Support restorative sleep with CBD

#TeamRed coach Matt Weitz, who takes a science-based approach to training and nutrition to prepare physique athletes for the competitive stage, believes that sleep is the most under-utilised tool to support recovery.

“Lack of sleep can affect makers of inflammation, mood and functioning, as well as your training performance,” explains Matt.

“Getting enough quality sleep, which can be up to 9 hours a night, is paramount to your functioning throughout the day and your training as an athlete.”

It’s during this vital period at night when your exercise, diet and supplement plans come together to deliver the benefits you’re after by supporting recovery and adaptations to exercise, like muscle growth.

The processes that happens while we sleep also supports cognitive and immune function and enhances overall health. When it comes to supporting better sleep, coach Matt recommends using a product like Biogen CBD Sleep.

Truly restorative sleep happens with the right combination of quantity (7 to 9 hours a night) and quality, which requires sufficient time in each sleep phase.

A good night of sleep includes a series of 90-minute cycles. During each sleep cycle, your brain moves from deep, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep phase to REM sleep and light sleep.

While the duration of every subsequent sleep cycle generally remains constant at 90 minutes, the ratio of non-REM to REM sleep changes. Ideally, you should spend 60-90 minutes a night in the deep sleep phase.

And it is the early stages between 8 pm and 12 am when you typically experience the most restorative sleep, as this is when you generally get most of the deep non-REM and REM sleep you need to support the muscle repair and growth process.

A lack of sufficient sleep – either total time spent asleep or insufficient time spent in each phase (or both) – can impact our health and bodies, affecting our mental and physical performance in various ways.

Sleep deprivation affects immune and brain function and negatively impacts various aspects of our physiology as biological processes that happen while we sleep restore the immune, nervous, endocrine (hormonal) and muscular systems. Our bodies also need adequate sleep to recover from stress.

Chronic sleep debt can impact our hormonal system, which can blunt insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to weight gain and decrease levels of important muscle-building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone.

Levels of stress hormones like cortisol also rise. Elevated cortisol levels can break down muscle, increase fat storage, accelerate bone loss, and may harden arteries, which can cause hypertension.

Compliant cannabidiol (CBD) products like Biogen CBD Sleep can help to reduce anxiousness and calm your mind to promote better, more restful sleep.

CBD, a natural active non-psychoactive compound found in the resinous flower of the cannabis or hemp plant, exerts an effect on the endocannabinoid system, which increases natural cannabinoid production.

These compounds then bind with endocannabinoid receptors (there are two types – CB1 and CB2) in our body. The effect of CBD on CB1 receptors located in the brain can positively impact our sleep by calming the mind to promote restfulness and decrease feelings of anxiousness. In addition, CBD can increase serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

Biogen CBD Sleep is also a source of antioxidants, which may help to reduce the inflammation caused by a lack of sleep.

To comply with local regulations and remain exempt from scheduling, all products in South Africa intended for general health enhancement or maintenance or relief from minor symptoms unrelated to a disease or disorder must contain a maximum daily dose of 20 mg of CBD.