A Look At CBD Oil And Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic condition for which, as we know, there is no cure. It is a sleep disorder, which can be characterized by overwhelming drowsiness during the day and sudden attacks of sleep. Could CBD, an extract from cannabis, be the treatment that can help to deal with it? But how can CBD help with this condition and does it actually work? Let’s find out.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is famous for relieving a long list of ailments, from pain to epilepsy to even multiple sclerosis. This chemical compound comes from, however CBD does not make you high, unlike another well-known compound which is also derived from the marijuana plant, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

CBD oil has proven to be a great product. In many pieces of research there has been found that CBD is able to calm people and make them feel relaxed. And at the same time, it is able to keep people alert and awake.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is considered to be a neurological disorder which affects our sleep and wakefulness cycles. People that suffer from narcolepsy feel sleepy during the day. These sleepiness attacks can occur at any time of the day and during any activity. Center For Narcolepsy states that this condition is a rare activity which is estimated to affect 1 in every 2,000 Americans. Narcolepsy is a lifelong and disabling illness. Narcolepsy can also be accompanied by loss of muscles, hallucinations and sleep paralysis. The symptoms of this disorder include: excessive daytime sleepiness, which is the most common symptom,

mental cloudiness, memory lapses. lack of concentration, mood swings, and extreme fatigue, sudden loss of muscle movements, slurred speech, total body collapse. More advanced symptoms are hallucinations, delusions and sleep paralysis that temporarily enables you to move or speak while waking up or falling asleep.

CBD and sleep: What’s going on?

Recently,  CBD products have hit the market offering sleep relief with less side effects than other treatments used for sleeping disorders. The question that immediately pops into my mind is: “Is CBD good for falling asleep?” And the answer to this is yes. Recent studies have shown that CBD interacts with receptors in endocannabinoid system and those receptors affect our body’s sleep/wake cycle. So then there is another interesting question: “Does CBD oil make you sleepy during the day?” And fortunately, the answer is no. People who use CBD recommend taking it before going to bed, but it’s not because CBD makes you tired, it reduces anxiety and pain that may be the reason why you can’t fall asleep. And if you take CBD during the day, you will get the same effect without feeling drowsiness.

Does CBD help narcolepsy?

There are now increasing numbers of people who are suffering from extreme fatigue during the day who are curious to know if their condition could be addressed by making use of cannabis oil? There are apparently people who are getting so tired that they simply have no other choice but to take a nap during the day. Many of these people might be suffering from what is known as narcolepsy. It can severely weaken a person and in a worst-case scenario people can actually fall asleep behind the steering wheel or while shopping. Research has shown us that narcolepsy is substantially more than extreme tiredness.

This condition can also involve sleep paralysis as well as hallucinations and a condition which is known as cataplexy. This latest condition is a severe sleep disorder which results in a situation where patients actually experience a partial or complete loss of control over their muscles. This can be brought about by emotions such as sadness or laughter. It can make its presence known very early on such as in childhood or adolescence. People can be greatly afflicted by this condition for many years.

Unfortunately, scientific research has not yet discovered any cure from narcolepsy but there are several useful stimulants that can help to deal with this disorder such as caffeine and also CBD. Multiple pieces of research have shown that people who suffer from narcolepsy can benefit from the use of cannabis oil. Cannabidiol or CBD is known for help in relieving a number of health issues: anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, chronic pain and many more. And the reason why CBD is so helpful is that CBD work with the receptors that are present in the Endocannabinoid System in our body. CBD has proven to be miraculous for relieving the symptoms of many sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea, REM behaviour, insomnia, as well as narcolepsy. The most common symptom of narcolepsy of cataplexy, which leads to a brief loss of muscle movement and usually arises due to sudden emotions such as anger, surprise etc. This condition can disrupt the normal sleep pattern, which leads to narcolepsy.

CBD is an effective remedy which can help in controlling these sudden emotions that cause cataplexy. Studies show that CBD interacts with different receptors present in our brain. Daytime sleepiness can result in feeling tired which can also create disruptions while sleeping the next night. Adding CBD oil in your daily routine can help in stimulating your daytime alertness and having more energy to do your activities.

Research around CBD and narcolepsy

In Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature published on 2017 is stated that initial basic research has suggested that medium-/high-dose CBD can be associated with an increase in the percentage of total sleep. This is supported by a pilot study in humans showing that high-dose CBD was associated with improved sleep.

Another research published in CNS & neurological disorders drug targets called “Cannabidiol partially blocks the sleepiness in hypocretin-deficient rats. Preliminary data” concludes that CBD might prevent sleepiness in narcolepsy supported by the analysis of sleep data which showed that CBD blocked the sleepiness during the lights-off period.

Research published in 2014 called “Potential Effects of Cannabidiol as a Wake-Promoting Agent” showed that CBD acts as a positive compound in different treatments to manage several health conditions. However, more research is needed in order to determine the mechanisms by which CBD regulates sleep.

CBD dosage guide

There is no right or wrong dosage, because every body reacts differently to CBD. That’s why experimentation is key in finding what works best for you. CBD can have a variety of effects depending on dosage, product and time of day as well as individual body chemistry. Several studies has proved that CBD is best used for short-term sleepiness, as the effects may diminish over longer period of time. Products like CBD tinctures and sublingual sprays offer immediate effects, while edibles and oils tend to release CBD more slowly, which helps you sleep longer. One of the main advantages of CBD is that it does not cause any feeling of ‘high’, like its psychoactive counterpart THC, so you will not feel that euphoric feeling after taking CBD.

Since every person’s body is different, a right dosage can be determined only through trial and error method. According to the studies conducted, the dose of CBD ranges from 10 micrograms to 25mg. The right dosage can be determined only by using the smallest dose at first and then increasing it gradually until it produces a wanted effect. However, It is always better to talk to a health physician before using CBD in order to avoid any side effects or interactions with other medications.

CBD oil for narcolepsy: final verdict

In my opinion, it is really hard to talk about the benefits of CBD in treating narcolepsy, as more research needs to be done in order to verify the effect of CBD on this disorder. But I can definitely tell that anyone who consumes small doses of CBD are be more alert, which might be something that can help the person struggling with narcolepsy. The dosage of CBD is very important in this case and people with this condition must ensure that they take enough to provide them with the necessary benefits. As we have seen in the studies CBD can help to significantly improve the consistency of the sleeping cycle. And good sleep helps to feel better during the day without being tired. However, many studies that have shown CBD can induce wakefulness or alertness were performed on rats, so it’s hard to tell if the human body will experience similar results. What we know from these studies is CBD can affect the brain directly in the region called hypothalamus, which causes alertness and modulation of sleep.

Now it’s your turn

Have you ever tried to treat narcolepsy with CBD? Have you seen some results that helped you to deal with this disorder? If yes, please share your experience using CBD in the comments. Your comment might be helpful for someone who also struggles with this life-long disorder. CBD has shown to be a very good treatment, which helps to calm down and treat sleep disorders, but not many people are aware of its benefits. That’s why all comments are highly appreciated!