CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common sleep-related disorder that causes soft tissues to collapse at night, leading to a blockage in the airway. As a result, patients experience disruptions in their breathing, causing choking, snoring, or gasping. A partner can often notice sleep apnea by hearing their companion struggling to breathe while sleeping. These rapid cessations can occur a few times or over 100 times during the sleeping period.

Upon suspecting sleep apnea, patients should undergo a comprehensive sleep study to receive the best treatment and minimize the risks of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and cardiac arrest. Recently, patients with sleep apnea have been questioning whether they can receive relief for their sleep apnea symptoms from CBD.

How CBD Oil Works for Sleep Apnea?

CBD is one of the several chemical compounds -known as cannabinoids, in hemp and cannabis plants. Both THC and CBD work towards interacting with the ECS or Endocannabinoid System. 

The ECS is responsible for regulating core functions of the body like sleep, appetite, and mood. It also functions towards keeping your body healthy. It features endocannabinoids, or cannabinoids generated by your own body, along with enzymes and receptors. Cannabinoids and Endocannabinoids like CBD and THC are capable of binding to the same receptors. 

Experts have come across two types of receptors in the ECS, including:

• CB1 receptors -found in the Central Nervous System
• CB2 receptors -found in the Peripheral Nervous System
  

THC is known to bind with CB1 and CB2 receptors. On the other hand, CBD receptors bind to CB1 receptors. As ECS has an important role to play in determining your sleep quality, cannabinoids, including CBD, can help in inducing sustained sleep.

Research on CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea

In a study report published in the Current Neuropharmacology journal, the authors have revealed that CBD serves as the modulator of the sleep-wake cycle. 

According to the reports of the National Sleep Foundation, it is revealed that the sleep-wake cycle -also referred to as the circadian rhythm or the body clock, is the internal system of the body responsible for controlling feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness over 24 hours.

Another study published in the journal Sleep revealed that the circadian system, or the body clock, plays an important role in the development of symptoms related to sleep apnea. The research team also suggested that this system could serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of sleep apnea. 

In 2016, a study report had come up in a leading journal named Endocrine Reviews. The study report stated that the body clock or the circadian system of the body significantly influences the sleep-wake cycle. The authors also put forth that the overall sleep duration is influenced by the circadian phase in which sleep takes place. The given research has deduced that the ECS or Endocannabinoid System helps in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Therefore, it suggests that the overall lack of restorative sleep can lead to ample dysregulation concerning the ECS.

In 2017, a group of researchers put forth a study in a journal named Current Psychiatry Reports. The research highlighted that CBD has immense potential in treating insomnia -depending on the dosage of CBD. Higher doses of CBD have been found to impart a sleep-inducing effect. On the other hand, lower doses of CBD help in stimulating daily awareness.  Another study revealed that people with sleep apnea taking higher doses of 160 mg of CBD reported better sleep time.

Effectiveness of CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea

CBD helps in addressing some of the effects the problem of sleep apnea tends to have on your overall body and well-being. As the problem interrupts your sleep patterns, it can also have an overall negative effect on your memory, physical health, and mood. 

With CBD, you can expect relief from some of the given effects, including:

• Reduced Blood Pressure: Sleep apnea contributes to increased blood pressure. Many individuals having obstructive sleep apnea also depict signs of high blood pressure. A 2020 study revealed that CBD can help in reducing stress-related high blood pressure -especially due to lack of proper sleep.  

• Minimized Anxiety and Depression: Research associates sleep apnea with instances of anxiety and depression. Emerging research suggests that CBD can help in easing both anxiety and depression. 
  
  
• Reduced Daytime Sleepiness: Sleep apnea is known to lead to daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Research reveals that CBD can help in minimizing excessive daytime fatigue and sleepiness for people suffering from narcolepsy.

CBD Oil Dosage & Administration for Sleep Apnea

CBD serves to be a relaxant to patients with sleep apnea while helping them lead a balanced life. For instance, when CBD is consumed in lower doses, it serves to be a stimulant for consumers -just like caffeine. 

Caffeine is known to activate the adenosine receptors. It, in turn, helps in stimulating the brain while helping patients deal with fatigue moments during the day along with consequences related to sleep apnea. 

On the other hand, when CBD is consumed in higher doses, it might have the opposite role. It will serve as a natural sleeping pill while helping individuals come across restorative, deeper sleep and eventually, improving their daily life. With a slightly higher dose, consumers can look forward to minimizing the risks of developing long-term sleep apnea as they will be more rested. 

In a study published in the journal named The Permanente Journal, researchers have revealed that CBD oil administration helps in improving the overall quantity as well as the quality of sleep of the test subject. The patient also reported reduced anxiety.

Choosing the Right CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea

As you choose CBD oil for sleep apnea, it is recommended to consider the following points:

• Full spectrum CBD over CBD Isolate : Individuals usually prefer full-spectrum CBD oil for treating sleep apnea. The full-spectrum range of CBD oil features all core ingredients available in the Cannabis Sativa plant - including CBD, traces of THC, flavonoids, terpenes, adjunctive cannabinoids, and fatty acids. All the natural compounds work in collaboration to enhance the overall therapeutic effects of the plant. This is referred to as the Entourage Effect.

• Check the licenses of the CBD oil provider, their source of CBD, its extraction process, and the third-party lab test reports before you buy CBD oil for treating sleep apnea.

How to Use CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea?

There are different modes of administration of CBD products -including tinctures, capsules, or even balms for external use. CBD oils are the most common formats for treating sleep apnea. For best absorption, they are usually taken sublingually (under the tongue) for best absorption.

Tips for Using CBD Oil for Sleep Apnea

As you aim at using CBD oil for sleep apnea, it is vital to understand what truly makes a clean, effective, and quality CBD tincture. Here are some points to consider:

• Look for full-spectrum CBD oil. 
• Ensure that your CBD oil is third party lab tested for harmful materials.
• Go through the bottle comprehensively.
• With dosage - Follow the ‘Start low and go slow’ approach. 
• Understand the potency.