The relatively unknown cannabis compound is showing its power
According to the Sleep Association of America, between 50 and 70 million U.S. adults suffer from some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia is the most common, and a recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine points out that around 25% of all Americans will develop acute insomnia each year. While pharma chemicals exist to help individuals rest, they often carry side effects that make their use unpopular. Fortunately, there is a natural alternative, thanks to a compound found in the cannabis plant.
Cannabinol (CBN) is one of the many compounds found in cannabis. It isn’t talked about as much as cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but it is quickly being recognized for its myriad of properties. It has been associated with the development of a more complete wellness program and is now also being shown to help people achieve better sleep.
According to Dr. Niket Sonpal, an internist, gastroenterologist and adjunct professor at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, “CBN works by interacting with the body‘s natural endocannabinoid receptor system, which influences our intrinsic hormones and neurotransmitters. This then translates into changes of mood, energy, appetite, modulation of pain, and even sleep.”
CBN forms more slowly than CBD, which is one of the reasons it hasn’t been talked about as much as the other compound. It is also found in smaller quantities than CBD, which makes it more difficult to manufacture, as well as to study. Dr. Jaclyn Tolentino of Parsley Health in Los Angeles states, “… [T]he very real value of a treatment, as reported by a patient, isn’t negated by the lack of available data to support the mechanisms for its efficacy,” she says. “[W]e certainly cannot discount the experiences of the individuals who have reported beneficial effects from the use of CBN just because we lack the available data to explain it.”
If 2018 was the year for CBD, perhaps 2019 will be the year for CBN.
