Best CBD for Sleep

With so many CBD gummies, capsules, oils, and vapes, it’s hard to know which to choose. We break down all the details to help you find the best CBD for sleep in 2024.

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Last updated: Dec 29th, 2023
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Best CBD For Sleep

Plenty of things keep us up at night: reliving awkward moments from years ago, resisting the next day, or just being unable to drift off no matter what we try. There’s an abundance of sleep remedies, and many people have started turning to cannabidiol (CBD) products to relieve insomnia and other sleeping problems. But navigating the world of CBD products isn’t easy. You have to watch out for low-quality brands and consider additional active ingredients that could get you to sleep. To help you, we judged dozens of products on their third-party test results, prices, formulas, and other criteria and compared our favorites in this guide.

If you’re in a hurry, here are our favorite CBD products to help you sleep.

Our Top Choice

CBDistillery’s Sleep Synergy CBN + CBD 1:3 Tincture is our top choice for the best CBD sleep product.

This full-spectrum tincture comes in regular and extra strength. All products are 3rd party tested for safety and are reasonably priced.

Table of Contents

In this Review

How we evaluated CBD sleep products

Because CBD isn’t regulated by the FDA like prescription medications are, most companies are left to their own devices, and not all of them have your best interest in mind. There are a few key features to judge in order to find the best possible CBD for your sleeping habits:

  • Formulation
  • Safety
  • Cost
  • Convenience

We generally consider these in the order listed above. Since CBD seems to work best in combination with other sleep-inducing ingredients, we prioritize CBD products with things like melatonin, L-theanine, and lemon balm for sleep. But equally important is their safety: it takes a lot of CBD to really help you sleep, so knowing that you’re taking a product that is free from contaminants and actually gives you all the CBD advertised makes a particularly big difference when you’re taking it for sleep. And because you’re taking a lot, having a product that balances high efficacy with a low price — or a particularly potent blend so you don’t have to use it all in a week — makes a big difference for the sustainability of your new regimen. And, as with any new supplement or element in your routine, a CBD product that’s convenient to order and use can more easily solidify its place and prove sustainable for you.

Medterra’s Sleep Tight gummies might not come in the best form, but the formula (including just about every herb and hormone with scientific backing for soothing and sleeping power) is well-curated and made with U.S. Hemp Authority certification. Meanwhile, our testers also loved CBDistillery’s CBN+CBD 1:3 tincture; while it didn’t help them fall asleep faster, it consistently gave them a deeply refreshing night of sleep.

Formulation

Winners: Medterra and CBDistillery

There’s no such thing as a perfect fix, and CBD products to help you sleep are no exception.

Medterra’s lush ingredient list includes just about every herbal and hormonal ingredient with a strong scientific link to improved sleep quality, and it’s certified by the U.S. Hemp Association. However, it uses CBD isolate, which has no minor cannabinoids (or THC), missing the benefits of the entourage effect (the theory that cannabis compounds work together for a better combined effect). It also contains a sizable dose of 5-HTP, the precursor to serotonin that has a host of potential safety risks. (We’ll get into that below.) So while the organic hemp is high-quality, it’s not a perfect formula.

Meanwhile, our top pick, CBDistillery’s Sleep Synergy tincture, contains a very large amount of CBN and full-spectrum CBD. In concept, this is supposed to help you sleep longer and deeper, but there’s very little scientific evidence that CBN even reacts in the body like a cannabinoid. However, our testers experienced a much deeper sleep when trying it. The product was effective beyond even Lazarus Naturals’ potent full-spectrum oil at twice as strong of a dose, so the CBDistillery formula does have a serious edge over other CBD products for sleep.

Safety

Winner: Lazarus Naturals

Since you’ll need to take a lot of CBD to help you sleep (higher doses are associated with higher-quality sleep, and lower doses tend to promote wakefulness), it’s especially important to verify that your CBD product is as safe as it can be. Lazarus Naturals’ full-spectrum CBD oil has an excellent Certificate of Analysis, is made from organically grown hemp, and contains no other ingredients that raise health concerns for some people.

Medterra was a closer runner-up in this category with U.S. Hemp Authority certification, an equally strong Certificate of Analysis, and organically grown hemp (though it’s missing Lazarus Naturals’ USDA certification). However, one of the added ingredients in the Sleep Tight gummies kept it from being our safest recommendation. 5-HTP, a precursor chemical for serotonin that helps to regulate sleep, is very powerful, and there’s a long list of people who shouldn’t take 5-HTP (anyone who is taking an antidepressant, has high blood pressure or diabetes, or has a heart condition). There are serious conditions that 5-HTP may cause if you end up with too much serotonin in your body, such as cardiac fibrosis. While a lot of people will still be okay to take 5-HTP, we can’t recommend it as the safest CBD product for sleep.

Cost

Winner: Lazarus Naturals oil

Lazarus Naturals’ full-spectrum, high-potency CBD oil is one of the best deals for a high-quality CBD oil, period. It’s consistently our top budget pick for just about any CBD need because you can get so much for so little; a 30mL bottle of 50mg/mL CBD costs $40, and a 120mL bottle costs $120. (That’s half as much as CBDistillery’s potent formula.) While Lazarus Naturals doesn’t have a lot of other discounts to take advantage of, including subscribe and save programs, you can benefit from a 60% discount if you are a veteran, live in a low-income household, or have a long-term disability. Add in the company’s return policy, which is three times longer than any other CBD company at 90 days, and it’s easy to see why we keep coming back to this oil.

Insider Tip: Melatonin is one of the most commonly used sleep aids, and it appears alongside CBD in two of our top recommendations in this guide. But it’s important to note that health experts recommend avoiding melatonin if you’re on medication to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, or seizures. You shouldn’t take melatonin if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor first if you have depression or an autoimmune disorder because melatonin might not be safe for you. And if melatonin is a safe option for you, you might want to gauge the effects of 1-3mg of melatonin before you try the 5mg dose present in a full serving of a couple of these CBD sleep products.

Convenience

Winner: Lazarus Naturals capsules

Not only did Lazarus Naturals ship our testers’ products almost immediately — meaning they hit our doorsteps in three days — but it was easy to check out and navigate the website. We would’ve liked to see a faster way to contact the customer service team other than by phone (or email), as a few other CBD companies offer, but those brands are much larger and more corporatized; Lazarus Naturals is owned by employees who do everything from growing the hemp to packing the boxes, so it’s an understandable sacrifice.

The Sleep + Melatonin Capsules from Lazarus Naturals are easy to take as long as you can swallow pills easily. There’s no holding oils under your tongue while you try not to taste the overwhelming hemp. There’s no chewing gummies and hoping you’ll absorb all of the CBD listed on the box. Capsules marry the best administration techniques, and while it may not be quite as good as a sublingual oil dose, swallowing a capsule right before bed will help you stay asleep for longer as it has the longest active time in your system.

Why you should trust us

CBD has only been federally legal in the U.S. since 2018, meaning there have only been a few years where it’s been possible for us all to become acquainted with the substance — and for online retailers to develop any kind of reputation, positive or negative.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing various CBD products, from full-spectrum oils to isolate gummies with herbal additions. We’ve read over 125 clinical studies examining how CBD works in the body and what it can (and can’t) do to improve your health. We do all of this to help you determine if CBD is even a good option for you to consider and, if so, what brands and products deserve your consideration.

Our testing team has tried the products from major companies like CBDistillery, Medterra, Lazarus Naturals, and others. This allows us to give you the most realistic idea of what CBD might help you sleep the best at night and what you can expect from the customer experience.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles. Like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy. To keep things up to date, we monitor the CBD landscape and update this page as information changes.

How the top CBD sleep products compare

There are a lot of moving parts to keep track of between different CBD options and a lot of mental math. To help you quickly get a sense of your best options, we’ve put together the chart below.

CBD type
Total cost
Total cannabinoids
Potency
Volume / count
Value ($/mg)
Additional ingredients?
CBDistillery Sleep Synergy CBN + CBD 1:3 Tincture
Full spectrum
$60-$100
600-1,200 mg
20-40 mg/mL
30mL
$0.08-$0.10
CBDistillery Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Tincture
Full spectrum
$240
5,000mg
167 mg/mL
30mL
$0.05
Lazarus Naturals Full-Spectrum, High Potency Oil
Full spectrum
$40-$120
1,500-6,000mg
50 mg/mL
30-120mL
$0.02-$0.03
Lazarus Naturals Sleep + Melatonin Capsules
Full spectrum
$18-$50
500-2,000mg
30 mg
10-40 capsules
$0.03-$0.04
Passion flower, lemon balm, melatonin
CBDfx CBD Oil Sleep Tincture
Broad spectrum
$70-$150
1,000-4,000mg
25 mg
30-120mL
$0.04-$0.06
Medterra Sleep Tight gummies
Isolate
$46-$106
750-1,500mg
25-50mg
30-60 gummies
$0.05
Chamomile, passionflower, lemon balm, L-theanine, melatonin, 5-HTP

To help us understand a little bit more about each company, too, we’ve put together a chart breaking down some of the other important information:

CBDistilleryLazarus NaturalsCBDfxMedterra
U.S. Hemp Authority certified?
Subscription savings?
Assistance program?Veterans, long-term disability, and low incomeStudents, military, and long-term disability
Return policy30 days90 days60 days30 days
Shipping costsFree over $75, otherwise variableFree over $50, otherwise $5Free over $75, otherwise $4.89Free over $75, otherwise $4.49

What is CBD?

CBD is a major cannabinoid closely related to (and often found alongside) THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the high from consuming marijuana. CBD is one of over 140 phytocannabinoids, the main compounds found in the cannabis plant. However, CBD won’t get you high like THC will. It’s extracted from hemp, a type of cannabis plant grown with a very low THC content (below 0.3%).

There are several different ways you might consume CBD, and each one has its own benefits and disadvantages. Some of the most popular ways to take CBD include:

  • Oils and tinctures
  • Capsules and softgels
  • Gummies, chocolates, and other edibles
  • Creams, balms, roll-on oils, and other topicals
  • Vapes and flower

Generally speaking, CBD oils and tinctures are going to be your most effective option — you’ll need a smaller amount of CBD to feel the effects, though it may take longer for those effects to kick in than something like a balm or salve. However, oils (especially full-spectrum oils, which we’ll discuss later) tend to have very strong flavors; even though some companies will add flavorings to their CBD oil, it doesn’t always mask the bitter, earthy flavor of natural hemp. The natural flavor of hemp is polarizing — some love it, while others hate it.

If you’re in the latter camp, we suggest opting for a softgel. CBD is hydrophobic, meaning it doesn’t bind to water and is more difficult for our bodies to absorb, so it’s mixed with a carrier oil like MCT coconut oil before we take it. Softgels maintain that oil base, so we prefer them over capsules full of dry product.

Rapid onset isn’t as important when you’re taking CBD to help you sleep (especially compared to something like anxiety or arthritis pain), so taking something orally is no big deal. We don’t recommend topical CBD for sleep, as researchers are mixed on whether or not topical CBD makes it into your bloodstream to provide systemic effects. That’s important since topical application mostly quiets pain receptors close to the skin called nociceptors; if your pain is keeping you awake, a topical CBD may help, but it won’t fix your insomnia.

And we don’t recommend vaping or smoking anything, in general, because of the potentially hazardous effects on your health over the long term. Not only that but inhaling tends to produce results that are more rapid in onset but also shorter in duration — not what you want for a full night’s sleep.

You can take CBD oil in one of two ways:

  1. Sublingual: Placing CBD under the tongue, usually in oil. This is considered the best method because of its efficient absorption, fast onset (10-40 minutes), and relatively long-lasting effects (4-6 hours).
  2. Oral: Swallowing CBD and absorbing it after digestion. Although this method is the most convenient and has the longest-lasting effects (anywhere from 4-8 hours), it's also the least efficient because of its low absorption. Gummies, softgels, and capsules also use oral administration.

For more information about CBD in general, you can check out our guide that covers everything you need to know.

What do we know about CBD and sleep?

There’s surprisingly little research looking at CBD’s effects on sleep. Much of this research comes alongside investigations into anxiety and uses small populations for short periods of time. Right now, it seems like CBD can improve sleep quality by addressing underlying problems like chronic pain and anxiety, while also directly supporting sleep.

CBD, anxiety, and pain

One of the things CBD is best at is anxiety reduction. Our bodies naturally make cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids, or endogenous cannabinoids) like anandamide, an anxiety-lowering compound. Consequently, we have two kinds of cannabinoid receptors throughout our bodies: CB1, which is primarily found in the brain, and CB2, which is more scattered but tends to cluster in immune tissue.

CBD binds to both CB1 and serotonin receptors. CB1 receptors in the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and your fight-or-flight response, are particularly sensitive. When it activates these receptors, CBD reduces the tendency for your amygdala to flip into a fight-or-flight response, lowering overall anxiety levels. Likewise, CBD interacts with 5-HT1a receptors, which are directly implicated in that same feedback loop that drives anxiety. (This happens in similar ways to the anti-anxiety medication Buspirone.) Researchers are fairly certain that CBD has anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects.

A membrane channel in our cells, called TRPV1, is also blocked by CBD. When TRPV1 opens, it tells the nerve to send a signal to the brain that we’re experiencing pain. TRPV1 is particularly associated with spiciness from capsaicin (a component of chili peppers) but can also be linked to other kinds of pain. When CBD blocks TRPV1, it keeps it from sending that signal and telling our body we’re in pain when we may not be.

When it comes to sleep, both of these concepts come into play. CBD capsules improved sleep in chronic pain patients who were taking opioid painkillers in 2019. That same year, a study found that patients with PTSD were more likely to experience fewer PTSD-related nightmares after taking CBD to calm other symptoms.

One problem with CBD for sleep is that it typically doesn’t last long enough to keep you sleeping through the night. One interesting study from 2021 tried a novel approach — time-release cannabinoids. A repeat-action tablet (a time-release drug that releases two doses, one initially and one later) with 10mg THC and 5mg CBN improved sleep quality in medical cannabis users. Though this study would need to be repeated with CBD to really show it has potential, it’s an interesting idea that could ultimately circumvent some of the big problems in the field.

For more information, check out our guide to the best CBD for anxiety and the best CBD for arthritis. If you struggle with high anxiety or pain levels that keep you awake at night, we have more precise recommendations on what products to pick for you there.

CBD and sleep disorders

Clinical research suggests that CBD seems to work better on clinical sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and narcolepsy, than run-of-the-mill insomnia. These results generally come from animal models, so more research is necessary to see how it works in humans, but there are a few unique situations that seem to work.

You might be familiar with another sleep disorder called REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). It’s similar to very intense sleepwalking, characterized by the patient acting out vivid dreams during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, involving vocalizing and potentially violent arm and leg movement. A 2014 study of four people with RBD reported reduced symptoms after taking CBD. Plus, a follow-up 2021 placebo-controlled study also reported improved sleep satisfaction.

CBD as a sedative and wakefulness agent

CBD can act as a sedative at higher doses. For example, one older study of insomniacs found that 160 mg doses of CBD increased sleep duration. Safety studies also mention sedation and sleepiness as side effects of CBD at high doses, particularly for CBD isolate.

Conversely, low doses of CBD may actually have the opposite effect: increased wakefulness. Since people who sleep poorly often feel tired the next day, this can also be beneficial, but for different reasons.

While CBD may help with insomnia and other sleep issues in a variety of ways, more high-quality research on both CBD and the endocannabinoid system’s role in sleep is needed to better understand CBD’s potential.

What kinds of CBD products are there?

CBD sleep products are available in a wide variety of forms, including oils, gummies, capsules, and drink mixes. Although CBD oil is generally the most cost-effective option, you might have bigger concerns than your wallet. If that’s the case, check out the handy table below to see how the different options measure up.

AdvantagesDisadvantagesCost-effectiveness
Oils and tincturesHigh absorption, long-lasting effects, easy dosage controlNot as simple as other methodsHigh
Gummies and other ediblesConvenience, pleasant taste, long-lasting effectsLow absorption, effects take 30-120 minutes to kick inAverage
Capsules and softgelsConvenience, long-lasting effects, softgels have better absorption than gummiesLow absorption, effects take 30-120 minutes to kick inAverage
Vape pens and e-liquidsHigh absorption, instant effectsShortest-lasting effects, safety concernsAverage

Because CBD vapes can still cause lung damage, we won’t be recommending them here.

Product formula

What goes into CBD is just as important as how you get it into you. Not all CBD products are made of the same quality ingredients. And when using CBD to help you sleep, most of the truly beneficial products designed to help fight insomnia contain additional active ingredients to make them more effective than CBD-only formulas.

The three most popular added ingredients are:

  • Melatonin: A sleep hormone that’s considered one of the safest and most reliable sleep aids. Melatonin is made from serotonin, which CBD improves similarly to antidepressants if you struggle with low serotonin levels.
  • Cannabinol (CBN): A minor cannabinoid similar to CBD that’s touted for its sleep-promoting effects, formed when you expose CBD to heat and light. There hasn’t been much quality research on CBN, so experts are still unsure of what exactly it does. But it is currently classified as a minor cannabinoid, so it likely plays into the entourage effect, if it does anything at all — researchers are skeptical that it even has cannabinoid-like effects. Most studies that suggest CBN can improve sleep cite one study from 1995 on mice.
  • Other botanicals: Valerian root and chamomile, lemon balm, passion flower, hops (yes, the ones used to make beer), and L-theanine are all popular additions to CBD blends for sleep. Not all of these botanicals are created equally, and valerian root is generally your best bet for improved sleep.

We’ll discuss these ingredients in more depth later, as they’re often sold as their own supplements to help you sleep. You might find that CBD isn’t the right step to help you sleep, as it tends to promote deeper, more restorative sleep but doesn’t help you fall asleep faster.

Generally speaking, we recommend choosing a product with some of these additional ingredients, especially if you’ve tried and liked them before. For example, if you’ve already used melatonin and found it helpful, looking for a CBD product with added melatonin is a good idea.

Type of CBD

Your CBD will contain one of three different types of CBD:

  • Isolate: Pure CBD without any other hemp compounds like THC.
  • Full-spectrum: Whole-plant extract containing all of hemp’s cannabinoids, terpenes, and other beneficial natural compounds.
  • Broad-spectrum: Similar to full-spectrum, but with THC removed (to undetectable levels).

We consider full-spectrum CBD the best option for most people because it’s the most likely to give you the benefits of the entourage effect. If you can’t have THC, stick with broad-spectrum CBD. Our testers noted that it took much less of the full-spectrum CBD to achieve the same results as a CBD isolate when they tried all three kinds of CBD. CBD isolate is also the most likely to induce negative side effects because of its purity and the higher likelihood you’ll need a bigger dose.

Is CBD safe?

Researchers consider CBD a safe substance. It’s non-intoxicating, non-addictive, and tolerated well, even at extremely high dosages. However, CBD can have mild side effects, such as:

  • Tiredness and sleepiness
  • Diarrhea and nausea
  • Low blood pressure
  • Lightheadedness
  • Changes in appetite or weight

Of course, the tiredness and sleepiness that CBD can induce are actually what we aim for when using CBD to help us sleep. It’s why experts use high doses of CBD in studies looking at how CBD affects sleep. At lower doses, it can ease anxiety, which in turn can help us sleep.

Essentially, CBD is overwhelmingly safe for most healthy adults who aren’t taking other medications (see below).

Liver enzymes and CBD

The only group who should be cautious about using CBD are those who take other medications that warn you to not eat grapefruit while you’re taking them. This is because CBD and grapefruit interact with liver enzymes called cytochrome P450 enzymes, which break down those medications, and stop the liver enzymes from working properly. Unfortunately, cytochrome P450 enzymes metabolize almost half of all prescription medications.

If you take any of these medications, it isn’t a good idea to try CBD:

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Protease inhibitors
  • Anti-infectives
  • Statins
  • Antidepressants
  • Blood thinners
  • Oral contraceptives
  • Antipsychotics

While our list isn’t comprehensive, you can check out Indiana University’s School of Medicine’s more comprehensive table of drug interactions. However, if your medication is broken down by cytochrome P450 enzymes, there will almost certainly be a notice on your medication bottle. If you have questions about whether or not taking CBD will affect any of your prescriptions, check with your doctor or pharmacy first.

Who might benefit most from CBD for sleep?

If you wake up repeatedly in the middle of the night, CBD may be a great option to help you stay asleep. It’s important to stay asleep in the middle of the night because every time you wake up, you’re pulled out of a sleep cycle and need to restart it, keeping you from reaching truly restful deep and REM sleep. Since waking up in the middle of the night is often correlated with high anxiety or stress levels, this is a particularly good niche — CBD also lowers anxiety levels directly. If your anxiety keeps you up at night, CBD will still help.

Likewise, if you wake up still feeling tired, CBD may help you feel refreshed in the morning. It seems to be the best at improving sleep quality. Poor sleep quality is a nebulous term that means you’re getting less sleep overall, getting less REM sleep specifically, or dealing with a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. While you shouldn’t take CBD to try and treat something like sleep apnea, a high dose of CBD can help you sleep longer and more effectively.

There’s some evidence (like the previous study) that CBD can help you fall asleep, but it mostly depends on how much you take and how susceptible you are to feeling drowsy from CBD. That’s why taking so much CBD is necessary — higher doses mean you’re more likely to induce side effects. Taking a CBD supplement with melatonin may help you fall asleep faster, depending on the underlying reason why you’re struggling to sleep.

However, it’s not as good of an option for people who wake up too early in the morning and can’t fall back asleep. CBD can make you drowsy, but unless you sleep six or fewer hours a night (which is not enough for your best health and can lead to a sleep debt), its effects won’t last long enough to keep you asleep early in the morning.

Long-term research on CBD’s effects on sleep is still severely lacking, so we don’t know if taking CBD can improve your sleep long-term. For now, it’s best if you’re dealing with something like situational anxiety or jet lag that will eventually pass.

CBDistillery

Best overall and strongest option

Pros

  • Very high potency options
  • High CBN ratio in CBN+CBD tincture
  • Relatively low cost per milligram
  • Longer-than-average return policy (60 days)
  • No taste, despite strength
  • Some products are U.S. Hemp Authority certified

Cons

  • Website can be difficult to navigate
  • No measurement lines on droppers
  • No flavored options
  • Limited range of CBN+CBD potencies

CBDistillery has a huge catalog of just about every CBD product you can imagine: oils, gummies, capsules, balms, dog treats, and even drink mix powders. It makes our top-choice CBD product for sleep in 2024 — a tincture called Sleep Synergy.

We do have some complaints broadly about CBDistillery. The company’s online catalog is not particularly easy to navigate; it’s difficult to sort through and filter, and every product is listed separately, even when it’s two different strengths of the same product. Plus, not all of CBDistillery’s products are U.S. Hemp Authority certified — look out for the orange H symbol in the top left-hand corner of the product image to ensure it’s certified. (The full-spectrum CBD tincture is certified, but our favorite, the Sleep Synergy CBN+CBD 1:3 Tincture, is not.)

CBDistillery doesn’t have an assistance program like many of our favorite companies, but they do have a rewards program, and you can save 30% on all orders by joining the subscription program (which is easy to modify or cancel). It’s worth it to save the $9 you’d be charged for shipping alone for purchases less than $75, and you can choose how often you’d like to have a new box delivered:

  • 4 weeks
  • 6 weeks
  • 8 weeks
  • 10 weeks
  • 12 weeks

With a longer-than-average 60-day satisfaction guarantee, it’s worth a shot if you can afford to put up the capital to try some of the company’s products. All Certificates of Analysis are easy to find, read, and understand from each individual product page, too.

Sleep Synergy CBN+CBD 1:3 Tincture

The best CBD product for sleep, in our opinion, is CBDistillery’s sleep synergy tincture. Where it really seems to make a profound difference is in the quality of sleep.

When our testers first tried this tincture, they were a little unimpressed. They tried it after Lazarus Naturals’ Full-Spectrum, High Potency Tincture, which had a strong calming and soothing effect within half an hour. Our insomniac testers didn’t feel much while they were awake, and they didn’t have an easier time falling asleep, but they woke up ready to rave about this product. One noted that it was like they slept for twice as long as they actually had. While researchers still aren’t sure about CBN’s true potential as a cannabinoid for sleep, this product certainly helped us dramatically improve our sleep quality. Given the protective return policy, we highly recommend trying it.

This full-spectrum tincture combines a 3:1 ratio of CBD to cannabinol (CBN). It’s available in two strengths:

Regular StrengthExtra Strength
CBD content450mg900mg
CBN content150mg300mg
Cost (one-time)$60.00$100
Cost (subscription)$42$70

Ultimately, this tincture costs between 8-10 cents per milligram of cannabinoids, which is on the more expensive side for a tincture. However, given the high ratio of CBN and the success our testers found, we think this higher price is worth it.

Note, though, that the droppers for all CBDistillery tinctures don’t have measurement lines, so it’s difficult to accurately state whether or not you’re getting the same amount of CBD every time.

Full Spectrum CBD Oil Tincture

If you’re someone who needs a particularly potent CBD dose to help you stay asleep, we recommend CBDistillery’s 5,000mg tincture. Although it doesn’t contain any additional sleep ingredients or minor cannabinoids, it’s one of the strongest full-spectrum CBD oils on the market, providing 167 mg of CBD per dose (1mL). In comparison, most CBD oils contain no more than 50-83 mg/mL, and even Lazarus Naturals’ high-potency oil only gives you 50mg/mL.

However, the biggest downside of this oil is that it costs a lot upfront. Be prepared to pay $240 for a one-time order or $168 if you join their subscription program (which we strongly recommend to save yourself $72 for the price of a few more clicks after your package arrives). It also only comes unflavored at this potency; the mango and seasonal flavors that CBDistillery offers for the full-spectrum oil only come in 1,000mg and 2,500mg sizes.

Lazarus Naturals

Best budget option (oil) and best capsule

Pros

  • Low price
  • Easy to dose
  • Multiple oil sizes and flavors
  • Comprehensive Certificate of Analysis
  • Uses USDA-certified organic hemp

Cons

  • Hemp taste in unflavored oil can be strong
  • No medium oil potencies
  • Fewer oil sizes than last year
  • Low dose of lemon balm

Lazarus Naturals is one of our favorite companies because it balances extremely low prices with high-quality USDA-certified organic hemp. The employee-owned company grows its own hemp, which is likely how it keeps prices so low, and oversees every part of the production process.

In particular, the company’s full-spectrum, high-potency CBD oil tincture is one of our all-time favorite products. (You’ll see it show up again and again in our CBD guides, but you just can’t balance quality and price better.) Here, too, it’s a great fit for helping you sleep — you’ll get 50mg CBD in each 1mL serving, meaning it’s easy to take very large doses to help you stay asleep. But because it’s a tincture, it’s also easy to dial your dosage back to 25mg, for instance, if you find 50mg is too strong. The company’s Sleep + Melatonin capsules are another favorite of ours; previously, we recommended the sleep-only capsules, but the addition of melatonin transforms the product.

Each product batch has its own Certificate of Analysis, providing an extremely comprehensive walk-through on everything from terpenes to residual solvents from the extraction process. It’s long but very worth it to flip through if you’re curious about what you’re consuming.

Lazarus Naturals doesn’t offer any subscriptions or bulk deals, which isn’t unheard of in the CBD sphere but is something we would’ve liked to see. However, if you are a veteran, living in a low-income household, or have a disability, you can get 60% off through the company’s assistance program. Shipping is $5 for all orders under $50, which is on the lower side of average. Also, Lazarus Naturals has a return policy three times longer than average (90 days rather than 30), so you’ll have plenty of time to try your CBD before returning it if it doesn’t work for you. When we ordered from Lazarus Naturals, the package arrived in a discreet cardboard box in three days.

Full-spectrum, high-potency tincture

This tincture comes in one potency: 50mg/mL. This isn’t the most powerful CBD on the market (that title goes to CBDistillery for its 167mg/serving full-spectrum oil), but it doesn’t have to be. It centers itself around the entourage effect and the fact that it costs half as much as CBDistillery’s alternative.

This tincture comes in three flavors (classic/unflavored, chocolate mint, and strawberry lemonade). When our testers tried this tincture, they noted that it had a particularly strong earthy, bitter, and somewhat floral taste — something akin to intense dark chocolate. The Certificate of Analysis for their batch pointed out that the primary terpene is farnesene, which is found in green apple skins and known for its bitter, earthy taste. They think the strawberry lemonade flavor complements the natural hemp taste best, but you may want to go for the chocolate mint if you dislike the taste of hemp. Previously, Lazarus Naturals offered a French vanilla mocha flavor, but it was replaced with strawberry lemonade this year.

There are currently two bottle sizes you can choose from for this tincture: 30mL and 120mL. In the last year, the company has also removed two bottle sizes (15mL and 60mL). We wish that there was still an option to pick something between a large and a small bottle, but for the price, you’ll still be able to get a good deal.

A 30mL bottle (1,500mg CBD) costs $40, and a 120mL bottle (6,000mg CBD) costs $120. This might look like a lot at first, but remember that CBDistillery’s 5,000mg CBD bottle costs $240. It’s an extremely affordable alternative for people who need a lot of CBD to keep them sleeping through the night.

Sleep + Melatonin Capsules

Lazarus Naturals offers sleep capsules with 50mg of cannabinoids and a few other ingredients. This isn’t the only capsule for sleep that Lazarus Naturals makes; the other sleep capsule was our previous recommendation for the best capsule, but upon further investigation, this capsule’s 5mg melatonin makes a big difference in the formula’s quality. While we generally prefer softgels for CBD pills because of CBD’s hydrophobic properties, the capsule form makes sense in this case, given the rest of the ingredients.

In each serving (one capsule), you’ll find:

  • Full-spectrum CBD: 30mg
  • CBG: 10mg
  • CBN: 10mg
  • Lemon balm: 20mg
  • Passion flower: 60mg
  • Melatonin: 5mg

This is more melatonin than most other CBD products add, but it’s still in line with experts’ recommendations on how much you can take safely for effective sleep regulation. However, its lemon balm dose is a little low compared to things like Medterra’s Sleep Tight gummies, which provide 50mg of lemon balm. Research is not as confident about lemon balm’s sleep-inducing capabilities as it is about passion flower’s, so it’s better that Lazarus Naturals leans more heavily on passion flowers in this blend. 30mg of CBD is a little low for a Lazarus Naturals product but is higher than the average gummy or capsule will provide.

You can get a pack of 10 capsules for $18 or 40 for $50. That works out to $1.80 or $1.25 per capsule, respectively, or 2.5-4 cents per milligram of cannabinoids. Considering all of the additional ingredients in this formula, that’s a steal; capsules and softgels that just contain CBD often cost closer to 5-7 cents per milligram of cannabinoids.

CBDfx

Best THC-free option

Pros

  • Contains sizable amount of melatonin
  • Broad-spectrum CBD still introduces entourage effect, just without THC
  • Range of strengths
  • Vegan and cruelty-free
  • Longer than average return policy (60 days)

Cons

  • Tincture is thicker than average and looks a little off-putting
  • No subscription program or serious discounts
  • No flavored options

CBDfx’s Sleep Tincture is a straightforward oil with some added bonuses. It’s a THC-free product, but CBDfx has added both CBN and a 10mg terpene complex to compliment the broad-spectrum hemp extract’s entourage effect. Plus, each serving contains 5mg of melatonin, which should be a good amount for most people to drift off to sleep.

This oil comes in three bottle sizes:

  • 1,000mg (30 servings)
  • 2,000mg (60 servings)
  • 4,000mg (120 servings)

No matter what size bottle you get, you’ll still get 33mg CBD, 5mg CBN, 10mg terpene complex, and 5mg melatonin. It’s fairly straightforward, and this oil is particularly good to take sublingually, as melatonin absorbs best under the tongue too. However, as CBDfx’s medical reviewer notes, the oil itself looks a little off-putting. It’s thicker than your average CBD oil and is a white, somewhat milky texture. It’s supposed to look like that — while it’s very different from most CBD oils, it’s a little easier to draw up and measure in the dosage dropper. This oil is only available in an unflavored form.

CBDfx doesn’t have a subscription program or an assistance program for people who might need CBD but can’t afford it, which is a little disappointing. You can at least split your purchase into four payments with Sezzle or Klarna, but that’s not the same as a discount outright.

Here’s how much each bottle size costs:

  • 1,000mg: $69.99
  • 2,000mg: $99.99
  • 4,000mg: $149.99

When broken down into milligrams of cannabinoids, this CBD oil costs 4-6 cents per milligram, depending on the bottle size. That’s about average for a CBD oil. You can get free shipping on orders over $75, but if you only order a 1,000mg bottle, you’ll pay $4.89 for shipping. CBDfx does have the second longest return policy on our list at 60 days, so if you don’t like your CBD oil, you can send it back within two months of placing the order. Plus, the Certificates of Analyses (listed in order of recency) are comprehensive and very easy to access from the product page.

Ultimately, the added melatonin and terpene here make this CBD oil stand out as a very good choice for people who want to avoid any trace of THC.

Medterra

Best gummies

Pros

  • Multiple beneficial ingredients to help you fall asleep
  • Vegan gummies
  • U.S. Hemp Authority certified
  • Thorough Certificates of Analysis

Cons

  • Some people report grogginess the morning after
  • 5-HTP makes this unsafe for more people
  • Uses CBD isolate, not full-spectrum
  • Only one flavor

Many people prefer to use CBD gummies for sleep instead of oils or other products. While gummies aren’t our favorite option — we prefer softgels if you aren’t interested in taking oil because it preserves the most CBD for absorption in your digestive tract — Medterra’s CBD & Melatonin Sleep Tight gummies have an astonishingly good blend of additional ingredients that we’re willing to make an exception.

These gummies were recently reformulated (and re-flavored), combining CBD isolate with several other sleep aids:

  • Melatonin: 3mg
  • Chamomile: 50mg
  • L-theanine: 100mg
  • Passionflower extract: 40mg
  • 5-HTP (the chemical precursor to serotonin): 10mg
  • Lemon balm: 50mg

These are all excellent ingredients with a lot of scientific backing. Melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate our circadian rhythms, is present in a solid dose. Passionflower has been used as a mild sedative by boosting levels of GABA in the brain. Most recently, Medterra added 50mg of lemon balm to give the formula a boost. In fact, it’s such a powerful combination that some reviewers report still feeling groggy the next morning. Given the fact that Medterra’s 25mg Keep Calm gummies were extremely potent for even our most anxious reviewers, we’d recommend starting with a 25mg gummy unless you know you have a high tolerance.

This gummy comes in two potencies — 25mg and 50mg — and a blackberry lemonade flavor, and you can purchase it one time or join Medterra’s subscription program for 30% off.

Insider Tip: Be sure to make an account before joining the subscription program to be able to manage (and cancel) your subscription with ease later.

Here’s how much you can expect to pay for each option:

One-timeSubscription
25mg, 30 count$45.99$32.19
25mg, 60 count$69.99$49
50mg, 30 count$69.99$49
50mg, 60 count$106$74

At about five cents per mg of CBD, these gummies cost less than a lot of other CBD gummies. Medterra also offers a discount on full-price products up to $250 for students, people with disabilities, and military personnel. You’ll earn free shipping on all orders over $75; otherwise, you’ll pay $4.49. Be aware that shipping is on the slow side; it took our testers nine business days to receive their package after ordering it. (It took about three for a package from Lazarus Naturals ordered on the same day.)

The company is certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority and links to the latest Certificate of Analysis for each of its products on the product page itself.

CBD for sleep FAQ

Alternatives to CBD for getting a good night’s sleep

Clinical research on CBD’s effects on sleep is still in its early stages. We don’t know a lot about how it works and who it might work best for. Even if you sound like the perfect candidate, there’s a chance that CBD might not help you sleep at all (or, worst case scenario, wake you up). Luckily, sleep problems are extremely common, and there are hundreds of other options you can try to improve your sleep.

Below, we’ll look at some of the most promising alternatives to help you fall asleep and stay asleep at night.

Amino acids and neurochemicals

We’ve already discussed how melatonin can regulate your circadian rhythm. (Medical experts generally recommend taking about 3mg as the sun sets to prime your body for sleep, but the lowest effective dose is the right dose; some people are knocked out by 1mg of melatonin and then have trouble waking up in the morning, while others need 10mg to sleep well.) However, there are a few other options sold as supplements that you can try to address sleeplessness at its source by decreasing anxiety levels. GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which also quiets anxiety. Much like CBD, researchers aren’t quite sure how GABA improves sleep quality, but one study found that people with insomnia have an average of 30% less GABA in their brains than those without. L-theanine, the primary amino acid in green tea, is also well-known for its calming effects. And 5-HTP, a precursor for tryptophan and serotonin, helped participants in one study fall asleep faster. However, 5-HTP is more likely than GABA or L-theanine to cause side effects, interact with medications, and generally cause problems.

Vitamins and minerals

Of all the vitamins, vitamin B12 has the most research backing up its potential to improve your sleep patterns. You might also find success with vitamin B6 and magnesium, especially magnesium glycinate. One study found that giving people with moderate insomnia a supplement with magnesium, melatonin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 improved participants' insomnia after three months. Considering B vitamins are important for cellular energy, you’re likely to experience higher energy levels with supplementation if you’re deficient in B vitamins, regardless of how it affects your sleep. Magnesium can also decrease your cortisol levels, which are stress-linked and highest upon waking up.

Botanicals

Like amino acids and neurochemicals, botanical and herbal supplements generally address anxiety and promote drowsiness. You’re likely familiar with two of the most common herbs — valerian root and chamomile, associated with sleepy tea and relaxation through mechanisms similar to GABA — but ashwagandha may also lower your anxiety enough to help you sleep. When our testers tried ashwagandha, they found that it made them much less anxious and then particularly drowsy about four hours after taking it, so taking a Shoden or KSM-66 ashwagandha supplement before bed might help you fall asleep and stay asleep. However, ashwagandha isn’t a good option for you if you have thyroid problems.

Prescription medications

Sleep deprivation is a serious problem and can lead to a host of other long-term health problems, including a higher risk of cardiac and metabolic problems. If nothing’s working for you, then it’s past time to reach out to your doctor. There are many different prescription medications that can help induce sleep, including anti-anxiety medications, like Ativan or Halcion; sedative-hypnotic sleep aids, like Ambien; tricyclic antidepressants, like trazodone; and even some antihistamines, like hydroxyzine. Your doctor may also test you for more serious sleep disorders using polysomnography, which is a sleep test used to diagnose disorders by recording your brain waves and other vital signs like your breathing rate while you sleep.

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