CBD is gaining a lot of popularity and its usage seems to expand with each passing day. From CBD oils to CBD edibles, its forms are experiencing high demand. And many people are also shifting on it to get relief from issues like sleep apnea. But does it help? Initially, it allowed people who had Insomnia and all the obstructions to sleep, believing it could treat sleep apnea. Go through this text until the end to know how CBD oil helps sleep apnea.
Introduction to CBD:
It’s crucial to understand what CBD is and how it differs from other cannabis before moving to how it can help sleep apnea. You can use the term cannabis for all the compounds extracted from Cannabis Sativa plants, and CBD is one of those compounds. It is estimated that the cannabis Sativa plant has almost 450 compounds. Also, marijuana is the product obtained from these plants with a significant presence of tetrahydrocannabinol. Therefore, it is an ingredient that can induce high-like effects when used.
Although the research is still preliminary, the findings show its future is bright. As mentioned above, CBD is cannabis occurring naturally in the Cannabis Sativa plant. However, it is also present in Marijuana plants but not as profound as THC. Hence, CBD can act as a potential treatment for anxiety, depression, epilepsy, stress and often can help with loss of appetite.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is recognized as a sleep disorder that leads to breathing issues and makes it uneven. Generally, sleep apnea is of three types:
Central sleep apnea: This issue arises when the brain cannot correctly communicate with muscles that look after breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea: This is an apnea that arises when the muscles in the throat relax. It is the most general type of apnea seen in people.
Complex apnea syndrome: Although this condition can result from many factors, it arises due to ongoing treatments.
The primary reason why sleep apnea arises is due to the body’s structure and presence of any other issues like:
Endocrine disorders
Genetic syndromes
Heart or kidney failure
Neuromuscular disorders
Obesity
Premature birth
Does CBD oil help with sleep apnea?
A recent study was conducted to observe CBD oil’s viability for sleep apnea treatment. This compound was helpful for people with Insomnia making sleep apnea patients interested in it. This study was based on a drug named dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC. This research found out that it could affect how early you sleep at night time but can degrade your sleep quality in the long term. So it’s generally suggested to sleep apnea patients that they must stick to traditional methods. And dronabinol is the only cannabis-based medication that has been approved to be used as a treatment for sleep apnea.
No other cannabis-based product has been researched or studied for treating sleep apnea. The American Academy made a statement of Sleep Medicine in 2018 that OSA patients must not use medical cannabis and marijuana extracts. AASM said that this issue should be removed from chronic medical conditions for medical cannabis programs. Hence a patient with sleep apnea must only consult a licensed specialist for treatment.
Why do people prefer CBD oil for sleep apnea?
There is no specific science-backed evidence or studies that prove CBD as a potential treatment for sleep apnea. But it can indeed lay positive impacts on sleep apnea due to its therapeutic effects. Here are some reasons for using CBD for sleep apnea:
It could improve sleep:
People who suffer from sleep apnea can go long hours sleeping a day and find it hard to sleep at night due to alterations in cardiac rhythm. Research of 2017 proved CBD as a potential treatment for people with Insomnia. But these results were all about the dosage you choose. Lower doses of CBD could induce sleep effects, but higher doses just increased awareness. Also, in another study, people using high quantities of CBD oil had a steep increase in their sleep time. It is also believed that this compound impacts the issue related to snoring.
It could help with blood pressure:
It is believed that sleep apnea patients generally face high blood pressure issues called hypertension. A 2017 study found that people who just had a single dosage of CBD oil found greater control over blood pressure. Another study found that it could help patients deal efficiently with myocardial infarction, hypertension, and strokes. These compounds also impact cardiovascular disorders, but studies are still to be done on them.
It helps with anxiety and depression:
Everyone knows that CBD is known to induce calming impacts on the central nervous system and hence can help you deal with anxiety and depression. It can also help you overcome anxiety-like behaviours. A study conducted in 2019 noticed that people with sleep apnea had higher levels of anxiety and depression. With just 30mg of CBD oil, you can easily battle anxiety issues.
It can help with headaches:
The major problem that sleep apnea patients have to face is a headache. They wake up in the morning with those irritating headaches that make them feel dizzy all day long. The research promises that CBD can relieve mild to intense headaches quickly. In addition, it is a substance that can alleviate all forms of pain, including headaches.
Conclusion:
The best way to seek relief from sleep apnea is to consult a specialist. Buying CBD oils can also be a potential treatment for it. It would be best to ask your specialists about using CBD products for sleep apnea to be extra sure. There are no specific side effects that you might experience, but it’s better to ask. You might also try out CBD if you find that sleep apnea treatments aren’t practical for you. CBD oil is the best form you can use.