One of the first products I developed was Ambrosia Nights. In the past I had bouts with insomnia and difficulty sleeping for most of my life. I have tried many natural and pharmaceutical prescription sleeping aids over the years. I found some to be completely ineffective, others somewhat effective but with unwanted side effects and the rest were always somewhere in between.
Research Behind our Formula
During my CBD research, I came across several other cannabinoids, such as CBN, which I found to be vital for improving sleep. I was thrilled to find a potential future product and solution to my restless nights. Starting out with our full spectrum CBD as a base, we began getting the full entourage effect of the CBN. Then we boosted the effects of CBN by adding an Isolate and found the effects of the CBN to be noticeably enhanced.
This was a very good blend but still wasn’t exactly what I was looking for… but I was close. I tried a few different ingredients and then added some Delta 8, not Delta 9 as it was too strong. The small amount of Delta 8 THC was the last piece of the puzzle, I had done it. This was the final form of our “Ambrosia nights” CBD oil that was finally letting me get a consistent sleep night after night. Once I saw first hand it can help an insomniac like myself, I knew I was on to something special.
CBN and other cannabinoids are only just beginning to be researched and additional research needs to be done. The amount of documented benefits compared to the scarcity and rarity of unwanted side effects is incredible. I feel not conducting this vital research is unfair to the hundreds of thousands of people it can and has helped with a variety of ailments.
CBN as an Anti-Inflammatory
Like CBD, CBN appears to have anti-inflammatory capabilities. Researchers are working to further understand how the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) affects the body’s immune system. Cannabinoids, including CBN, are being examined for their possible therapeutic role in treating inflammatory disease. This is because through research they have found cannabinoids such as CBD are potent anti-inflammatory agents that are absorbed by our endocannabinoid system to produce these healing effects. May I add that more than 50% of all deaths are attributable to inflammation-related diseases, so reducing inflammation is one of the key parts of our overall wellness.
Is CBN Psychoactive and will it get you “High”
There currently is no definitive answer to this question as some research indicates CBN is non-psychoactive. Whereas other research says CBN has very mild psychoactive effects. In other words, there isn’t enough research to get a definitive 100% concrete answer. But we do have enough research to know the general understanding in the community is that CBN is usually non-psychoactive and when it is, it’s very mildly psychoactive.
Science Behind the Endocannabinoid System
When CBN activates the CB1 receptor, it gives pain-relieving properties through the arousal of CB2 receptors. CB2 receptors govern both acute and Chronic pain and inflammation. CBN relieves pain by adjusting pain signals while also reducing localized pain. CBN may be a major component to relief from tissue injury, cancer, and joint pain in the future which is another reason why this research is so vital.
Moreover the endocannabinoid system regulates and controls many critical bodily functions such as emotional processing, sleep, learning, memory, pain control, temperature control, inflammatory and immune responses. So it’s quite important to say the least.
Relationship Between CBN and Sleep
CBN appears to have a potentially powerful sedative therefore relationship with sleep. This is because research on mice showed that CBN prolonged their time spent asleep, therefore the same could be applicable for us. Also, some research indicates CBN’s sedative effects are amplified when combined with small amounts of THC which must be why I found Delta 8 to enhance the effects of ambrosia nights dramatically.
How CBN Compares to CBD
CBD and CBN have some important things in common. For starters, both have been found to have healing potential and are being looked at as key healing cannabinoid compounds. Another important similarity is that they’re both nonpsychoactive, they don’t get you “High” or alter your state of consciousness. This is understandable considering cannabinol is a byproduct of THC. CBN is sourced from hemp so the risk of intoxication is extremely low as hemp is very low in its THC content. So low that manufacturers/growers are only allowed to contain 0.3% THC in their hemp by law, otherwise it’s no longer classified as hemp.
CBN and CBD are also similar in their interaction with the endocannabinoid system “ECS”. CBD doesn’t directly interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors of the ECS. Instead, it influences the production of endocannabinoids that regulate the activity and get absorbed by these receptors. CBN also doesn’t exhibit a direct interaction with the receptors; however, its physiological profile and workings are still a matter of scientific research.
What are the Side Effects of CBD
Cannabinol has an excellent safety profile as users have reported only mild side effects which seem to be rare comparatively to the level of reports of the benefits. These side effects include:
- Tiredness
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Loss of appetite
How to Easily Avoid these Side Effects
Simply by titrating the dose. Start with a low dosage, and then gradually over days and weeks increase it to find your personal sweet spot. CBN’s side effects are quite like CBD, so its usage also shares the same process. We always encourage anyone starting a Cannabis or Cannabinoid regimen to talk to their healthcare provider and do sufficient research so they understand all the possibilities and implications.
WHAT WE DON’T USE AND WHY
Melatonin
While it remains a popular and effective sleep aid, researchers are concerned that its use will reduce how much your body can naturally produce. Leading to higher doses being required and becoming less effective over time. Melatonin is also being re-evaluated in both the US and the UK for side effects which is why we’re steering clear of using it.
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
This is by far the most popular additive for over-the-counter medications to do with sleep, colds and flu. Its use has been associated with sedation, unsteadiness, dizziness, headaches, attention disturbance, chills, restlessness, and depression, and recent studies are linking its use to cognitive disease later in life. This was more than enough evidence for me to avoid using this substance in my products as we want to stick to being simple, natural and unique.
