Can CBD help you sleep? Experts explain the current CBD research

• CBD for sleep has limited research - though some early studies have shown promising results.
• But CBD researchers theorize that CBD may help with sleep by alleviating anxiety and pain.
• If you want to try it, doctors suggest taking 25 mg before bed, and increasing as you see fit.

Touted to relieve everything from acne and anxiety to pain and poor sleep, CBD (cannabidiol) is making waves in the wellness industry despite a lack of scientific evidence proving the compound's overall effectiveness.

Medical term: CBD is a component of cannabis that does not cause you to feel high or stoned.

That said, a handful of small, preliminary studies have found that CBD may help improve the sleep quality of certain individuals. Here's what researchers know so far.

Can CBD help you sleep?

There have only been a handful of small, trusted studies that look at pure CBD for sleep, says Jeff Chen, MD, MBA, Founder of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative and Cofounder and CEO of Radicle Science.

What the research says

• A 2019 study of 72 adults with anxiety and sleep troubles found that doses of CBD ranging from 25 milligrams to 75 milligrams improved sleep in 66.7% of participants.
• A 2018 systematic review found that since CBD can reduce pain, it may improve sleep in people who suffer from chronic pain and related sleep problems.
• A 2018 study of 27 healthy participants found that a dose of 300 milligrams of CBD had no significant effect on sleep versus a placebo.

Though early results are encouraging, researchers aren't sure why CBD may help with sleep - but it may have something to do with how it can help improve underlying conditions.

"Sleep disorders, mood disorders, and pain disorders are often co-occurring, and CBD could possibly indirectly improve sleep by improving an underlying anxiety or pain condition," says Chen.

And to make things even more confusing, it's possible that smaller doses of CBD may have a stimulating effect rather than a sedating effect, says Me Fuimaono-Poe, MSN, FNP, faculty at Pacific College of Health and Science, and the medical director for the Malie Cannabis Clinic.

For example, a 2014 study found that a dose of 15 milligrams of CBD may have an "alerting" effect.

The lack of large-scale clinical studies makes it difficult to draw solid conclusions. "There is no firm evidence regarding whether CBD may help with sleep, and if so, what dose of CBD is most appropriate," says Chen.

How should I take CBD to sleep?

Since researchers haven't determined a rule of thumb when it comes to CBD dosage for sleep, experts can only guesstimate. If you want to give CBD a shot, Fuimaono-Poe suggests starting with 25 milligrams and increasing as needed, taken one to two hours before bed.

There's also the question of what form of CBD is best for sleep. Fuimaono-Poe says two common delivery methods are taking CBD oil or smoking CBD flower. CBD oil is preferable and healthier for your throat and lungs since smoking can cause throat irritation and coughing, says Fuimaono-Poe.

However, smoking CBD flower comes along with the benefit of having a more rapid onset than taking a dose of CBD oil, so you can use that closer to bedtime. You'll feel the effects five to ten minutes after smoking, says Fuimaono-Poe.

Risks of CBD

CBD is typically well-tolerated, however, it is possible to experience some side effects. Some documented potential side effects of CBD (discovered during human studies of using CBD for epilepsy and psychiatric disorders) include:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Drug interactions
• Fatigue

Additionally, there are some groups of people who should avoid using CBD, such as:

• Women who are trying to get pregnant, women who are pregnant, and women who are breastfeeding: Chen says researchers don't know the impact of CBD on human fetuses or babies, but animal studies indicate that it stunts fetal development. Therefore, it's safer to err on the side of caution and avoid CBD.
• People with liver disease or people who drink heavily: It's possible that CBD may damage the liver, Chen says, so it may be safer for these people to not take CBD. This is because drinking excessive alcohol also causes damage to the liver.
• People taking certain medications: CBD may cause drug interactions or increase your risk of adverse side effects, says Chen. Therefore, if you take any prescription drugs, check with your doctor before taking CBD.

Insider's takeaway

Related Article Module: 25 science-backed tips for how to sleep better

At the end of the day, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of CBD for sleep, as well as the best dosage and most effective ways to consume it.

However, in the meantime, it likely won't hurt to give CBD a try if you're experiencing trouble with sleep.

If CBD doesn't help and your sleep problems persist or worsen, be sure to see a doctor for guidance.

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