The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that an adult will need at least seven hours of sleep per night for better health and well-being. However, from the data of the Sleep Association, we see that 50-70 million American adults have a sleep disorder, more or less. At least 30% of the people have insomnia, while almost 40% have reported unintentionally falling asleep during the daytime.
There’s some good evidence that CBD and melatonin products can support sleep. So, it’s highly important to learn more about these products, when and how we can use them most effectively, and the possible contraindications and side effects that may occur.
A hormone, melatonin, is secreted by the pineal gland – a tiny organ near the brain’s center. Melatonin is an antioxidant and helps maintain the body’s sleep cycle. It is now also produced in the laboratory and sold as a supplement.
Melatonin, the regulator of night and day sleep cycles, is often used as a sleep aid. CBD also has a link with managing healthier sleep cycles. And so, many manufacturing companies combine melatonin and CBD oil, which are then more beneficial to help improve sleep issues.
Here we look into why melatonin in CBD oil could help sleep disorders, how melatonin works, how CBD regulates the body, and whether you can take CBD with Melatonin or not.
Why Melatonin in CBD Oil Might Help Sleep Disorders
Melatonin and CBD oil could help improve sleep patterns depending on how both substances work and how the body accepts them. Unlike many supplements and vitamins, we absorb solely through the digestive process, and often ineffectively, melatonin is endogenous. So it is made inside the body and secreted as part of normal physiological processes, and therefore, the body mobilizes it.
The body does not produce CBD, but it impacts the endocannabinoid system (ECS), an innate physiological network that impacts our appetite, immune system, mood, sleep cycles, etc. The digestive system breaks down the supplements and vitamins like food and ultimately turns them into a usable form.
Contrarily, melatonin and CBD interact with body systems being taken in and used as if the body itself had made them, and consequently, melatonin in CBD oil could help sleep disorders more smoothly.
How Does Melatonin Work?
The brain secretes the sleep hormone melatonin in response to the dark. As the sun goes down, the body clock informs the brain of the time to produce melatonin. You should know that melatonin helps us relax and makes us feel drowsy, consequently helping us get better sleep. It is hindered by bright lights and activated by darkness, and for this reason, experts say that a dark room is the most beneficial for sleep.
Melatonin supplements help fix any imbalances in your body and help the hormones to function normally, bringing about healthy sleep. Since the body produces the hormone, the supplements function to fix any hormonal imbalance or shortage.
How CBD Controls the Body
CBD is not a hormone. It is a unique, non-intoxicating ingredient of the cannabis-hemp plant, known as a phytocannabinoid. Including humans, every mammal has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) in its body producing endogenous cannabinoids.
The ECS takes CBD as an endogenous cannabinoid, working on fine-tuning the other systems. Insomnia can sometimes occur due to a deficiency in ECS, and then CBD oil becomes so important. CBD can also help calm anxiety, thoughts, and tension in the body that may lead to trouble sleeping.
Can You Take CBD With Melatonin?
You can take CBD with melatonin because it is a potentially complementary combination. However, CBD and melatonin act differently to improve sleep. Melatonin lets your body and brain know the bedtime and gets you ready for sleep, and CBD can help you remain asleep. Melatonin is useful when your body’s sleep-wake cycle is disrupted.
Working together CBD and melatonin can help reduce your sleep latency and promote a healthier circadian rhythm. This combined working process can lead to an improved quality of sleep. CBD may help with sleep disturbance through the night, whereas melatonin supports sleep outset. This combined work may support overall sleep improvement.
The interesting thing is that some individuals may find CBD to make them more alert without any increased anxiousness. CBD at night may negatively impact sleep in these individuals, but using it earlier in the day may support sleep. This phenomenon is why melatonin, used at night and over a short-term period, in combination with CBD, may address more substantial sleep concerns as melatonin may counteract the wake-inducing effects of CBD.
CBD and Melatonin: What the Research Says
You will find little data on the efficacy of combined CBD and melatonin. However, New Phase Blends, a CBD brand, conducted a trial on its CBD with melatonin tincture and asserted that almost 80% of users reported an increased level of deep sleep each night. Still, research is abundant on the benefits of CBD used separately for sleep. But the evidence relating to melatonin is mixed, despite being assumed to be an effective sleep aid.
Final Thoughts
A debate is still found on whether or not melatonin is as effective for sleep as regularly claimed. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence of the efficacy of the combination of CBD and melatonin. Yet, many people are trying such products close to bedtime to help them fight insomnia and anxiety.
The suggestion for you is that melatonin may get your mind ready for sleep, whereas CBD will help you remain asleep. In combination, the two products could ensure you get to sleep faster while enjoying better sleep.
