed August 2022
