CBD is increasingly touted for its supposed sleep-aiding properties. Can he really reconcile the insomniacs with the Sandman? We asked three experts to sort out the real from the fake. Here’s what comes out of it.
• Read also: Anxiety, stress, sleep disorders, CBD more popular than ever
• Read also: You’re not the only one having trouble sleeping.
There is a lack of research
One of the main reasons CBD can’t be said to help or not help with sleep is that there is a lack of research to support it.
“We have imperfect and specific data which indicates that, in certain specific circumstances, CBD seems to cause sedation and improve sleep”, explains Dr Didier Jutras-Aswad, psychiatrist specializing in the effects of cannabis on the human body.
Courtesy CHUM
He points out that these data were collected during studies carried out with the aim of treating other symptoms, such as neurological problems, and that the doses of CBD administered were extremely high.
“We are talking about several hundred milligrams per day (400, 800, 1000 mg per day), doses 20 to 50 times higher than what is commonly found on the market”, he specifies.
Does that mean CBD doesn’t work in smaller doses, like most people use it?
“No, we just don’t have the data to back it up scientifically,” he says.
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CBD could be part of the solution
The DD Celeste Thirlwell, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist, believes that CBD can be part of the solution to treating sleep issues, but it won’t fix them on its own.
“To really improve the quality of sleep, it also takes THC. Me, I always use 50% CBD, 50% THC”, specifies the founder of the Sleep Wake Awareness Program (SWAP), which integrates advanced techniques based on neuroscience into current practices of sleep medicine.
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She also specifies that CBD could act indirectly on some of the causes of sleep disorders.
“Anxiety is a disorder of the nervous system. When someone is anxious, we are sure that he does not sleep well. At this time, I give CBD during the day, so the brain will be calmer before going to bed,” explains the neuroscientist.
It shouldn’t be a first choice
The Dr Alain Watier, associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sherbrooke and clinician at Santé Cannabis, is far from adhering to the discourse that presents CBD as a miracle cure for sleep disorders.
“To think that taking a CBD pill at night before bed will help you sleep is between the two ears,” he insists.
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• Read also: Six Tips for Sleeping Better Without Any Drugs or Supplements
He also clarifies that cannabis in general, whether through CBD or THC, should not be seen as a drug of first choice.
“I would never give cannabis as the first therapy to a patient who comes for sleep disorders or anxiety, that’s clear. It is a third-line drug”, he specifies.
According to him, cannabis should only be considered if the arsenal of traditional therapies does not work or causes the patient adverse side effects.
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We take this opportunity to remind you that the sale of products containing CBD is regulated by the Cannabis Act. That is to say that it is illegal, in Quebec, to buy it other than from the SQDC, except in the case of medical prescriptions.
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