Cannabidiol Not Associated with Interference of Normal Sleep-Wake Cycles

by | Apr 29, 2021 | 2018, Alternative Therapies, CBD, Sleep

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Study results demonstrate that an anxiety-reducing dose of cannabidiol does not appear to interfere with the sleep cycle of healthy volunteers.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active ingredient in cannabis derived from the hemp plant. Associated with various therapeutic effects, including analgesic 1, anti-inflammatory 2, and anti-epileptic 3 properties, CBD also demonstrates a role in sleep regulation 4,5. Recent work indicates that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the government of the circadian sleep-wake cycle, including the induction and maintenance of sleep 6,7. At acute doses (160 mg daily), CBD can increase total sleep time and reduce frequency of nighttime awakenings in individuals with insomnia 8, and at lower doses (15 mg daily, when combined with 15 mg tetrahydrocannabinol), may boost wakefulness in those with normal sleeping patterns 9. More recently, a 6-week trial carried out in patients with Parkinson’s Disease reported that chronic administration of CBD resulted in improvement of sleep-related behaviors associated with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder 4. In a 2018 study 10 published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil conducted the first investigation looking at the impact of CBD on sleep, using cognitive measures as well as polysomnography (diagnostic tool measuring brain wave patterns, heart rate, breathing, and other parameters during sleep).

A total of 27 healthy, non-smoking subjects (mean age = 29.3 years) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Prior to the laboratory visit, participants completed a series of subjective assessments (Visual Analog Mood Scale, VAMS; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) and were randomly assigned to receive a single 300 mg dose of either CBD (99.9% purity without THC) or matching placebo half an hour before polysomnography recordings were performed over an 8-hour period. On the following morning, participants completed the VAMS and STAI again, along with subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). Subjects underwent a second laboratory visit within two weeks, repeating the same protocol but using the alternative treatment arm. Both groups were matched for sex, age, and education level.

A comparative analysis between the CBD and placebo groups on polysomnographic results indicates the absence of any significant changes on the parameters evaluated in the study (e.g., total sleep time, sleep onset latency, rapid eye movement onset latency, sleep efficiency, etc.). Likewise, no statistically significant changes were detected between groups on the VAMS, STAI, PVT, or the Digit Symbol Substitution and Symbol Copying Tests of the WAIS. Overall, no significant effects of CBD were observed in the present study.

Current findings based on polysomnography readings indicate that acute doses of CBD may not influence normal sleep architecture in healthy subjects. Unlike other medications for anxiety and depression, such as benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are associated with alterations in sleep pattern and reduced restorative sleep 11,12, CBD appears to offer anxiolytic and antidepressant effects without interfering with the normal sleep-wake cycle. Main limitations of the study include a relatively small sample size and the use of only a single dose of CBD, which may have been insufficient to induce a significant change in sleep pattern. Future studies should examine the long-term effects of chronic CBD intake in healthy volunteers as well as patients with sleep disorders.

Source: Linares IMP, Guimaraes FS, Eckeli A, et al. No acute effects of cannabidiol on sleep-wake cycle of healthy subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Front Pharmacol. 2018; 9(315). DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00315.

© 2018 Linares, Guimaraes, Eckeli, Crippa, Zuardi, Souza, Hallak and Crippa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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Posted January 7, 2019.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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