Regular cannabidiol (CBD) users slept significantly longer, spent more time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and recorded lower maximum heart rates than nonusers in a new human study.
The research, published in the October 2026 supplemental issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, was conducted by researchers from the Vermont State University’s Department of Health and Exercise Sciences.
Researchers compared 20 participants, including nine regular CBD users and 11 nonusers. CBD users were defined as participants who consistently consumed at least 20 milligrams of CBD orally at least twice per week.
Physiological, exercise and sleep data were collected under free-living conditions for 72 hours using wearable devices capable of continuous monitoring.
The largest differences involved sleep.
CBD users averaged 492.9 minutes of sleep, or about eight hours and 13 minutes, compared with 388.9 minutes, or roughly six hours and 29 minutes, among nonusers.
They also spent significantly more time in bed, averaging 547.1 minutes compared with 430.6 minutes.
REM sleep showed an especially large difference. CBD users averaged 142.6 minutes of REM sleep, compared with 84.4 minutes among nonusers. The difference was statistically significant, while the amount of time participants spent awake did not differ significantly between the groups.
Researchers also found a cardiovascular difference. Resting and average heart rates were similar between the two groups, but maximum heart rate was significantly lower among CBD users, averaging 142.3 beats per minute compared with 171 beats per minute among nonusers.
The study also examined heart-rate zones during exercise. Researchers concluded that the overall findings suggest CBD may influence peak cardiovascular stress, improve sleep duration and quality, particularly REM sleep, and potentially promote aerobic efficiency during moderate-intensity exercise.
The findings are notable, but should be interpreted cautiously. The study included only 20 participants and observed people who were already using CBD rather than randomly assigning participants to CBD or placebo. As a result, the research demonstrates associations between CBD use and the measured outcomes but cannot establish that CBD caused the differences.
The researchers’ findings add to a growing body of human research examining CBD’s potential effects on sleep and cardiovascular regulation, while underscoring the need for larger controlled studies.
