CBN, also known as cannabinol, is often marketed as the “sleep cannabinoid” or its purported ability to encourage better sleep. We say “purported” because there isn’t a ton of clinical data supporting the idea. Anecdotal data abounds, but that’s not enough to make scientific claims. One of the most convincing anecdotal studies was conducted in 2021, and it suggests CBN really might be the sleep cannabinoid people say it is.
As you might already know, there are over 100 naturally occurring cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. CBN is just one of them. CBN is a cannabinoid that actually comes from THC degradation. It is often extracted from older plants or biomass that hasn’t been stored properly. As for its purported ability to enhance sleep, we’re thinking that how it interacts with the CB2 receptor has something to do with it.
The previously mentioned 2021 study enrolled 388 participants between the ages of 18 and 80. The majority of the patients had never used CBN before. Most were women, but that isn’t surprising given the fact that females are more likely to experience sleep problems than males.
It should be noted that the study was conducted as a joint effort between CBDistillery and a software company known as MoreBetter. It was divided into three sections: enrollment, a week without CBN, and three weeks during which CBN was taken nightly. Participants were asked survey questions every morning and the results were compiled. Here’s what they showed:
The numbers look like a win to us. CBN was apparently a highly effective sleep aid for the majority of the study participants. Despite the study itself not being clinical in nature, it is hard to ignore the responses participants provided. CBN was clearly working for them.
Although insomnia and other sleep issues are not directly listed as qualifying conditions under state law, a lot of people who use Medical Cannabis experience sleep problems as one of the symptoms of their conditions. For example, PTSD patients commonly complain of insomnia. PTSD is a qualifying condition in Utah.
If you are a current patient and sleep problems are part of your daily experience, you might want to talk with your QMP or PMP about CBN. It could be the key to helping you sleep better. As a bonus, if you can improve your sleep, there is a possibility that some of your other symptoms will improve as well.
As always, be sure to track all your Medical Cannabis consumption. You especially want to track whenever you try something new. Tracking CBN consumption would definitely tell you whether it’s helping you sleep. And if it is, making CBN part of your daily routine could obviously help a lot.
It is always good to read studies like the one conducted on CBN in 2021. The team here at Utahmarijuana.org firmly believes in the power of cannabis as a medicine. We have seen countless patients go on to lead better lives after getting their Medical Cannabis cards. We know there is a lot of potential, and studies are proving it.
CBN as a sleep aid is just one example. Thanks to research data, we have even more reasons to promote it as the sleep cannabinoid.
