Does CBD Make You Tired?

About 21% of adults in the US use cannabidiol (CBD)—often aiming to alleviate anxiety, improve focus, or reduce inflammation. 

While many people find CBD offers the benefits they’re looking for, they can also experience negative side effects like daytime drowsiness and fatigue. 

But, how common are these side effects? And, can you use CBD to get these “side effects” intentionally, to improve your sleep? 

In this guide, we unpack the sedating effects of CBD: what causes them, how to mitigate them, and what scientists have discovered about using CBD to improve sleep. 

Daytime Drowsiness Among Potential CBD Side-Effects

Daytime drowsiness and fatigue are types of tiredness some people experience when taking CBD.

How Frequently Do People Experience Drowsiness or Fatigue Side Effects on CBD?

The likelihood of experiencing sedating effects of CBD depends on a number of factors, including a person’s age, the dosage they take, health conditions they might have, and any other medications or substances they take which might interact with CBD. 

Adults’ Experiences of Drowsiness With CBD

In 2023, researchers published an analysis indicating that, among adults who take 600mg CBD per day twice or more per week, 20% experience daytime drowsiness. But, most adults taking a single, 300 mg dose experienced no effect.

The analysis also covered a decentralized, observational study of adults with anxiety. A daily dose of 30mg to 50mg CBD improved those adults’ sleep, without causing excess tiredness during the day.

Adults and Children With Epilepsy Experience Tiredness More Often

Studies of children and adults using CBD to treat epilepsy find about a third of those patients experience drowsiness as a side effect. In the pediatric study, 35% of participants experienced daytime drowsiness and fatigue.

Why Does CBD Cause Some People To Feel Tired?

CBD is a cannabis-derived compound, and it activates the endocannabinoid system in the body once it’s taken. Studies now demonstrate that cannabidiol modulates another crucial neurological system: The GABAergic System. 

The GABAergic Neurotransmitter System Regulates Sleep Stages and The Sleep-Wake Cycle 

Ultimately, CBD’s modulation of the GABAergic Neurotransmitter System matters because the system is a key part of how we sleep. The stress reduction and sleep-enhancing effects of the GABA neurotransmitter have been well-established by neuroscientists. 

More recent research has uncovered the role of the GABAergic system as a whole on a person’s sleep and wakefulness. It counterbalances excitatory neurotransmitters during sleep, mitigating arousal activities that can cause a person to awaken too early. 

Studies Show CBD Can Reduce Anxiety and Improve Sleep 

While drowsiness is an unwanted side-effect of CBD for some, others use cannabidiol to improve their sleep. Here’s what studies have shown so far.

Multi-Study Analyses Shows CBD Reduces Anxiety, Subjectively Improves Sleep

Clinical analyses of multiple studies indicate cannabidiol consistently improves sleep for those with anxiety by reducing anxiety itself. 

The studies analyzed show a consistent anti-anxiety effect, including a randomized controlled trial demonstrating CBD reliably decreases social anxiety. The analysis highlights data indicating improved sleep, using a subjective assessment. 

One study of CBD as an adjunct treatment showed that 79.2% of patients’ anxiety levels demonstrably improved, and the anxiety reduction was maintained throughout the study. In that same study, 66.7% of patients’ sleep quality scores improved within 30 days, although those scores subsequently fluctuated. 

CBD Improved Sleep Quality, Immune System Health, In Randomized Control Trial 

In one randomized controlled trial, young adults considered generally healthy took 50 mg of CBD orally, daily. The CBD-taking study participants did not sleep longer than those in the placebo group. 

Instead, the study found that those adults slept more deeply, the quality of their sleep improved, and their immune systems’ function was considerably enhanced.

CBD For Sleep? Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say

Direct, first-person reports of CBD experiences can be helpful. Here are three professionals who’ve described their firsthand experiences using CBD for sleep. 

Increased Deep Sleep

In The Guardian, writer Zoe Williams describes her “experiment” taking CBD for sleep. For her, the experiment was a success! 

Her conclusion? “Over a month, it did bring down the amount of time I spent awake, by about 10 minutes a night. It also increased the amount of time I spent in deep sleep, relative to light sleep, so I started to feel more rested when I woke up.”

That said, Williams also notes the CBD had little impact on her partner’s sleep. 

Life-Changing

Hannah Fox, a writer and editor diagnosed with PTSD, tried CBD for a product review and wrote about her experience. Her headline? “I tried CBD oil for sleep – and it changed my life.” You can read her complete reflection on her experience in Cosmopolitan, UK.

Relaxed All Evening Long

In 2019, Jessica Silvester tried taking CBD while writing for a column in New York Magazine. Her quippy take? “I’m Just As Tired of Hearing About CBD As You Are, But This Oil Works.” 

Silvester emphasizes how cannabidiol really helped her relax and fall asleep smoothly at the end of the day. Check out her complete review in the magazine’s March 26, 2019 edition of The Strategist. 

Hippie & French: CBD Insights, Not Medical Advice

At Hippie & French, we are cannabis advocates and connoisseurs. But, we aren’t physicians. Nothing we write should be misconstrued as medical advice or treatment recommendations. Please talk to your doctor before taking any new substances. 

Bespoke CBD & THC Products Tailored To Meet Your Unique Needs

Whether you want to catch more ‘zzz’s or want to avoid them, the cannabidiol curators at Hippie & French are happy to help. In our store, we can offer you a hand-picked selection of artisan, high-quality CBD and THC products to choose from. 

Check out our shop at 5122 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201, from 11:00 to 7:00 every day of the week. Or, order from our online store or by phone: (412) 407-9287.