Because of its special psychotropic benefit, some people are faced with an odd concern: does CBD make you lazy? If so, would it therefore affect attitude when used in the daytime? To the average individual, it’s easy to assume CBD would definitely make you lazy, especially if you’re familiar with the restful, hyper-alert effects of the psychoactive substance found in marijuana, hashish or THC. However, for those who have a deeper understanding of the chemical compounds in plants, CBD presents an entirely different situation.

When asked what effects CBD can have on insomnia: Dr. Helen Thomas, a sleep disorder specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reveals that CBD has “limited effect” on insomnia and related sleep disorders. Her research indicates that CBD does not influence the level of drowsiness, fatigue or anxiety that can be associated with insomnia, and that it does nothing to affect daytime sleep. “There is one condition where CBD has a beneficial effect on sleep, but it is very short term and highly dependent on the patient’s lifestyle,” says Thomas. Her statement applies equally to CBD use as it does to use of other psychotropic drugs like ADHD drugs. This study supports the fact that the effects of CBD are limited to a specific set of symptoms and are, thus, not suitable for use by the general public.

However, does cbd really make you lazy? Does it have the same relaxing, sleep inducing properties found in natural remedy-based medications such as Valerian and Melatonin? Not necessarily. Although cbd is primarily obtained from the root of the cannabis plant, it can also be found in other natural remedy products that come from plants like the passion flower, lemon balm, kava, chamomile, ginseng, motherwort and many others. Some manufacturers even add CBD into teas and capsules. But, this is only true if the tea and capsule are taken from a reputable company and are made from pure, quality ingredients.

While we believe that the main active ingredient in CBD is THC: which is psychoactive in nature, CBD and THC are actually two types of the same plant compound. The primary difference between the two is that CBD has less of an impact on the body than does THC. Since CBD does not have the same “high” as does THC, people often confuse the two and assume that they are one in the same. But, although CBD has less of an effect on the body than does THC, studies show that patients who take CBD and who do not have ongoing insomnia do experience a decrease in sleepiness after taking the medication for two weeks. Therefore, we think that the question of “Does CBD make you lazy” can be answered by saying that it may slightly reduce the sleepiness that some people feel when they use marijuana, but then, again, the degree to which it reduces sleepiness is less than it is for THC.

One thing that does seem to be true about CBD: is that it does seem to have a calming effect on people who are under acute stress or anxiety. Research is still being done on whether or not CBD affects blood pressure and other heart-related problems in people. But, so far, it appears to at least lower blood pressure and perhaps anxiety. If this is true for people with chronic insomnia, using CBD oil may be a viable solution for people who are depressed and who want to eliminate their anxiety without using a more addictive prescription medication.

As with anything else: people should exercise due care when deciding which pharmaceutical or supplement is best for them. It is always a good idea to try several different things before deciding, and not to rely exclusively on one or two choices.

Remember that different substances cause different effects; therefore, they should not be relied on as a sole source of enlightenment on the subject of how does can make you sleepy.