Has Menopause Affected the Quality of Your Sleep? CBD for Sleep Could Help!

Can CBD for sleep help fight menopause symptoms? Well, it’s not uncommon for women in their 40s or 50s to skip menstrual periods. And, after 12 months of missed periods, we say you’re in menopause. Now, with that, you may develop physical symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes in mood. And sleep disturbances are also possible.

Recently, we’ve found new ways to address menopause-related sleep loss. In fact, CBD for sleep may reduce sleep disruptions associated with menopause.

Menopause and Sleep: What’s the Relationship?

Menopause marks the end of your reproductive years. At this stage, your ovaries stop producing hormones estrogen and progesterone. Falling estrogen levels mean you stop menstruating. And they may explain why you experience hot flashes, sweating, and difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Declining progesterone is also connected to menopause sleep problems. This hormone has a sleep-inducing effect when it interacts with your brain’s cannabinoid receptors. Plus, estrogen and progesterone partly influence melatonin release. And, since melatonin is an essential hormone for sleep, and you release less once you enter menopause, it’s only natural that sleep disruption problems may occur.

Postmenopausal women may develop sleep apnea, possibly because of estrogen and progesterone loss. We believe these hormones have a protective effect, so premenopausal women’s sleep apnea symptoms may be less noticeable. Plus, anxiety and depression can contribute to sleep problems. And both are more common during menopause.

Managing Menopause-Related Sleep Problems

Don’t despair: you can still enjoy a good night’s rest. Luckily, you can take some of these steps to help restore your quality of sleep.

Exercise

Regular physical activity can help improve sleep quality. In fact, studies suggest that professional female athletes sleep more efficiently. And this is likely due to regular exercise.

Healthy Eating

Your diet is connected to the quality of your sleep. While we can’t connect one specific diet to quality sleep, boosting your nutrition and reducing unhealthy foods can help.

We also know that deficiencies of calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K are associated with sleep disorders. While we can’t yet prove cause-and-effect, we can infer that your diet seems to effect the hormonal pathways associated with sleep.

Medication and Therapies

Certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can significantly improve menopausal women’s sleep disorders. Now, hormone replacement therapy may also help, but this treatment may trigger undesirable side effects. Finally, therapies such as acupuncture may improve your sleep quality.

CBD for Sleep

Cannabidiol may help you sleep through the night. Already, we’ve seen studies establish the relationship between cannabinoids and various body functions. From there, we know that sleep is one area that CBD may influence. But let’s take a closer look at how that connection works during and after menopause.

How Can CBD Help with Menopause-Related Sleep Disruption?

CBD is one of many cannabinoids present in cannabis. These chemical compounds bind to receptors in your body’s central nervous system (CNS). There, they act as chemical messengers. So, in this way, they can deliver varied effects on your body.

Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), using CBD won’t deliver psychoactive effects, or the“high” associated with marijuana. Because of this, CBD is a legal alternative if you hope to manage conditions like pain, anxiety, and insomnia using cannabid.

So, how exactly does CBD help with sleep problems? Like other cannabinoids, CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS.) It’s made up of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and CNS, specifically the CB1 and CB2 receptors.

By attaching to these receptors, cannabinoids play a vital role in maintaining functions like appetite, mood, and sleep. In fact, studies suggest that CBD influences the sleep/wake cycle. Plus, CBD may decrease anxiety and pain, both of which can disrupt sleep. By reducing these issues, your sleep quality may improve.

Research on CBD, Anxiety, and Sleep Problems

One ‘Permanente Journal’ study followed 72 adults who had anxiety and sleeping difficulties. At the start of the study, researchers assessed their anxiety levels and sleep quality. Next, they took 25mg CBD capsules. For the first month, those with sleep problems took the capsule in the evening, while those with anxiety dosed in the morning.

Going into the second month, participants with anxiety concerns saw their symptoms decrease by 79 percent. Plus, people whose main concerns were sleep saw a 66 percent improvement. As a result, CBD appears to reduce several different triggers for sleep problems.

Best CBD Products for Sleep

There are many forms of CBD for sleep. CBD oil is the most common, but several other delivery methods can be helpful.

· Vaping. Try CBD vape oil with a vaporizer to enhance CBD effects and bioavailability.
· Use a CBD tincture, taken sublingually or added to drinks, for easy dosing on the go.
· Edibles. Gummy bears, cakes, and CBD-infused are all tasty ways to get your cannabinoids in. But, because they pass through your digestive system, the active CBD takes longer to enter your bloodstream. And that’s why it takes longer for you to feel their effects.

Also, you must remember that you can choose to try a CBD isolate, which is pure cannabidiol without other cannabinoids. To enjoy the entourage effect, try full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD oil. (Full-spectrum CBD contains all the cannabis plant’s naturally occurring compounds, including terpenes. And broad-spectrum CBD contains terpenes and cannabinoids, but has zero traces of THC.)

CBD Dosage for Sleep Problems

With the ongoing CBD research on CBD, and new products daily, we still don’t know the exact dose of CBD for sleep issues. Plus, every person’s individual needs differ. For that reason, you’ll probably need to experiment with different doses to find your perfect levels. Or, if you’re not sure how to use a CBD product, check with your manufacturer for suggested dosing guidelines. Finally, before trying any new CBD product, you should always talk to your healthcare professional. That’s especially true if you’re taking other supplements or medications to relieve menopause symptoms.

Conclusion

Among its many potential benefits, CBD seems to help many women manage sleep difficulties during menopause. Plus, it can help reduce other insomnia risk factors like anxiety. While a healthy diet and plenty of exercise can improve your sleep quality at any time, you may need extra support during menopause. So, if your doctor agrees, menopausal women may try CBD products to manage sleeping difficulties and improve their overall sleep quality.