Can CBD promote healthy sleep?

CBD may have some potential benefits for promoting healthy sleep, although the evidence is still emerging and somewhat mixed. According to Dr. Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman, several mechanisms may underlie CBD's effects on sleep:

1. Anxiolytic Properties: CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety, which can consequently help in initiating sleep by removing a common barrier to falling asleep 1.

2. Thermoregulatory Effects: In animal studies, CBD has shown the ability to lower body temperature, which is beneficial for initiating sleep 2.

3. Possible Direct Sleep-Promoting Actions: While not fully understood, there is some indication that CBD might directly interact with the sleep mechanisms in the brain 1.

However, there are concerns regarding the purity and dosage of commercially available CBD products. The effectiveness of CBD for sleep can be dose-dependent, with lower doses potentially promoting wakefulness and higher doses being more likely to aid in sleeping 1.

It is crucial to ensure the quality of CBD products due to the lack of regulation in the industry. Products with third-party laboratory testing may offer more assurance regarding their purity and content 1.

Given the ongoing research and the complexity of how CBD works, it is advised to proceed with caution and consider consulting a healthcare provider before using CBD for sleep enhancement purposes.