CBD: A good night’s sleep. There’s no other way to say it.

It all started with my mother who often says she never sleeps.

She’ll even tell you that she hasn’t shut her eyes for even a few minutes and that’s over 10 years.

By my calculations, that means she has missed out on 131,400 hours of sleep.

I can’t imagine how that’s possible.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying my mother is a liar.

Nope, not at all. But ….

I suspect that while she has suffered many sleepless nights in her life, she does get sleep … just not as much as she would like to get.

And there are times when she falls asleep but doesn’t consider it sleeping because as she calls them, they’re just little naps.

But nonetheless, she does have problems falling asleep and staying asleep.

But you know what? She’s not alone in her struggle to get a good night’s sleep.

Millions of People Can’t Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Recently Consumer Reports did a survey and found that 27% of respondents said they could not get a good night’s sleep and or staying asleep most nights.

Nationwide, it’s said that 68% of Americans, which translates to 164 million people, struggle with a good night’s sleep at least once a week.

The problem of lack of sleep has gotten so bad that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says “Insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic.”

I used to think that my mother’s sleep problem was just an isolated thing. And if anything, it was probably related to her growing older.

But I have a confession to make.

I’m suffering from the same thing. I can’t always get a good night’s sleep.  And it seems my sister experiences the same problem.

At first I thought our struggle to sleep was something our mother passed down to my sister and me … as if it were some kind of genetic thing.

But is that possible that a good night’s sleep is all about genetics?

Are Sleepless Nights Genetic?

Well, according to a study undertaken by neuroscientists C. J. Harvey, C.A. Espie and P. Gehrman, sleep disorder can be genetic and insomnia can be hereditary.

Scientists say they have now found that certain genes are involved with how much sleep a person needs.

And it’s also estimated that there could be six or more different types of genes that trigger insomnia and or sleep disorders.

Additional research shows that some people’s genes increase their stress-reactivity. And that increased stress response increases the likelihood of poor sleep and developing insomnia.

But that’s just one study that I could find that’s been done on the genetic connection to why you might not get a good night’s sleep.

No Sleep Wrecks Havoc on Our Bodies

Not getting a good night’s sleep is a horrible thing. The next day, you feel tired, groggy and grumpy, cranky and sometimes “out of sorts.”

It also drains your mental abilities and puts your physical health at risk. In fact science has linked poor sleep with all kinds of health problems from weight gain to a weakened immune system.

Here’s just a few of the health problems that could occur from lack of sleep:

• Risk of high blood pressure: if you sleep less than five hours a night, your risk for high blood pressure increases.
• Risk of heart disease: Sleep deprivation may also lead to increased levels of chemicals linked to inflammation, which play a role in heart disease.
• Low sex drive: if you don’t sleep enough, it could lead to a lower libido.
• Risk for diabetes: no sleep affects your body’s release of insulin, a blood sugar-lowering hormone.

If you’ve struggled with not getting a good night’s sleep, you know how it feels.

But what do you do about it?

CBD A Good Night’s Sleep

Well, here’s my second confession. On night’s I struggle to sleep, I’ve found something that makes a difference: Cannabis.

Now before you start thinking I’m some kind of pothead, I’m not.

What I’m talking about is CBD, which isn’t about getting high.

CBD is short for cannabidiol … a chemical found in marijuana. In fact it’s the second most prevalent active ingredient.

However it’s not the chemical that gets you high … that’s tetrahydrocannabinol. (You can learn more about the difference here.)

This CBD Makes A Difference

I’ve found that taking a few drops of CBD (cannabinoid) in oil form really does help with getting a good night sleep. I prefer a natural solution to prescriptions. In fact you’ll find that most physicians suggest pharmaceuticals to battle sleep problems rather than taking care of the disorder naturally.

What I worry about with medically prescribed drugs for sleep problems is they could become habit forming. That’s because our bodies create a psychological and emotional dependence to sedative drugs like Ambien and Lunesta.

The intriguing aspect of CBD for sleep is that in small to mid sized doses, CBD is stimulating, triggering the very same receptors as caffeine. CBD doesn’t feel like a traditional sedative but it does aid in the battle of sleepless nights.

The specific product that makes a difference is Sleep Support Oral Spray from CTFO.

I’m going to suggest that if you struggle with sleepless nights, you give it a try. (And you can consult with your physician first).

I get it if you’re nervous about trying something that has anything to do with marijuana.

But I can’t stress this enough. You don’t get high from CBD. Rather it has soothing, anti-anxiety, and anti-psychotic effects.

Cannabis has been used as medicine for centuries, and these days, more and more states are declaring it legal for medical purposes, even recreational purposes.

Take a look. Then decide if it’s right for you. And here’s to hoping you get a good night’s sleep.

The post CBD A Good Night’s Sleep appeared first on The Women's Financial Alliance.