Will CBD Make Me Sleepy?

The association of cannabis and the heavy eyed, sedated, ‘stoned’ or seemingly lazy effect it can have is commonly misunderstood to be related to the presence of CBD. When people get high from cannabis it is due to the presence of the THC compound which interacts with receptors in our bodies in a completely different way to CBD.

However, although CBD is not a sedative, it can actually help with sleep. CBD tackles the causes of poor sleep such as anxiety and inflammation rather than the symptom. Again CBD is not actually a sedative but it is possible that you may feel sleepy when you first start using it due to the root causes of tiredness being addressed - if that is what your body needs. In these cases it is possible for CBD to make you feel sleepy, potentially you may feel sleepy the next day too as your body is getting itself back to optimum functionality.

Essentially, CBD unlocks your body's own regulatory system (the ECS), modulating the release of chemicals such as melatonin. It helps your body take care of itself. If you need sleep, your body will respond to CBD in that way.

Again, this is not because CBD causes sedation but rather that CBD is helping your body get back to its optimum functionality and for a lot of us that means catching up on lost sleep. After CBD has been incorporated into a regular routine the effects it has on you will subtly change as your body responds to what it needs most.

Sedation and the sleepy effects of cannabis can be attributed to the effect of THC as well as other compounds found in the plants such as terpenes. THC causes intoxication changes in mood and perception which can lead to feeling sleepy due to its effect on our dopamine levels which are responsible for our effort threshold. In other words THC can reduce your interest in effort due to its effect on dopamine release.

Terpenes, the scent and aroma compounds found in all plants, have their own therapeutic properties including sedation. One such terpene which occurs naturally in cannabis and causes sedative effects is myrcene. THC and terpenes are the likely causes of cannabis making people feel sleepy.

In summary, CBD does not cause you to feel sleepy but as your body absorbs CBD it will open up the natural flow of chemicals in your body to address it’s needs, which may include sleep. The direct causes of tiredness associated with cannabis are due to the presence of the THC compound and terpenes. CBD should not make you feel sleepy or sluggish the next day.