How Hemp Flower Can Provide a Better Night’s Sleep

Hemp flower can be smoked, vaped, baked into edibles, and made into oils, and they come in a variety of strains meant for multiple sensations and ailments.

In this article, we’ll go over hemp flower, how it helps with sleep, and what terpenes are most efficient at helping us get a good night’s rest.

What Are Sleep Disorders?

According to the American Sleep Association, more than 75%} of American between the ages of 20 and 59 regularly report having difficulty sleeping.

When your quality of sleep is consistently poor enough that it impairs your daily life, it’s likely a sleep disorder.

Sleep disorders can be spurred by several different causes, including stress and anxiety, depression, chronic pain and allergies.

Common Sleep Disorder Treatments 

Sleep disorders can be difficult to treat, because they have so many potential causes, and are sometimes a part of another ailment.

Physicians can usually test for severe sleep disorders with a blood test, sonogram or electroencephalogram (EEG), and a treatment is prescribed.

Treatments for sleep disorders exist on a broad spectrum, including medication therapy, melatonin supplements, the use of a mouth guard, and lifestyle changes.

That being said, hemp flower may be a natural and effective way to get a good night’s sleep.

What is Hemp Flower?

Closely related to the cannabis plant, hemp is a plant with a variety of uses, but it won’t make you high like its relative, as it doesn’t have a significant amount of the psychoactive compound THC.

Instead, an abundance of other cannabinoids such as CBD, flavonoids and terpenes are found in this plant, especially in the buds, which we refer to as hemp flower.

CBD has become extremely popular in the past few years for its anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety benefits. Meanwhile, terpenes are believed to protect plants from foraging animals, and give herbs such as oregano, hops and lavender their distinct aromas.

How Hemp Flower Improves Sleep

Cannabinoids like CBD can assist in sleep (among other functions like mood and appetite) by interacting with CB1 and CB2 receptors. Because of this unique interaction, CBD may even help relax the nervous system and optimize melatonin production.

Terpenes, in turn, grant their own therapeutic benefits, and can greatly determine a strain’s behavior. Some terpene profiles, for example, allow a strain to make you feel more relaxed and perhaps even drowsy like Suver Haze, while others can energize uplift your mood, like Sour Space Candy.

Using Hemp Flower for a Better Night’s Sleep

If you’re considering buying bulk hemp flower, here are some things to keep in mind:

CBD and THC Levels

Hemp flower tends to contain pretty low doses of THC (no more than .3%, but the ratio of CBD to THC may be worth examining when finding the right product for improving your sleep quality.

CBD and THC interact with many of the same receptors in our bodies, but their own reactions are quite unique: CBD may have a better effect on seizures, inflammation and psychosis, but THC might work better for muscle plasticity, glaucoma and insomnia.

While hemp flower won’t contain enough THC to get you high, a balance of each can be especially beneficial for pain and inflammation.

Even with low amounts of THC, many individuals who try hemp flower find that strains with higher CBD amounts tend to make them feel drowsier, which is something you may or may not want in a product.

Terpene Profile in Hemp Flower Strains for Sleep Disorders

When choosing a hemp flower product for better sleep, selecting a strain with sleep-improving terpenes is encouraged.

Because of their impact on hemp flower’s aroma and functionality, terpenes are incredibly important when determining your experience with hemp flower. 

Here are some terpenes you’ll want to see listed first in a strain for sleep disorders:

• Alpha-Pinene

-anti-inflammatory

-increases non-REM sleep

-may assist respiratory flow

-piney aroma

• Beta-Caryophyllene

–acts the most like a cannabinoid

–can soothe anxiety, pain and inflammation

-antibacterial

-spicy aroma found in cloves and pepper

• Beta-Myrcene

-relaxes muscles 

–acts as a mild sedative

-herbal, balsamic aroma

• Linalool

–helps slow down the body for rest

-anti-inflammatory

-delicate floral aroma

Whether it’s the occasional sleepless night or severe insomnia, impaired sleep is an incredibly common ailment that can be caused by a long list of factors.

However, CBD and terpenes are highly efficient compounds, and when they work together, they can cover a broad range of ailments like anxiety, pain and depression, helping you finally achieve a good night’s sleep.

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