How New Parents Can Relax and Get a Better Night’s Sleep With CBD

CBD. It’s the hottest abbreviation on everyone’s lips, and between everyone’s lips, as well. People are ingesting it in myriad ways, including as a dessert topper, as a wedding gift and now, a sleep aid.

It’s not just pillow talk that Americans just don’t get enough sleep. According to the Harvard Health blog, one in five of us are pushing through our days on only six hours of sleep a night or less. That’s a lot of tired people behind the wheels of cars, operating heavy machinery, and handling screaming infants.

Enter a new and improved tool in the sandman’s box of tricks: CBD.

Counting sheep is for the birds, claim cannabis experts and the growing multitude of CBD converts, including thousands of moms who swear that CBD offers relaxing properties that can’t be found in other products.

Backing Up the Rhetoric

Multiple national studies, such as this one, point to the fact that it appears to work. Even medical professionals admit there’s almost nothing to lose by giving CBD a try to help with short-term sleep issues, except maybe a few bucks.

According to a Consumer Reports survey, about 10% of the people who admitted to trying CBD for sleep-related concerns had some success.

Kristy S., an Oklahoma-based mom of two young children recently started using CBD oil in an attempt to increase the quality of her nighttime sleep and stave off symptoms of an anti-inflammatory disorder she battles with.

She waited until her youngest was finished nursing and then decided to try a product featuring two cannabis components—both CBD and CBG. She opted for a locally-made product that was triple-tested and recommended by some mom friends she met in an online parenting support group.

“I tried it because I have heard that CBD oil has anti-inflammatory properties and that it helps with anxiety, depression, pain, and sleep.”

Since giving the cannabis component a whirl, she has noticed some improvements, overall.

“My joint pain isn’t as bad,” she confirmed. “My flares are currently healing and I feel like I’m not yelling at my kids as often.”

“One mom I know told me that taking CBD oil made her so thirsty, the increased water intake helped her to lose 18 pounds,” Kristy recounted.

Studies show that losing weight, lowering anxiety and reducing pain all lead to a more restful slumber. If a user can leverage CBD as a diet aid and an anxiety and pain reducer, it can benefit sleep.

Stress-Reduction Increases the Potential for Easier Sleep

Another way CBD can help includes offering tired parents a way to chill out a little.

Celia Behar, the co-founder of Mellow Out Mama, a line of CBD products she created along with fellow pro-cannabis parent Jill Trinchero (of She Don’t Know snacks) and a mother of two who was publicly ushered into the ongoing national cannabis-meets-parenting discussion via her story about how cannabis helps her be a better, calmer mother, agrees.

“In my experience, CBD helps aid rest and relaxation,” Celia says.

“It doesn’t relax me in the same way that THC does, since there’s no psychotropic effect with CBD. But I’ve found that with CBD, I feel more focused and my muscles seem to relax more. I’m able to accomplish more without being stressed, and then I’m able to take the time to relax.”

Celia is a fan and user of both drops and topicals, but explains that she hasn’t found a CBD product yet she didn’t like. “I even add CBD to my morning coffee,” she shared.

As for sleep, Celia indicates that CBD as a sleep aid is more reliable for her than even traditional over-the-counter options. “I’ve found that some CBD products work faster, better and last longer than sleeping pills, all of which help my sleep more than I can say. I hear that a lot from people that use it.”

Some users (and studies) indicate that CBD’s purported benefits, such as a restful night’s sleep, are amplified when used in conjunction with THC. This is why some CBD products that you might find in dispensaries contain both elements.

One mother who wishes to remain anonymous even reported that it improves the pain of her sciatica. “I use it right before bed and right when I wake up, and that has made a huge difference,” she explained.

Only One Piece of the Sleep Puzzle

Other small changes with the second most famous cannabis ingredient include aid for the relaxation process for a parent in dire need of restful sleep.

A bath or shower before bedtime, restricting food and caffeine intake after a certain time of day, a heating pad applied to sore muscles, a foot soak, or a nightly cup of herbal tea before bed can help to create a routine, letting a parent’s weary mind know that bedtime is approaching.

Burning a scented candle before hitting the sack, such as Homesick’s Four Twenty candle, can also pair well with a nightly CBD routine.

Whether it’s the ritual of lighting a candle or the way the flickering light further calms its viewer, vs. the blue light of a screen which is scientifically proven to have the opposite effect, it offers another element of relaxation.

Homesick’s Thank You, Mom candle contains the natural fragrance oil Bergamot, known for its calming and stress reducing properties.

A PR rep for Homesick candles explained how CBD can help to relax an overtired, sleep-deprived, frustrated mom.

“CBD studies have shown that it may help reduce chronic pain by impacting endocannabinoid receptor activity, reducing inflammation and interacting with neurotransmitters,” the rep told High Times.

“A scented candle offers additional relaxation benefits, as it activates the olfactory senses,” she elaborated.

Whether you pair your CBD with THC, chill music, moody candlelight, or go it alone, it’s becoming more evident that CBD may offer a direct line to la la land for those who need it most.