Effects of a cannabidiol/terpene formulation on sleep in individuals with insomnia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study

Study Objectives:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly used as a health supplement, though few clinical studies have demonstrated benefits. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oral CBD-terpene formulation on sleep physiology in individuals with insomnia.

Methods:

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 125 individuals with insomnia received an oral administration of CBD (300 mg) and terpenes (1 mg each of linalool, myrcene, phytol, limonene, α-terpinene, α-terpineol, α-pinene, and β-caryophyllene) for ≥ 4 days/week over 4 weeks using a crossover design. The study medication was devoid of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC). The primary outcome measure was the percentage of time participants spent in the combination of slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stages, as measured by a wrist-worn sleep-tracking device.

Results:

This CBD-terpene regimen marginally increased the mean nightly percentage of time participants spent in SWS + REM sleep compared to the placebo [mean (SEM), 1.3% (0.60%), 95% C.I. 0.1 to 2.5%, P = 0.03]. More robust increases were observed in participants with low baseline SWS + REM sleep, as well as in day sleepers. For select participants, the increase in SWS + REM sleep averaged as much as 48 minutes/night over a four-week treatment period. This treatment had no effect on total sleep time (TST), resting heart rate or heart rate variability, and no adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

Select CBD-terpene ratios may increase SWS + REM sleep in some individuals with insomnia, and may have the potential to provide a safe and efficacious alternative to over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids and commonly prescribed sleep medications.

Clinical Trial Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05233761