Not clearly, on current evidence. The best direct test, an Australian trial of 150 mg of CBD each night for insomnia, found it was similar to placebo on most sleep measures.1 We grade the evidence for CBD alone as not enough evidence, leaning towards no benefit.
What did the Australian trial find?
Researchers studied 30 adults with moderate to severe insomnia. Half took 150 mg of CBD under the tongue an hour before bed for two weeks. Half took a placebo.1
There was no difference between the groups in:
- insomnia severity
- time taken to fall asleep
- self-rated sleep efficiency
- time spent awake during the night.1
Two measures favoured CBD: sleep efficiency recorded by a device was higher at week two, and self-rated wellbeing was higher. The authors’ summary was that 150 mg of CBD “was similar to placebo regarding most sleep outcomes”.1
A companion paper found that the nightly dose did not impair thinking the next day. Dry mouth was more common with CBD.2
What do larger analyses show?
- A 2025 meta-analysis found that cannabinoids modestly improve how people rate their sleep, “particularly non-CBD formulations”.3
- Another 2025 analysis of 6 trials and 1,077 participants reported that only products containing THC or CBN improved self-rated sleep. CBD-dominant products did not.4
- A 12-week arthritis trial of 20 to 30 mg of CBD a day found no effect on sleep quality.5
- A company-run sleep trial of CBD in 257 people reported no significant difference from placebo in 2023.6
THC is the intoxicating compound in cannabis, and CBN is a related compound. Both carry their own risks and legal issues. THC affects driving and drug tests. Evidence for CBN is itself thin. See the other cannabinoids.
Is more research coming?
Yes. A larger trial of 75 mg and 150 mg CBD capsules for insomnia, with 519 participants, is under way, with completion expected in 2027 or early 2028.6 Until it reports, the question at these doses is not fully closed.
Why do some people say CBD helps them sleep?
Sleep responds strongly to expectation, so people often improve on a placebo. Sleepiness is also a known side effect of CBD at high doses.7 Feeling drowsy is not the same as a treatment for insomnia.
What should you do about poor sleep?
See a GP. Persistent insomnia has treatments with far better evidence, and a GP can check for causes. A prescriber decides whether any medicine is appropriate.
Read the full guide: CBD for sleep and insomnia.
Footnotes
-
Narayan AJ and others. Cannabidiol for moderate-severe insomnia: a randomized controlled pilot trial of 150 mg of nightly dosing. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38174873/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
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Companion paper on next-day cognition from the same trial. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11063694/ ↩
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da Silva and others. Meta-analysis of cannabinoids and sleep. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40929927/ ↩
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NORML. Summary of a 2025 meta-analysis of cannabis formulations and sleep quality (secondary report). https://norml.org/news/2025/10/09/clinical-trials-cannabis-formulations-dominant-in-thc-and-cbn-but-not-cbd-associated-with-improved-sleep-quality/ ↩
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Vela J and others. Cannabidiol treatment in hand osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/cannabidiol-treatment-in-hand-osteoarthritis-and-psoriatic-arthritis-a-randomized-double-blind-placebo-controlled-trial/ ↩
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Biotech Daily, 3 July 2026 (trade press report). https://www.biotechdaily.com.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AVE-Jul-3-2026.pdf ↩ ↩2
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Epidiolex (cannabidiol) prescribing information, United States. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=8bf27097-4870-43fb-94f0-f3d0871d1eec ↩
This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. Laws and evidence change; we show the date we last checked the facts at the top of every page. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
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