Breakthrough Discovery: Cannabis Compound CBN Found to Improve Sleep
A groundbreaking study by scientists at the University of Sydney has provided conclusive evidence that cannabinol (CBN), a constituent of cannabis, can significantly improve sleep quality. The research, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, reveals that CBN increases both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in rats, with human trials currently underway.
NREM sleep is essential for physical recovery and memory consolidation, while REM sleep is linked to dreaming and emotional processing. The study’s findings align with anecdotal reports from cannabis users, suggesting that CBN may be a potential treatment for sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Lead author Professor Jonathon Arnold noted that while cannabis folklore has long suggested that aged cannabis induces sleepiness due to the buildup of CBN, there was previously no concrete evidence to support this claim. The study’s results provide the first objective proof that CBN increases sleep by modifying the architecture of sleep in a beneficial way.
Researchers at the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics tested the effects of purified CBN on sleep in rats using advanced monitoring techniques. The results showed that CBN increased both NREM and REM sleep, leading to increased total sleep time, with an effect comparable to the widely used sleep drug zolpidem.
Human trials are currently underway, and a parallel study has already shown promising results among insomnia patients. CBN is an end-product of THC, the main intoxicating compound in cannabis, which is converted over time. While THC has a strong effect on the brain’s CB1 receptors, CBN’s influence is significantly weaker.
The study’s findings could have significant implications for the treatment of sleep disorders, particularly in countries where medical cannabis is not yet recognized as a viable treatment option. Highly purified CBN products are already available as sleep aids in the US, despite limited scientific evidence to support their effectiveness. This study provides the first high-quality scientific evidence to support the use of CBN as a sleep aid, potentially paving the way for new treatments for sleep disorders.
