One of the biggest myths of aging is that as you get older, you require less sleep than you used to need.
Conventional doctors only perpetuate this myth by telling you poor sleep is just another sign of aging and that you should, “Get used to it!”
Truth is, you need more sleep as you age.
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests older adults need up to nine hours of sleep in order to preserve brain function and maintain your highest cognitive abilities.1
Too little sleep can also weaken your immune system, trigger inflammation, and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression. Sleep deprivation can even lower your sex drive.2
Big Pharma pretends to have the answer, but they don’t. Every year, doctors prescribe desperate Americans prescription sedatives and over-the-counter sleep aids to the tune of $41 billion.3
But sleeping pills only give you an average of 11 more minutes of sleep a night!4
Plus, they make it hard to function the next day and increase your risk of accidents and falls.5
But here’s the good news. You don’t need to take expensive and dangerous sleeping pills to get a good night’s rest… even as you get older. Not when there are all-natural alternatives that are proven to work without side effects. Like CBD’s little-known cousin.
Try This CBD Alternative
I’m talking about a powerful compound called cannabinol, or CBN. While it’s similar in many ways to CBD, CBN is proving to be a more powerful sleep agent because it interacts with special receptors in your body that cause sedation.
Anecdotal evidence shows CBN can help people fall and stay asleep even better than CBD. Some first-person accounts suggest just 5 mg of CBN can relax your body into falling asleep
as effectively as 10 mg of diazepam, the ingredient in Valium – but without the groggy side effects.And a recent animal study found CBN prolongs sleep cycles to keep you asleep longer.6
CBN is not a cannabinoid in and of itself. It is a product of THCA (non-active THC) found in cannabis that has been exposed to air. Even though it’s a byproduct of THCA, which becomes psychoactive THC when heated, CBN does not produce intoxicating effects.
It works by binding to CB1 receptors, but at only one-tenth the strength of THC.
But sleep isn’t the only health benefit of this cannabinol. Research shows CBN:
- Can relieve serious pain. Research indicates CBN blocks sensory neurons that transmit pain impulses to the brain.7 A 2019 study with rats found CBN provides analgesic relief for chronic muscle pain and fibromyalgia.8
- Acts as a powerful antibiotic. Early studies show CBN has antibacterial properties. In one study, less than 2 micrograms per mL of CBN could effectively prevent the spread of the gram-positive bacteria MRSA.9 It was especially effective at stopping the bacteria from growing on hard surfaces.
- May stop cancer growth. Promising research indicates CBN has the ability to slow or stop the growth and spread of cancer cells. It works by stopping production of cytokine signaling molecules in the immune system. CBN was also found to reduce tumor size in one type of lung cancer.10
If you want to give CBN a try, start with 5 to 10 mg 30 minutes before bedtime. But I recommend combining it with a few other powerful sleep enhancers.
3 More All-Natural Ingredients That Help You Fall Asleep Faster and Stay Asleep Longer
- Start with CBD. The Center for Applied Health Sciences found that otherwise healthy adults who took a CBD oil experienced a 22% improvement in sleep quality and a 21% improvement in sleep quantity.11 In another study, researchers followed 72 patients with sleep and anxiety-related disorders. After one month, 79% reported less anxiety, while 67% reported improved sleep.12
- Add 5-HTP. A naturally occurring amino acid, 5-HTP increases your body’s production of serotonin. Nicknamed the “happy hormone,” serotonin is mostly known for its role in relieving depression. But low levels are also linked to insomnia. Additional studies found that supplementing with 5-HTP reduced sleepwalking, night terrors, and sleep interruption.13
- Before bed, take melatonin. When it comes to melatonin, too much is NOT a good thing. Many supplements have as much as 10 mg. That dosage raises your blood melatonin level much higher than it should be. At high levels, melatonin stops working or even causes insomnia. Too much can also affect your blood pressure if you’re already taking a hypertension medication. You don’t need more than 0.3 mg. And use an oral spray that hits your bloodstream faster.
1 Spira A, et al. “Impact of sleep on risk of cognitive decline and dementia.” Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014 Nov; 27(6): 478–483.
2 Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. “Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem.” Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2006.
3 BBC Research. “Sleep Aids: Technologies and Global Markets.” https://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/healthcare/sleep-aids-techs-markets-report.html
4 Stephanie Saul, “Sleep Drugs Found Only Mildly Effective, but Wildly Popular.” New York Times. October 23, 2007.
5 Kripke DF. Mortality Risk of Hypnotics: Strengths and Limits of Evidence. ResearchGate. Published November 13, 2015. Accessed March 2, 2021.
6 Breus, M. “How CBN Can Improve Your Sleep, Mood, and Health.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201903/how-cbn-can-improve-your-sleep-mood-and-health
7 Soneji N, et al. “Effects of cannabinoids on capsaicin receptor activity following exposure of primary sensory neurons to inflammatory mediators.” Life Sci. 2010 Jul 31;87(5-6):162-8.
8 Wong H, Cairns BE. Cannabidiol, cannabinol and their combinations act as peripheral analgesics in a rat model of myofascial pain. Arch Oral Biol. 2019 Aug;104:33-39.
9 M.A. Farha, et al., ACS Infect. Dis. 6, 338–346 (2020).
10 Robinson M. CBN: The cancer fighting cannabinoid. Arch Cancer Res. 2018. 6. DOI: 10.21767/2254-6081-C3-010.
11 CV Sciences, Inc. (2019, June 17). Effects of a CBD-containing supercritical fluid extract of hemp on markers of optimal wellness, stress resilience, and recovery in healthy subjects [Press release]. Retrieved from globenewswire.com/news- /2019/06/17/1869625/0/en/Groundbreaking-Research-Proves-Efficacy-of-PlusCBD-Oil-in-Sleep-Wellness-and-Weight-Loss-Applications.html. Accessed 16 July 2019.
12 Shannon S, et al. “Cannabidiol in anxiety and sleep: A large case series.” Perm J. 2019;23:18-041.
13 Manni R, Toscano. G., Terzahi. M. “Treatment of insomnia: effectiveness and tolerance of a valerian extract [in German].” Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2018. 20(7).