Who Needs More Sleep? UCLA Study Shows Low-Dose CBD Is More Effective Than Melatonin

Who among us has not experienced a sleepless night or two...or more? There are numerous reasons for this 21st-century problem, but a safe and effective solution is available if you’re willing to try something new.

Who’s Not Sleeping Well These Days? Many Of Us

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, with 30% of adults experiencing short-term sleeplessness and about 10% with longer-lasting issues. Nearly 40% of adults report accidentally falling asleep during the day, says the Cleveland Clinic.

What’s To Be Done?

A team of researchers with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in San Diego recently assessed the efficacy of various formulations of CBD versus melatonin on sleep quality in a cohort of nearly 1,800 adults. 

CBD or cannabidiol is an active ingredient in cannabis derived from the hemp plant; it does not cause a high and is not addictive.

The UCLA-Scripps study concluded that low doses of CBD (15 mg) have been shown to be safe and to improve sleep quality in patients with a history of sleep disturbances, according to the clinical trial data published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association.

In the double-blinded randomized controlled trial, researchers assessed the efficacy of various formulations of CBD versus melatonin on sleep quality in a cohort of nearly 1,800 adults. The volunteers were randomly assigned to receive a 4-week supply of one of six products (all capsules) containing either 15 mg CBD or 5 mg melatonin, alone or in combination with minor cannabinoids.

The researchers reported that the use of CBD, either alone or with other cannabinoids, improved the volunteers’ sleep quality in a manner similar to but which did not exceed that of melatonin. They also reported no significant differences in outcomes among those who consumed CBD and other cannabinoids concurrently versus those who consumed CBD alone. All CBD formulations “exhibited a favorable safety profile” - though 12% of participants reported a side effect but none were severe.

“Most participants across all formulations experienced a clinically important improvement in their sleep quality. … Our findings suggest that chronic use of a low dose of CBD is safe and could improve sleep quality, though these effects do not exceed that of 5 mg melatonin,” the study’s authors concluded.

“Our findings suggest that chronic use of a low dose of CBD is safe and could improve sleep quality, though these effects do not exceed that of 5 mg melatonin. Moreover, the addition of low doses of CBN and CBC may not improve the effect of formulations containing CBD or melatonin isolate.”