Morning comes too early for many of us and is never fun to face when you have spent the night tossing, turning, and wishing you could sleep. Choosing the right cannabis products for relaxation and winding down in the evenings can set the tone for better rest. Choosing a product that will put you soundly to sleep can be even better for some. So, if you are looking for products to help you chill or ones that can help you peacefully slumber or just chillax, read on about the best CBD products for evenings…
NEED A LITTLE ZEN BEFORE YOUR ZS?
Those who just want to relax in the evenings may benefit from an early evening dose of CBD. It can help take the stress out of your day without impairing your function for cooking dinner or playing with the kids. Try one of these:
De-Stress Gummies by Enjoy Hemp – Reishi and chaga mushrooms and ashwagandha add an additional boost of stress relief
Calm CBD Oil by Blue Lotus – Enjoy the benefits of Full Spectrum CBD with spearmint and orange essential oils
Want a little additional Zen? Try a hybrid version of THC like these:
Tropical Zkittles THC Gummy cubes – at 15mg each, you may only need ½ a gummy
Try a THC vape or a relaxing beverage – available instore only
CBD FOR SLEEP
We have written a complete article about CBD for sleep, which you can find linked below. The highlights are that CBD helps with relaxation and easing stress, so it helps many people get a better night’s rest. We always encourage our clients, who have no experience with cannabis, to try CBD before trying THC. The reason for this is simple. CBD is not intoxicating, has a lower and milder side effect profile, and is very often enough to help with rest. If, after trying some different doses of CBD, you find it is not enough, you can always add some THC to your evening routine.
THC FOR SLEEP
THC works wonders for many to fall asleep and stay asleep. A light level of intoxication from THC is similar to having a glass of wine or two, but with no hangover. There are some things to be aware of if you are trying THC for sleep for the first time:
More is not necessarily better. Too high a THC dose can provoke paranoia, vivid dreams, and groggy mornings. New users – start with 10-12mg Delta-8 or 2-5mg Delta-9.
Take it early enough for full absorption – 2 hours for gummies, 1 hour for oils, 30 minutes for beverages
Only use THC in edible form when you have 8-10 hours before you have to be awake. If I don’t take mine by 8:30pm, I don’t take it.
Delta-8 THC is generally mellower and more relaxing than Delta-9 THC. Our suggestion is to start with one of these options if you are new to THC:
If you are experienced with THC or want to stick with Delta-9 THC (this is the famous one), consider one of these:
THE BIPHASIC NATURE OF CANNABIS
If you have experimented with different doses of either THC or CBD, you may have noticed the biphasic effect. What this means is that high doses may have the opposite effect of low doses. For example, “low dose” may yield somewhat uplifting effects, while “high dose” may be sedative. I have placed these in quotes because one person’s low dose may be high for another. Wherever you land on the dosing spectrum, you may find that low dose THC relieves anxious feelings while higher doses provoke panic attacks.
CBD, even at high dose, is not likely to cause anxiety. CBD’s biphasic nature is most often seen in level of relaxation. Too much makes most people sleepy, while low dose may be stimulating. Because of this biphasic nature the first thing to understand about evening products is that you may want a higher dose of CBD in the evening than in the morning.
INTOXICATING VS. NON-INTOXICATING
Most people understand that “marijuana” is intoxicating. Growers have perfected the science of high-THC products for both the recreational and medical markets. The intoxication comes from THC, not CBD. In fact, many studies (though not all) confirm that CBD mitigates the intoxication from THC. That is, taking a large dose of CBD with THC can mellow out the high.
Most people are not able to function while intoxicated all day. And obviously, no one should drive etc. while using impairing doses of THC. However, at night, a light “high” or a relaxed state of chill may be desirable for helping you turn off the stress of the day and get some rest. Therefore, THC may be a great nighttime option.
ADDED INGREDIENTS / TERPENES
Makers of high-quality CBD and THC products recognize that additional ingredients can make the product “lean” one way or another. These can include terpenes (aromatic compounds from plants), herbal ingredients, vitamins, caffeine, melatonin etc. It is our opinion that CBD and THC do 95-99% of the work in cannabis products. But added ingredients can “kick-up” the anti-inflammatory relief, make a product even more relaxing, or help it be a bit more uplifting.
Common ingredients for Evening products include:
Indica Terpenes – Think “Indica, Into couch” – compounds like linalool (common in lavender) are relaxing and / or sedative. Look for terms like Indica, Sleep, Rest, Relax, and Chill. These usually indicate the presence of Indica terpenes.
Melatonin – Many cannabis products for sleep contain melatonin (especially CBD). Our advice is this – if melatonin works to put you to sleep, use it alone. It is a lot less expensive and has a great safety profile. If, however, it is not sufficient, then by all means, try CBD and then THC.
Lavender and Vanilla Topicals – If joint pain keeps you awake at night, consider a topical with relaxing essential oils like lavender. Our Calm Salve eases discomfort without stimulating ingredients like capsaicin or menthol.
SUMMARIZING THE BEST PRODUCTS FOR EVENINGS
CBD and THC products can both be helpful for easing stress and relaxing at the end of the day. If you find the products you are using too stimulating for evening use, consider these options:
Try a higher dose of CBD
Combine low dose THC with your CBD
Try a Delta-8 THC product instead of Delta-9 THC
Pick a product with sedating added ingredients.
Feel free to reach out to us with questions about this article or for help choosing the ideal product for your situation. You can reach us by email at info@bluelotuswellnessandcbd.com or by phone at 407-235-0653.