When To Take CBD Oil for Your Bedtime Routine

Airi Macaluso

Airi Macaluso

Medical Hemp Expert, Hemp Wellness Consultant, and Long-Time Cannabinoid Writer

You probably already know that you’re supposed to be getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night — but are you actually doing it? Part of the problem involves getting lost on social media when you know you’re supposed to put your phone down and close your eyes (we’ve been there, too).

The other part of the problem is feeling a little too wound up to sleep. We’ve fallen victim to TikTok “doom-scrolling” too, and we’ve gotten up close and personal with 2 a.m. Netflix binges — but we just might have a solution for the other part. Here’s what you need to know about how CBD products can support your ability to wind down before a good night’s sleep.

How Does CBD Support You at Night?

You can’t fall asleep if you aren’t relaxed. Nobody runs a marathon and takes a nap at the finish line. After a long day, your body needs a few minutes (or a couple of hours) to unwind. That’s where CBD comes into play.

CBD isn’t a sleeping pill, and it doesn’t have a sedative effect. CBD won’t make you feel groggy or wake up sluggish and hungover, and it also doesn’t change the way your body works or chemically induce your brain into a sleepy state. 

Instead, CBD works by simply supporting your body’s natural mechanisms, working to support your overall sleep quality, sleep-wake cycle, and general well-being. Your body and brain already know how to help you get ready for bed — CBD just helps give things a nudge in the right direction. 

How Does CBD Work in the Body?

The human body is packed to the brim with cannabinoid receptors and other receptors that respond to the activity of cannabinoids. These receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system, but there are also other components.

What Is the Endocannabinoid System?

The endocannabinoid system is a vast network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that are densely packed throughout our brains and bodies. This system supports many key functions and processes, including stress response, immune function, learning and memory, and, of course, your sleep cycles — that’s why people often claim that CBD can help with almost anything. 

Where there are receptors, there’s a way.

That said, your body is a cannabinoid-making machine — you make plenty of your own cannabinoids to stimulate these receptors and help them perform their functions. Cannabinoids like CBD (also known as cannabidiol) simply work to add a little extra fuel to the machine.

How Does CBD Interact With Receptors?

You have cannabinoid receptors in the areas of your brain that are responsible for regulating your internal clock. When these systems are running efficiently, it’s a lot easier for you to go to sleep — and CBD can support these systems in order to support your overall sleep.

When it comes to external cannabinoids, like CBD, there are two main types of receptors you’ll want to keep in mind. CB1 receptors are cannabinoid receptors that reside in our brains, working to keep our neurotransmitters in check. The “high” associated with cannabis results from THC paying a visit to your CB1 receptors and latching onto them

CBD, on the other hand, isn’t very clingy — it doesn’t want a long-term relationship with your receptors. It just wants to stop by for a quick chat and be on its way. After it stimulates your receptors and leaves, your receptors feel suddenly inspired to do a good job of supporting the systems in your body where they’re located. Because of this, CBD can have a quick chat with the CB1 receptors in your brain and tell them to get to work. 

What Is CBN?

Aside from CBD, there’s also CBN — another cannabinoid that shows promise when it comes to supporting your overall wellness, especially in terms of sleep. 

Similar to CBD, CBN also interacts with your CB1 and CB2 receptors, and research shows that it may be particularly beneficial for supporting feelings of sleepiness, as well as overall sleep quality. 

Our Sleep Support drops contain both CBD and CBN for well-rounded, soothing support. Just place one dropper under your tongue, hold it for 90 seconds before swallowing, and enjoy a night of sweet, sweet dreams.

What Is the Best Form of CBD for Nighttime Use?

The truth is that as long as it’s a form of CBD that enters your bloodstream, it will reach the right receptors. However, when it comes to the absolute best forms of CBD for sleep, CBD oil drops or edibles like gummies may be most effective for bedtime use.

Because CBD drops are used sublingually (under your tongue), they can enter your bloodstream more quickly, which means they can get to work faster. On the other hand, CBD gummies have to be processed through your digestive system, which may be ideal if you would rather take your CBD an hour or so before bedtime and enjoy a more gradual effect. 

To take it one step further, choosing a full spectrum CBD product can also help you make the most of your nighttime routine. Full spectrum CBD contains all of the cannabis plant’s compounds, including other cannabinoids, like THC and CBN, as well as terpenes and flavonoids. Together, these compounds can produce what’s known as the entourage effect. This phenomenon suggests that using the full range of cannabinoids together allows them to work in synergy.

CBD topical products can help relax your body and mind at bedtime, making it easier for you to fall asleep. Just keep in mind that any CBD you apply to the outside of your body only works locally, right in the area where you applied it. It won’t work to provide generalized benefits like supporting your emotional wellness or natural sleep processes.

Resident Veritas Farms CBD expert Airi Macaluso says, “Even still, CBD topical products can be a helpful part of your bedtime routine. If you hit the gym pretty hard and you’re dealing with post leg day soreness, it can be hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in. A CBD topical can take the edge off of your discomfort and make it a little easier to snuggle in. You can use CBD topicals in conjunction with CBD edibles (like oil or gummies) to experience the best of both worlds.”

How Long Does It Take for CBD To Work?

There are two answers to this question. The first answer is 30 minutes to two hours. The second answer is “about a month.”

CBD has some immediate benefits you’ll notice when you first start using CBD, and these benefits become apparent as soon as the CBD reaches your bloodstream. That said, the effects of CBD are also cumulative, meaning you may notice them even more with long-term use. 

Like with any routine, consistency is key! Consider using CBD every night to experience the full health benefits.

You may not feel overwhelmingly different the first time you use CBD before bed. Some people expect CBD to hit them quickly and strongly, but that’s not what’s going to happen. CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive properties — it’s just spreading the message throughout your body that it’s time to chill out.

Airi also notes that CBD can promote subtle good feelings. 

“Think about the warm, fuzzy, cozy feeling you have after you take a nice bubble bath and slip into your favorite comfy pajamas. That feeling is very similar to how most people would describe the noticeable effects of CBD. It’s also the exact same feeling you want to experience at bedtime, which is why CBD makes such a great nightcap.”

That’s part of the reason why consistency is important. Don’t stop using your CBD just because it didn’t completely change your nighttime routine the first time you used it. It’s normal for CBD not to make a profound difference at first. Stick with it for a few weeks. Restful sleep might slowly sneak up on you, and before you know it, you’ll be out as soon as your head hits the pillow.

When Can You Take CBD Oil Before Bed?

You need to give your body enough time to process the dose of CBD and send it throughout your system. It doesn’t work instantly, but it doesn’t take forever, either. Incorporate your CBD oil into your nighttime routine in a way that will give it enough time to do what it needs to do. 

If You’re Using CBD Drops

CBD drops may sometimes be called CBD oil or CBD tinctures. They come in little glass jars with droppers to allow you to measure the exact amount of CBD you want. 

Good news — CBD drops work pretty quickly. The cannabinoids are suspended in an oil, and when you swallow the oil, you digest some of the cannabinoids. Our drops include both CBD and CBN for the ultimate sleep support. CBD works to help you soothe your body and mind as bedtime approaches, while CBN can support your overall sleep quality.

If you decide to hold the drops under your tongue for about 90 seconds, however, it’s a total game-changer. Your body can absorb some of the CBD through the soft tissue under your tongue, and if you let that soft tissue absorb the CBD, it will reach your bloodstream much faster than if it were digested first.

Most people will start to receive the benefits of CBD drops within 30 to 45 minutes of using their drops. The oil that you swallowed will begin to work shortly thereafter. You should use CBD drops at the very beginning of your bedtime routine. By the time you’re actually ready to go to sleep, they’ll have you covered.

If You’re Using CBD Gummies

Some people feel like CBD oil is an acquired taste. If you’re happier with a bedtime CBD gummy, just plan to take it at the right time. If you know you’re going to have a late dinner, take it before your stomach gets full. If your digestive system is really busy, it could take up to a few hours for the CBD in your gummy to reach your receptors. 

If you’ve had a few hours to digest your meal, you can expect the CBD from your gummies to reach your receptors between 45 minutes to an hour after you use them. If your bedtime routine doesn’t take very long, give your CBD gummies a little head start. The same goes for CBD supplements like softgels

Our Sweet Dream Melatonin CBD Gummies are specially formulated with low-dose melatonin alongside 25 mg of CBD so you can enjoy sweet, sweet dreams. Take your gummies as needed one hour before crawling into bed, and be sure not to take more than three gummies in a night.

The Wrap-Up on CBD at Bedtime

CBD deserves a place on your bedside table. Take your CBD at a time that works best for your normal nighttime routine. Just make sure you’ve given it enough time to reach your body’s internal clock and help to support your natural relaxation process. Use nightly for best results, and thank us later for the sweet dreams. 

Sources:

How many hours of sleep are enough? | Mayo Clinic

Mechanisms of Action and Pharmacokinetics of Cannabis | The Permanente Journal

The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator | Journal of Young Investigators

The endocannabinoid system: Essential and mysterious | Harvard Health

CBN for Sleep | Sleep Foundation

The safety and relative effectiveness of non-psychoactive cannabinoid formulations for the improvement of sleep: a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial | medRxiv



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