Delta-8 has been making its rounds as we expected it to. In fact, it’s making a KILLING nationwide, so chances are, you’ve heard of the minor cannabinoid and what it can do by now. Popular among smoke shops and wellness enthusiasts alike, Delta-8 THC is the legal way to get high. And as you can imagine, that’s just one of many reasons it’s become so popular.
But what else can you use Delta-8 for beyond just getting high? For example, can you use Delta-8 for rest in a similar fashion to CBD or even Delta-9 THC? We want to dive into Delta-8’s potential for relaxation. Let’s explore everything about this form of THC and do our best to answer the question: does Delta-8 help you get a good night’s rest?
What Is Delta-8?
We’ve explored this topic in-depth in other blogs, and even in a separate section on our platform. If you’d like to look at a more detailed explanation, you can read up on what Delta-8 is here. As a quick summary, Delta-8 THC is a THC derivative found in incredibly small percentages within the hemp plant.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp and all of its derivatives that contain 0.3% Delta-9 THC or less, and Delta-8 THC falls within this category. This makes it a fully legal form of THC, and as such, it’s become widely accessible over the past year. Delta-8, like any other form of THC, is a psychoactive compound that can get you high, though the high is less potent and is believed to keep you more in control and alert.
In fact, many users report not experiencing the all-too-familiar adverse side effects that are often associated with standard Delta-9 THC, such as paranoia.
Does Delta-8 Help You Rest?
Just like any other cannabis compound, Delta-8 has the potential to impact the mind and body’s natural rhythms through the endocannabinoid system. Our circadian rhythm is included in this, which is why there is some speculation that Delta-8 may be able to influence your rest. But is using Delta-8 for rest effective? The answer is — it could be.
Many users who take Delta-8 report a feeling of relaxation, which may contribute to getting a better night’s rest. But we still want to take a closer look at how such a compound may impact our resting process.
Delta-8’s Potential Efficacy For Better Rest
We know that CBD, or cannabidiol, has been studied for its potential as a natural resting aid. CBD is non-psychoactive and is believed to produce calming effects in the user, which may make it easier to fall and stay rested throughout the night. It may even be able to significantly influence your circadian rhythm through interaction with the endocannabinoid system.
We know that CBD shares a lot in common with Delta-9 THC and other cannabinoids found in hemp — including Delta-8. So, does that mean Delta-8 can help you rest? According to the National Cancer Institute, Delta-8 THC may bind twice with the endocannabinoid receptors found in the nervous system. This may play a role in calming down processes like hectic mental activity, rapid heart rate, or unsteady breathing. By extension, it would seem that there may be potential to use Delta-8 for rest — or relaxation, at the very least.
With this in mind, it makes sense that Delta-8 might be able to promote rest and ease your circadian rhythm. Unfortunately, research on Delta-8 as a potential rest aid is still limited at this time. We look forward to a near future where we can get easier access to important research on this subject. Further clinical trials on human participants are a must.
How to Use Delta-8 Effectively
No matter what your reasons for using Delta-8 are, it’s important to understand how to get the most out of your experience. Before we dive further in, keep in mind that we’re not giving any medical advice here. Always consult a medical professional before adding new elements to your daily routine, especially when taking prescription medications.
While Delta-8 is newer to the market than most other hemp-based products, it’s certainly made a name for itself. We can see through users that get to try it that this compound has the potential to enhance multiple facets in life — a good night’s rest included. There are a few tips to optimize your Delta-8 use for relaxation, though.
1. Combine with Other Relaxing Ingredients
Some Delta-8 brands will combine their products with other ingredients that are believed to produce feelings of relaxation. The most common among these are lavender and melatonin, though other compounds may be used.
Lavender is a powerful flower that may be able to increase the amount of rest you get overall. Studies suggest that it has the potential to ease everyday worries, and it may be able to promote and stimulate stage-2 rest. Stage-2 rest is when we transfer short-term memories into long-term ones through dreaming. It’s also the stage when we’re most vulnerable to waking up or being disturbed from our slumber. Using lavender for aromatherapy while taking Delta-8 THC may enhance your feelings of relaxation overall.
Likewise, melatonin is known far and wide for its potential to regulate the rest-wake cycle. It’s occasionally recommended for users with jet lag and other disruptions to the nighttime rest cycle. Those disruptions, which are most prevalent when users are in stage-2, may be lessened even further with a powerful combination of melatonin, lavender, and Delta-8.
If you’re looking to enhance your relaxation with Delta-8, several of our vape cartridges and disposable vapes feature indica-dominant strains, containing terpenes and other defining characteristics that are believed to imbue feelings of calm. F.P. OG and Purple Punch, for example, have long been classified as indica strains based on their potential to mellow you out with a relaxing body buzz.
2. Find the Right Potency & Dosage
As with any cannabis product, it’s important to find the strength of Delta-8 that best suits your needs. Our products come in a variety of milligram strengths, as everyone processes cannabinoids differently. Some products may work for your partner but do nothing for you, while others may be too intense for you to handle right away.
Finding the ideal strength for you and your needs before you dive into a Delta-8 THC regimen is key. The best advice to find your ideal serving size is to start low and slow. Building up your tolerance over time is one of the most reliable, consistent ways you can use Delta-8 THC. This will help you find your perfect potency level over the course of a few weeks.
3. Planning Out Your Dosing Times
When you take Delta-8 is just as important as how much you’re taking. If you’re exploring Delta-8’s potential for good rest, you’re going to want to time your dosage properly. You’ll want the effects to peak around the time you want to go to bed, so try to enjoy it in the evening or at night.
This will take some time to perfect, especially since you’ll have to learn how long it takes you to feel the effects of Delta-8 THC. We recommend playing around with it for the first few weeks, so you can really optimize when you feel the climax of Delta-8’s effects.
4. Combine Delta-8 with Other Cannabinoids
As we touched on earlier, it is believed that cannabis — in general — may have the potential to help with rest. Other cannabinoids, like CBD, have been studied for their potential to produce3 calming effects and have reputations for stimulating relaxation, reducing worry, and much more.
When you combine Delta-8 with these other cannabinoids, you have the potential to create a synergistic effect between them. This synergy, better known as the entourage effect, can influence how the cannabinoids work within your body. It can be a great way to get the most of Delta-8’s potential for rest, as you’ll be combining the possible benefits of all the cannabinoids you’re using as opposed to one or two.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, Delta-8 THC may have the potential to help some users with rest, but it’s more about finding the right routine than anything. Given enough time and patience, you may be able to experience all of the benefits that Delta-8 for a good night’s rest may have to offer.
