It’s 2:07 am and you’ve already scrolled through three months’ worth of your ex’s LinkedIn posts, made your to-do list for tomorrow, and calculated exactly how many hours of sleep you’d get if you passed out *right* now. Spoiler alert: Not enough.
Getting sufficient sleep isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity that gives you the ultimate advantage. In Silicon Valley’s high-stakes environment where everyone’s brains are “always on”, pharmaceutical sleep aids fall short and leave you feeling like a shell of yourself the next morning. As such, hardworking professionals leading the most innovative companies are turning to CBD to combat insomnia. If you’ve ever wondered what you can leverage CBD for, solving sleep disturbances is one of its top use cases.
Let’s get the facts straight: CBD is not a sedative
At Cloud City, we care about educating you on how your CBD products work, not just selling them to you. Part of the customer education we care so deeply about is eradicating the stigma and clearing up cultural myths around this largely misunderstood compound. One common misconception people have about CBD is that it’s a sedative – it’s not. If you’re trying to be chemically unconscious, you’re in the wrong place.
Rather, CBD works with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) to recalibrate its natural, physiological responses to internal and external stimuli. Unlike prescription and OTC sleep aids, CBD is a widely loved remedy because it addresses the root causes of your sleep disturbances rather than slapping a band-aid over them. Cannabidiol helps to improve sleep latency, which is the time it takes you to commute from being fully awake into the first stage (N1) of sleep, by regulating your body’s stress response. Not to mention, when it’s paired with CBN, this dynamic duo sets the stage for the best sleep you’ve ever had.
More specifically, when you take CBD before bed, it inhibits the breakdown of anandamide, also known as the “bliss molecule.” Anandamide is a cannabinoid your body produces naturally, and it inevitably stimulates brain activity. Thus, CBD effectively halts the hamster wheel your thoughts get stuck on, keeping you up until the wee hours of the morning.
CBD vs. Pharmaceuticals
Traditional sleep medicine like Ambien and Lunesta might get you to sleep, but not the way your body naturally would. These medications disassemble the architecture of your sleep cycle, bypassing the restorative REM stages entirely. As a result, you wake up the next morning with that dreadful “hangover” feeling, obviously not ready to tackle the day ahead as your best self.
If your goal is to avoid that glitchy grogginess the morning after, cannabinoids offer a unique, natural remedy to insomnia and other sleep disturbances. In particular, CBD works best for insomnia that stems from anxiety and/or physical pain. What’s more, CBD also offers sustainable support for those dealing with chronic stress, post-workout recovery, social anxiety, and other common health-related concerns.
CBN + CBD: Your go-to sleep stack
If CBD is your friend who comes in to turn the lights off and white noise machine on, think of CBN as the one who tells you a bedtime story and tucks you in. With this in mind, consider the CBN + CBD combo your go-to sleep stack for getting rid of insomnia. CBN not only assists CBD in getting you to sleep, but it’s also the minor cannabinoid that helps you actually stay asleep.
How to support your P.M. ritual
In order to set your sleep stack up for success, consider the following when building your nighttime routine:
- Timing: Make sure to take your CBD 45-60 minutes before bed. For example, CBD gummies need time to pass through your digestive system first before they take effect.
- Fat is your friend: Taking CBD with a meal or snack rich in (healthy) fat can help boost results. If you’ve already had dinner, even a spoonful of almond butter can increase bioavailability by up to 4x.
- CBD COAs: Always check the Certificate of Analysis (COA) to make sure the strength and ingredients listed on the label actually match what’s inside the packaging.
In today’s society, and especially in the land of innovation that is Silicon Valley, it’s no wonder insomnia is on the rise. Using CBD for insomnia and other sleep disorders isn’t “cheating” your way into rest and relaxation– it’s an essential tool your body utilizes to find its own balance.
When you’re ready to stop counting sheep and start optimizing real, restorative sleep, come see us at our downtown Campbell store to get the expert education and premium CBD products you deserve.
