Did you know that nearly half of all UK women are not getting enough sleep? While some people find it easy to slip off into dreamland, others struggle to fall asleep, and stay asleep. Menopause is a common cause of these sleep disturbances – as your oestrogen declines, it’s normal to experience hot flushes, anxiety, sweats, and depression. These issues are not only uncomfortable and disruptive, they can prevent you from getting restorative sleep and cause you to wake up far too early. Does any of this sound familiar?
We don’t have to tell you how lousy it feels to be sleep deprived. Without enough rest, you’ll feel the other symptoms of menopause even more acutely, which in turn will prevent you from getting to sleep! Thankfully, CBD may help with all of the symptoms of menopause, as well as help you get the rest that you need.
How can CBD help with sleep?
Our hormones affect every aspect of our bodies, from our metabolism and sexual function to our body temperature and blood pressure. CBD (cannabinoid), a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant, has shown promise in helping people deal with the sleep disturbances caused by hormonal fluctuations.
That’s because of the way that CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system. By travelling through this system, it can reach every part of your body, promoting calm and relaxation. Further research is needed, but some studies show that CBD could provide effective and gentle assistance in getting to sleep. It may also help relieve some of the symptoms of sleep apnoea, which can occur with the weight gain of menopause.
According to Healthspan Medical Director Dr Sarah Brewer, ’a review of preliminary research found that cannabidiol (CBD) may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia and may hold promise for REM sleep behaviour disorder.”
Can CBD help you fall – and stay – asleep?
It’s important to note that CBD doesn’t give you any kind of a ‘high’ – instead, it promotes a sense of relaxation and calm. Just this alone can help you shake off the stresses of the day and get to sleep.
But CBD can do much more than that. It can help to soothe the more distressing aspects of anxiety, an issue that many perimenopausal women face. According to a study published in the peer-reviewed Permanente Journal in 2019, CBD “may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders,” and can help aid in sleep. They reviewed 72 adults with poor sleep and found that their anxiety was reduced by 79.2% during the study’s duration, resulting in better sleep.
According to Dr Brewer herself, “ever since I started taking CBD at night, I have enjoyed really deep sleep and also feel more relaxed.”
Have you tried CBD to help with your menopausal stress, anxiety, or sleep disturbances? What did you think? We’d love to hear from you – share your thoughts below.