Cannabis products have been known for years to be a natural and non-addictive sleeping aid, but many struggling with insomnia have tried CBD or THC with no luck. CBD can provide temporary relief but not lasting effects, causing the tossing and turning to commence in the middle of the night. On the flipside, THC can provide heady side effects like anxiety and paranoia—and we all know it’s almost impossible to fall asleep when our minds are racing.
Delta-8 Hemp THC, a close chemical structure to the more commonly known delta-9 THC, provides the happy medium for sleep we’ve been looking for. Just like delta-9, delta-8 binds to our cannabinoid receptors to alter our mood. What makes delta-8 unique is that it binds twice to our receptors that regulate heart rate, breath and mental activity.
Plus, the actual side effects of delta-8 tend to be much less intense than those of delta-9 THC, but stronger than CBD. It’s said to provide more of the physically calming effects of your typical THC without the paranoia and anxiety. This makes it ideal for relaxing both the body and mind, allowing you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
If CBD doesn’t tend to be enough for you to fall asleep, it could be because CBD affects the physical body more than mood. If it’s bodily pain that’s keeping you awake, CBD could help by reducing inflammation and soothing muscles, but it may not offer strong mentally calming effects. Delta-8 Hemp THC, unlike CBD, is psychoactive, so it’s more likely to slow your thoughts as well as relax your body.
Just like any hemp product, you’ll want to make sure you time out your dosage so it affects you right at bedtime. For edibles, give yourself at least an hour before hitting the hay after consuming so you begin to drift off quickly. Vaping or smoking delta-8 will have you feeling affects 5 or 10 minutes after, so if you get home after a long day and need to hit the hay ASAP, grab a pre-filled cartridge.
Whichever method best fits your lifestyle, delta-8 is our favorite natural sleep aid. It provides all the calming effects of both THC and CBD without the racing thoughts and anxiety that can come with delta-9.