The Science Behind CBN for Natural Sleep
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Cannabis. It’s a buzz word. Some people immediately cringe when they hear it, others (like me) get excited about it. Cannabis gets a bad rap due to all of the negative press it gets. But, in reality, it provides so many natural benefits that work with the functions of our bodies to provide medicinal effects. Don’t just take my word for it– there are countless studies proving its benefits.
You’ve heard of THC and CBD. But, you probably haven’t heard much about CBN. It’s the least known of the cannabinoids because there is still so much to learn about it. More and more studies are being conducted to test the ways in which it can provide support for our bodies, most excitingly for sleep purposes, and also for pain.
The best way to explain its sleep benefits is to first break down the differences between THC, CBD, and CBN.
First, THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. This is the one that has psychoactive qualities. It’s mind- altering– the form of cannabis associated with “getting high”. But, believe it or not, there are more uses for THC than recreation. THC is used to treat nausea, glaucoma, and pain. [1]
CBD or Cannabidiol is the form most used for pain-relief purposes and anxiety. CBD has no psychoactive effects. It’s become very common in the marketplace because of increased research of its benefits. The pain relief properties that it has have helped so many people all over the world and it is starting to become a staple in medicine cabinets [1].
Now CBN, like CBD and THC, is also a cannabinoid. Despite it being the least well-known, it was actually the first cannabinoid to be identified by scientists– even before CBD was. CBN is naturally occurring in the cannabis plant as the plant ages. Overtime, the THC actually breaks down into CBN– the psychoactive qualities diminish. As these qualities fade, what’s left behind appears to hold sedative effects [1]. This is why the excitement surrounding CBN as a sleep-aid is gaining momentum.
Source: emilykylenutrition.com
So far, sleep-aid studies on CBN are in preliminary stages. But, there is evidence to support its benefits when it comes to sleep. There was actually a study conducted in Australia in 2021 that showed really promising results in helping insomnia patients actually catch some z’s. Ultimately, the study showed that the patients’ quality of sleep had improved over the course of time that they were given CBN 45 minutes before bed [2].
Melatonin is often used to enhance sleep quality, but there are drawbacks to it. Reports of it causing a hangover effect are common. (You’ve probably heard of other scary melatonin stories in the news– especially pertaining to kids!). Instead of introducing a hormone into your body (because that’s what Melatonin is) you can utilize CBN that works with your natural cannabinoid system.
CBN’s pain-relieving properties are also being discovered much the same way its sleep-aid qualities are. When combined with CBD, CBN seems to enhance the great pain relief benefits that CBD would normally get the credit for [5]. In fact, some research is showing that CBN’s pain relief qualities are comparable in nature to topical pain relief creams [6].
Source: emilykylenutrition.com
It’s really exciting that we have future research on CBN to look forward to. The benefits of cannabis are incredible and we are only learning more and more about all of the ways that it can work with our bodies to help us live better and healthier lives.
Now that I’ve given you a little mini education on the many ways cannabis can benefit you, be sure to check out my favorite CBD company, Nuvita. They have an amazing CBD oil specifically formulated for sleep that is infused with CBN.
Happy sleeping!
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34115851/
[3]https://cfah.org/what-is-cbn/
[5]https://weedmaps.com/learn/cbd/cbn-vs-cbd
[6]https://calbizjournal.com/cbn-vs-cbd-how-are-the-benefits-different/
