The marijuana compound cannabinol (CBN) “may be helpful for improving overall sleep disturbance, including the number of times one wakes up throughout the night, without impacting daytime fatigue.”
(Photo credit: Pharma Hemp).
This is according to a new study being published in the upcoming issue of the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, with the abstract published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine. The study is titled A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the safety and effects of CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality.
According to its abstract, the “present study sought to determine the effects of cannabinol (CBN) alone and in combination with cannabidiol (CBD) on sleep quality.”
This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted between May and November 2022. Participants were randomized to receive either (a) placebo, (b) 20 mg CBN, (c) 20 mg CBN + 10 mg CBD, (d) 20 mg CBN + 20 mg CBD, or (e) 20 mg CBN + 100 mg CBD for seven consecutive nights. Participants were 18-55 years of age who self-rated sleep quality as “very poor” or “poor.”
“The primary endpoint was sleep quality, while secondary endpoints included sleep onset latency, number of awakenings, wake after sleep onset (WASO), overall sleep disturbance, and daytime fatigue”, notes the study’s researchers. “In a modified intent-to-treat analyses (N = 293), compared to placebo, 20 mg CBN demonstrated a nonsignificant but potentially meaningful effect on sleep quality (OR [95% CI] = 2.26 [0.93, 5.52], p = .082) and significantly reduced number of awakenings (95% CI [-0.96, -0.05], p = .025) and overall sleep disturbance (95% CI [-2.59, -0.14], p = .023).”
The study notes that there “was no difference from placebo among any group for sleep onset latency, WASO, or daytime fatigue (all p > .05).”
Individuals receiving 20 mg CBN “demonstrated reduced nighttime awakenings and overall sleep disturbance relative to placebo, with no impact on daytime fatigue.” Researchers found that the addition of CBD “did not positively augment CBN treatment effects”, and “No differences were observed for latency to sleep onset or WASO.”
Researchers conclude that these findings “suggest 20 mg of CBN taken nightly may be helpful for improving overall sleep disturbance, including the number of times one wakes up throughout the night, without impacting daytime fatigue.”
The study’s full text can be found by clicking here.
