Getting good quality sleep is crucial for your health and mental well-being. It is getting harder and harder for people to fall asleep and wake fully rested due to daily stressors, global pandemic concerns, increased blue light from phones and devices, and the list goes on. According to a recent nationally representative CR survey of 1,267 U.S. adults, almost 80 percent of Americans say they have trouble sleeping at least once a week. Chronic sleep deprivation can be associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, obesity, depression, lowered immunity, lowered sex drive, and more issues.
It’s easy to understand why people are turning to supplements and tools to help with their sleep. These include melatonin, behavioral techniques to improve sleep hygiene, prescription sleep medication, and CBD. Pillow sprays are the latest fad among sleep enthusiasts and have been praised for their relaxing properties.
The Benefits of Using Pillow Sprays
Pillow mists made with essential oils promote a good night’s sleep by relaxing your muscles and calming your mind. Countless studies have confirmed the pro-sleep effects of lavender, vanilla, and chamomile as well as the anti-anxiety effects of ylang-ylang and sandalwood. Spritzing therapeutic sprays on your pillow offers these benefits:
- Pillow mists are a natural remedy that will help you fall asleep faster.
- Sprays filled with essential oils and relaxing fragrances can make you feel more relaxed and calm.
- They help clear your mind, which promotes better sleep quality.
- Essential oils offer some sedative effects.
Now, users can enjoy the soothing aroma of pillow mists with the benefits of CBD to help with sleep.
The Basics of CBD
Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active component of either cannabis or hemp plants which are types of the cannabis sativa plant. The main difference between the cannabis plant and the hemp plant is that the hemp plant usually contains less tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or the psychoactive component that gives a “high” feeling. Some CBD products contain trace amounts of THC, but they only contain up to 0.3% which will not cause a person to feel high.
CBD may help alleviate a range of symptoms and is becoming a popular ingredient in various wellness and skincare products, including pillow sprays.
CBD for Sleep
While CBD products for sleep seem to have hit the markets recently with a fury, cannabis and its derivatives are not a new wellness product. People have been turning to this plant for its potential health benefits for centuries, with ancient Hindu texts and Chinese medical texts noting its ability to help.
Modern users still trust cannabis and CBD products to help them sleep and help treat other health problems. A recent survey performed by Consumer Reports shared that about 10% of Americans reported trying CBD and having it help them sleep.
One way CBD may support sleep is through easing anxiety. A recent study published by the Kaiser-Permanente health insurance company followed the health records of 72 patients that were treated with CBD for poor sleep or anxiety. Anxiety levels declined over the three-month study for participants and many poor sleepers reported some improvement in the first month.
So how exactly does CBD affect both sleep and anxiety? Studies have shown that cannabis compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system, or receptors throughout the body including in the brain. At least one of those receptors is thought to affect the body’s sleep/wake cycle with another receptor in the brain offering a link to anxiety. This is one explanation for how CBD could directly affect sleep directly.
Other Sleep Tools You May Find
There are a variety of things people can try if they suffer from insomnia or poor sleep, including:
- Changing nighttime habits
- Certain behavioral strategies may help promote better sleep. These include allowing yourself time to wind down for bed without bright screens (or with screens on the lowest brightness setting), finding outlets to manage stress and anxiety, and training your body to follow a regular sleep and wake cycle. These behavioral approaches are beneficial, but they do take time and may not help with more severe sleep concerns.
- Prescription sleep drugs
- While these do the trick and give users a full night of sleep, they can be dangerous and cause dependence. About 6 out of 10 people taking sleep medications reported side effects such as feeling drowsy, confused, or forgetful the following day. A small percentage of users even admitted to dozing off while driving. The risks aren’t worth the benefits of prescription sleep drugs.
- Melatonin
- While this supplement has been extremely popular over the last few years, it may not be the best long-term solution for your sleep woes. We will dive into the problem with Melatonin below.
Reasons to Ditch Melatonin
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the brain that your body uses to help regulate your circadian rhythm, so many people have assumed that it is a good idea to supplement with this hormone on a nightly basis. More than three million adults reported taking the sleep aid according to a National Health Interview Survey. Let’s explore a few reasons you may want to be cautious about using melatonin:
- Melatonin is not a long-term solution.
- While melatonin may be a good idea for those suffering from jet lag, shift workers with irregular schedules, and those suffering from delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, it is not something everybody should be taking on a regular basis. Melatonin does not treat stress or anxiety and may only mask these mental health issues as well as other sleep disorders.
- Melatonin is not regulated.
- The FDA doesn’t regulate melatonin and these products could contain harmful hidden ingredients. A study from 2017 found that the hormone serotonin was also detected in 26% of the samples analyzed, which could be harmful when combined with antidepressants or other medications.
- Melatonin comes with uncomfortable side effects.
- Melatonin may trigger symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headache, and sleepiness (when you should be alert).
People with specific conditions should especially steer clear of melatonin, including those with:
- Chronic insomnia.
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American College of Physicians do not recommend managing chronic insomnia with melatonin. There is not enough evidence that melatonin is safe and effective for long-term use.
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).
- Melatonin could worsen this tingling feeling in the legs that often keeps people awake. The supplement lowers the amount of dopamine in the brain and can intensify symptoms according to the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.
- Dementia.
- Melatonin may do more harm than good among those with dementia that are experiencing associated insomnia. The condition can cause people to metabolize the supplement more slowly, resulting in daytime drowsiness. It may even increase the risk of falls.
So if melatonin is not a good nighttime supplement, you may want to consider using CBD products designed to support better sleep.
Is CBD Right for You?
The research behind CBD for sleep is promising and it poses few side effects, making it a great option for the average person looking to enhance their sleep routine. If you want to give CBD for sleep a try, experts we spoke with said here are some things to consider:
- CBD can lower a person's blood sugar or blood pressure
- CBD may interact with certain blood thinners
The good news is that CBD is not known to be addictive and the World Health Organization remarked that, “CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential." It also offers minimal to no side effects, making it a good option for anybody hoping for a better night’s rest. Remember to talk to your doctor if you plan to try using CBD pillow spray for sleep, especially if you are on blood thinners or have preexisting conditions as they might want to monitor you.
Things to Look for When Buying CBD Pillow Sprays
Now that we have covered how CBD supports sleep and who can try it, we should dive into the importance of buying quality products from a reputable seller. The type of product you buy can make or break your experience. Here are a few things you can look for when buying CBD pillow sprays and other products:
- Consider the form.
- For those looking to fall asleep quickly, pillow mists that are inhaled may do the trick. Capsules, edibles, and topicals take longer to be absorbed into your system, so the effects will come on slower.
- Look for quality products.
- Some studies suggest that many CBD products don’t have what they claim or are contaminated with harmful substances. The Raw Botanics Co. uses premium quality ingredients in all our products, so you can be sure our hemp pillow spray is the best quality available.
- Make sure the hemp is USA-grown.
- Pillow sprays made with hemp grown overseas can be problematic because they are not subject to any state or federal testing. Our pillow spray is made in the USA from premium organically-grown Kentucky Hemp.
- Check the test results.
- Ask to see a product’s certificate of analysis, which shows how a product performed on tests checking for CBD and THC levels, and the presence of contaminants. We perform third party laboratory reports on every batch of CBD oil we produce.
The Raw Botanics Co. is a trusted source for quality CBD products, including CBD relaxation sprays, that are quality tested and come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. When you buy products from us, you can rest easy (literally) knowing that you are getting the best of the best.
How to Apply a CBD Relaxation Spray
CBD spray can be a quick and easy way to administer CBD. You can apply the spray in a few different ways depending on the specific product, what you find comfortable, and the specific issue you wish to address. Topical spray mists will be sprayed directly onto your skin to sink in. Some sprays can even be applied nasally. This requires you to insert the nozzle into one of your nostrils, close the other nostril by gently pressing the side of the nose, and push down on the nozzle to release the spray. Certain sprays may also be applied orally, which requires you to spray the product into your mouth, aiming for either the tongue or the back of the throat depending on the specific product.
It can be challenging to determine how much to spray when first using a CBD spray. As with any form of cannabinoid, it is best to start with a small amount to see how it affects you and go from there.
Raw Botanics CBD Pillow Spray
Our soothing Pillow and Mask Mist comes with 100mg of broad-spectrum CBD per bottle and is amplified with a blend of linalool and eucalyptol terpenes. The lavender and eucalyptus scent also work to create a feeling of total relaxation. The pillow spray can be used on linens, masks, clothes, or skin as it is a high-quality food-grade oil.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
- 100mg active CBD per bottle. Only 2-3 sprays needed per use
- Approximately 350 sprays per bottle
- Made in the USA from premium organically grown Kentucky Hemp
- Ethically sourced Vegan and Cruelty-free
- Proprietary calming specific cannabinoids and terpene based formula
BENEFITS:
- Stress Relief
- Anti-anxiety
- Improved Sleep
DIRECTIONS:
Apply 2-3 sprays on your pillow, sheets, blankets, bedding, and nightwear before bed. Elevate your nightly routine and add our relaxing Lavender and Eucalyptus blend to help improve sleep and ease stress.