Can CBD Body Rubs Make You Sleepy?

According to a 2022 study topical cannabis has anti-inflammatory, anti-itching, analgesic, wound healing effects on the skin. That’s why topical CBD including body rub is admired by athletes and fitness fanatics. 

Today, in this blog, we’ll explore whether CBD body rub can make you sleepy or not.

What Is CBD Body Rub?

CBD rubs typically refer to a topical product infused with cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from cannabis plants. It is mainly extracted from the leaves and flowers of hemp plants, a subspecies of cannabis sativa plants. Cultivation and distribution of hemp plants that contain 0.3% or less THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is federally legal in the USA.  

Body rubs are designed to be applied to the skin. These CBD-infused rubs offer many potential benefits. They help you feel calmer and more relaxed. Also, they provide skincare benefits including cleansing and moisturizing your skin. 

After a long tiresome day, applying body rubs can help destress your body and mind. Besides, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of CBD can soothe muscle soreness and muscle cramps. 

If you’re new to the world of CBD, take note that, CBD isn’t responsible for causing any psychoactive effects associated with THC/recreational marijuana. Though full-spectrum CBD products contain THC in trace amounts, it doesn’t induce mind-altering “high” feelings or “euphoria”. 

How Does CBD Rub Work?

CBD rub works by interacting with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The sensation of pleasure and pain are associated with ECS. This cell-signaling system in the body also regulates various physiological processes including eating, anxiety, learning, memory, reproduction, metabolism, growth, and development. 

ECS system has receptors throughout the body including the skin (one of the largest organs of the body). When you apply a CBD topical such as a body rub, to your skin, the CBD (cannabidiol) interacts with CB1 receptors in the skin’s ECS. 

Our skin is quite thick and CBD cannot make it to the bloodstream. However, this interaction still may help modulate pain perception, reduce inflammation, and influence other responses related to the skin. 

Can CBD Body Rubs Make You Sleepy?

CBD body rub doesn’t make you sleepy. They actually make you feel relaxed. However, this calmness and relaxation can eventually contribute to falling asleep. But they should not directly induce sleep or drowsiness. 

Besides, if you use higher doses or apply excessive CBD-infused rubs to the skin, it may lead to a little drowsiness depending on individual body chemistry. That’s why it is essential to start with a moderate dosage. 

In addition, full-spectrum CBD rubs not only contain pure CBD but also THC. THC and CBD have the same chemical formula but they affect differently. According to the Sleep Foundation, THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) may cause feel sleepy, relaxed, euphoric, or energized. However, this shouldn’t be the case when you apply CBD rubs on your skin. 

Still, there is a very small chance that topical CBD will directly make you feel sleepy. This depends on various factors such as dosage, THC levels, additional ingredients, potency, and medication interactions. 

Factors That Determine Whether CBD Body Rubs Can Cause Sleepiness

As we’ve said several factors may cause you to feel sleepy after using CBD topical body rub. First of all, CBD products are not regulated by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). This is why there is a possibility of using contaminated CBD products. 

On the other hand, body rubs infused with CBD may indirectly aid in drowsiness since they are pretty effective at making you feel calm and relaxed, and as you all know calm and relaxed mind tends to drift off more quickly. This sleepy feeling is in fact considered positive especially when you come home after a long hectic day of work. 

In this section, we’ll discuss the possible factors of CBD body rubs that may affect your sleep. 

#1: CBD Dosage

If you use optimal CBD dosage, it should not induce drowsiness. However, applying too much CBD may drain energy levels which in the end may cause fatigue. According to 2023 research, 20% experience sleepiness with continuous CBD usage, especially at moderate to high dosages (600mg per day). However, this percentage might be valid for orally consumed CBD. But topical CBD doesn’t enter the bloodstream. Therefore, it is most likely that the effects won’t be similar. 

#2: THC Level and Sleepiness

If THC is present in CBD topical products in significant amounts in full-spectrum CBD rubs, this may lead to sleepiness. Therefore, you should only purchase CBD from trustworthy CBD brands or manufacturers. It’s better if you check the third-party lab test result to learn what is in the jar. 

#3: CBD Body Rubs Chemical Ingredients

CBD body rubs also contain a variety of chemical and natural components. These extra components may indirectly aid in falling asleep. The most prevalent ingredients are essential oils (such as coconut oil, rosemary oil, or lavender oil), shea butter, beeswax, helichrysum, and camphor white. 

#4: CBD contamination

CBD has not been regulated by the FDA. As a result, the number of contaminated and mislabeled CBD products has skyrocketed. So, the full-spectrum CBD rub you're applying may include THC in significant quantity and cause you to fall asleep faster. 

Furthermore, additional pesticides or synthetic cannabinoids may be intentionally added to CBD to increase weight or potency. For instance, contaminants such as heavy metals, molds, germs, and aflatoxins may be mixed with CBD products throughout the manufacturing, storage, and distribution processes. They may also be harmful to your health and make you feel different. 

#5: Medication Interactions

CBD’s interaction with enzymes and other prescribed medications may result in a complex chemical reaction, possibly causing side effects like drowsiness or fatigue. Certain drugs such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, opioids, benzodiazepines, and antihistamines can increase the drowsiness of CBD.

Ways to Reduce the Risk of Sleepiness from CBD Body Rub

Before we make you highly serious about this, let us remind you again. CBD topicals including body rubs usually don’t induce sleepiness. So, just take it lightly and don’t need to panic about it. Plus, you can simply use it every day like any other skin care product, like a moisturizer or lotion. 

If you become aware of CBD dosage, potential drug interaction, and an increased number of contaminated CBD, you can easily avoid the unwanted sleepiness effects from CBD body rub. 

Here's what you should do to avoid the possible risk of sleepiness from CBD body rub: 

1. To prevent overwhelming your body’s endocannabinoid receptors and minimize the risk of drowsiness, start with a moderate dosage. 
2. Ensure the CBD body rub has low THC content since higher levels of THC content may contribute to drowsiness. To verify THC content, check it via third-party lab test results. 
3. Opt. for CBD rub with organic ingredients. This will reduce the odds of negative reactions and help you maintain a healthier skincare and pain management routine. 
4. Though topical rub doesn’t enter your bloodstream, drinking plenty of water is always a good practice. Doing so may detoxify the process of cannabinoids like CBD or THC.  
5. Apply CBD body rub before going to sleep. Most people use CBD rubs to relax, ease body aches and pains, and ease off stress. Using CBD before bed doesn't affect your daytime activities. 
6. If you’re new to CBD, choose CBD rubs with medium to low potency. 
7. Consult with healthcare professionals for dosage clarification, and personalized advice based on your health history.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some relevant questions and answers related to “Can CBD body rubs make you sleepy”. 

Does CBD Lotion Put You to Sleep?

Ans: CBD lotions/ creams/body rubs might help with pain on both the top and deeper layers of muscles. They also help a person relax, which can help them sleep. This is why it’s best to massage with CBD topicals before bedtime.

What Are The Common Side Effects of Topical CBD?

Most of the side effects of CBD topical are skin-related. For instance, skin irritation, rash, skin flaming, redness, dryness, or peeling are some of the most common side effects of CBD topicals.

Can CBD Massage Help Me Sleep Better?

Ans: Yes, massaging with CBD body rubs or creams can help you sleep better. Using topical CBD for massage can help you relax and feel calm, and it can also help with sore muscles and body aches. This can ultimately improve sleep quality and duration.

The Bottom Line

Can CBD body rubs make you sleepy? Not really. CBD body rub makes you feel relaxed, and its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties provide relief from a variety of body aches including sore muscles after workouts. So, one way or another, body rubs may help you sleep better, but this shouldn’t be taken as an unwanted and unpleasant side effect of it. The bottom line is you can use CBD rub without worrying about whether it causes sleepiness or not. 

Sources: 

• Makhakhe, L. (2022). Topical cannabidiol (CBD) in skin pathology – A comprehensive review and prospects for new therapeutic opportunities. South African Family Practice, 64(1). 
• Pacheco, D., & Pacheco, D. (2023, December 20). Using cannabis as a sleep aid. Sleep Foundation. 
• Kaufmann, R. C., Bozer, A. L. H., Jotte, A. R. K., & Aqua, K. (2023). The effects of Long-Term Self-Dosing of Cannabidiol on drowsiness, testosterone levels, and liver function. Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, 6(1), 32–40.