Many studies have demonstrated the importance of getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night for most adults in order to maintain good health and wellbeing. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a large number of us are looking for drugs that can promote restful sleep.
Products that combine melatonin and CBD are often advertised as natural sleep aids, and they are often used to treat insomnia. Before using cannabis for medical purposes, it is usually advisable to speak with a marijuana doctor. Your state will allow you to legally use marijuana, and the doctor will give you an MMJ card to prove it.
But when compared side by side, which is better for restful sleep—CBD or melatonin? What’s causing your sleep problems ultimately determines which sleep supplement is best for you. Melatonin, for instance, might be beneficial if you have jet lag. However, if you’re experiencing anxiety, some CBD might help.
Let’s examine the differences and similarities between melatonin and CBD and determine which is better for you.
What is CBD?
One of the two main cannabinoids in cannabis is cannabidiol, or CBD for short. It usually comes from the hemp plant, which is a type of cannabis with less than 0.3% THC. (Hemp is permitted on a federal level in the United States.)
Numerous advantages of CBD have been reported by research, including its analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic (reducing anxiety), and neuroprotective qualities. Additionally, people who use it cannot become intoxicated. However, it can improve mood and has mild psychoactive effects.
Understanding its effects and mechanisms
Regarding how CBD affects the body, there is still a lot to learn. Nonetheless, data indicates that CBD functions through a number of pathways. CBD does not bind to cannabinoid receptors directly, but it does interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system like all other cannabinoids do.
Rather, there is growing evidence that CBD may prolong the duration that these endocannabinoids are in the body by preventing the breakdown of the body’s cannabinoid supply. Additionally, CBD has the ability to desensitize the TRPV1 receptor, making us less sensitive to pain. The TRPV1 receptor is a heat- and pain-sensing receptor that also aids in controlling body temperature.
CBD appears to affect serotonergic transmission by binding to the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor. The neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in many body processes, including mood, appetite, sleep, nausea, and sexual desire. CBD’s anti-emetic (anti-nausea), pain-relieving, and mood-improving effects may be due to its effect on serotonin receptors.
Uses
Individuals use CBD for a variety of reasons. They apply the cannabinoid as a sleep aid to improve mood, reduce anxiety and stress, or relieve pain. Some people even use it to lessen seizures related to specific types of epilepsy.
Additionally, there is growing evidence that CBD can reduce inflammation, improve brain function due to its neuroprotective qualities, and help treat mood disorders like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Potential Benefits
As was previously mentioned, some of the many advantages of CBD include its capacity to lessen inflammation, elevate mood, lower stress levels, and calm anxiety. When people are more at ease and relaxed, it may be simpler for them to go into deep sleep.
It should come as no surprise that a large number of people (42.5% of CBD users, per one survey) use CBD to help with their sleep issues.
Risks and drawbacks
The majority of people agree that CBD is safe and well-tolerated. The cannabinoid does have one major disadvantage, though: CBD is metabolized by the liver through the same processes as other medications.
This indicates that CBD and some medications may interact, usually by keeping the medications from disintegrating. Medication that takes longer to metabolize may remain in the body for longer than usual. Therefore, it’s advisable to consult your doctor or pharmacist before using CBD for sleep, particularly if you’re taking any prescription drugs.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The environment provides information to the pineal gland about the condition of the light-dark cycle, and in response, the gland produces and secretes melatonin.
The initiation of our circadian rhythms, which include the sleep-wake cycle, is greatly influenced by melatonin. Even though melatonin is synthesized by the body, some people take melatonin supplements to help manage or synchronize their body’s internal clock. Supplements containing melatonin can be made from synthetic, animal, or microbiological sources.
How It Works
Because it regulates both wakefulness and sleep, melatonin is sometimes referred to as a “sleep hormone.” Melatonin production decreases during the day and increases with the setting of the sun.
In essence, your brain releases more melatonin as the night grows later. In addition, the more melatonin your brain releases, the more likely it is that you will have a restful night’s sleep. For this reason, a lot of sleep specialists advise against using your phone in bed. Your phone’s light emissions may actually be impeding your ability to sleep by lowering the amount of melatonin your brain produces.
Uses
Although the body naturally produces melatonin, some people use supplements to treat primary sleep disorders like hypersomnolence disorder, narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, central sleep apnea syndrome, REM sleep behavior disorder, and insomnia.
Disrupted sleep patterns that cannot be linked to another medical or psychiatric illness (like pain or anxiety) are the hallmark of these disorders. In addition, some people utilize melatonin to assist in resetting their body clock in reaction to jet lag.
Potential Benefits
Sleep latency—the length of time it takes to fall asleep—duration and quality all seem to benefit from melatonin. Other health benefits of melatonin, according to research, include treating seasonal affective disorder and enhancing eye health.
Risks and drawbacks
Certain individuals may experience side effects like headaches, nausea, and dizziness when taking melatonin supplements. Additionally, certain medications, including those for diabetes, contraceptives, and anticoagulants, may interact with melatonin; therefore, consult your doctor before beginning a melatonin supplement.
CBD vs. Melatonin: Comparing Their Similarities and Differences
Melatonin and CBD may both promote restful sleep. These two substances are distinguished from one another by a few differences, though. CBD comes from the cannabis plant, but melatonin supplements are usually made artificially.
Additionally, the types of sleep disorders that CBD and melatonin treat are different. Melatonin is used to treat primary sleep disorders, which are frequently brought on by a disruption of the circadian rhythm. On the other hand, CBD targets issues like stress, anxiety, and inflammation that can impede restful sleep.
Lastly, the ways in which the two substances function within the body allow for differentiation. CBD targets a number of neurotransmitters associated with mood and pain, while melatonin primarily acts through hormonal pathways.
How to Choose the Best Option for You
Finding the source of your sleep issues is crucial to determining whether a melatonin or CBD product is right for you.
When to use melatonin
Melatonin might be the best choice for you if you suffer from a primary sleep disorder such as insomnia. Additionally, if you have inconsistent work hours or jet lag, this well-liked supplement might be your key to getting a good night’s sleep.
When to use CBD
Or, let’s say that pain, inflammation, stress, or anxiety prevent you from getting enough sleep. In that instance, CBD might support the internal feeling of ease and calm that promotes restful sleep.
In any case, it’s always best to consult an MMJ card doctor before making a decision, especially since CBD and melatonin can interfere with prescription drugs or sleep aids.
Final Words!
CBD and melatonin are both well-liked sleep aids if you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep. Products containing CBD can promote sleep because of the anxiolytic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties of this cannabis compound. Melatonin, on the other hand, can assist in treating sleep deprivation brought on by primary sleep disorders like insomnia. Be cautious when taking melatonin on a daily basis, though, as prolonged use is thought to decrease its effectiveness and has not been thoroughly researched.
