Melatonin and CBD for insomnia. What does science say?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.  Additionally, you may still feel tired in the morning. In modern fast-paced life, many people experience insomnia at some point.  Several factors can impact it, like poor sleep habits, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol consumption, medical conditions, long-lasting stress and so on. Although short-term insomnia is not pleasant, chronic insomnia is a much bigger problem. Chronic insomnia is associated with an increased risk for mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and other health conditions, such as hypertension.

People put up with sleepless nights in different ways from changing their daily habits and creating a relaxing bedtime ritual to using drugs for better sleep. There are also some natural compounds that can help you with sleep disorders, for example some herbal extracts.

Have you heard of the promising effects of melatonin and CBD (cannabidiol) for insomnia?

Palmieri and coworkers (2022) investigated the short-term therapeutic effects of natural compound composed of melatonin (1.5 mg) and cannabis extracts (2.5 mg CBD) in patients with variable pattern of sleep disorders and anxiety, caused by different factors. All patients taking CBD-based compound were reporting about positive therapeutic effects. The results showed an improvement in physical symptoms and mood disorders that affected sleep quality. Sleep improved for all the patients. In the study melatonin and CBD were shown as promising agents to cope with insomnia.

What is the secret of melatonin and CBD for insomnia?

Melatonin is a strong antioxidant naturally produced in our body, mostly in the pineal gland. It has a key role in synchronizing circadian rhythm, the so-called sleep-wake cycle. It is therefore  beneficial for the brain network, as it restores the biological clock functions. It is efficient in treating a wide range of sleep disorders. Did you know there are actually two approved health claims related to melatonin in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012? These claims can be legally used in food supplements containing sufficient content of melatonin per dosage. One claim is related to time needed to fall asleep, while the other one is about jetlag. Check your melatonin supplement label!

CBD has already been described in our previous blogs, so let’s focus on CBD for insomnia. According to Palmieri and coworkers, CBD in addition to melatonin helps to complete neuromuscular relaxation and to relieve anxiety. The combined effect of both compounds results in a balanced sensation of well-being during sleep.  

Conclusions

Although there are very scarce data about combined effects of CBD and melatonin, the authors of the above mentioned study concluded that physician, prescribing natural compound to optimize the night rest, could consider the formula with CBD and melatonin as competitive with the classic hypnotic synthetic drugs. So, why not give it a chance and get a good night’s sleep with help from nature and try melatonin and CBD for insomnia?

Source: https://pharma-hemp.com/