We live in a time that is more accepting of hemp and hemp products than ever in history. The more the public embraces hemp products, the more they learn about them. As people learn about the difference between hemp, cannabis, cannabinoids, and terpenes they tend to ask more questions. What are the best terpenes for relaxation or sleep? How does CBD work with terpenes? We have written this article in hopes to bring a little more understanding to the people that are searching for answers.
The Truth About Terpenes
Although terpenes are mostly associated with hemp and hemp products, they are far from exclusive to cannabis. In fact, terpenes are present in just about every plant that exists on the planet. If you have ever experienced the fragrance of daisies, or honeysuckles, lavender, roses, or any other flower you have experienced the power of terpenes. Sometimes the scents that terpenes generate is enough to induce a calming effect for people and animals.
For instance, if you have ever given a cat catnip, you can see that there is some sort of strange occurrence that goes on between the feline and the plant. Cats are usually pretty finicky when it comes to their food, so the thought of them actually eating a dried-out herb is rather strange. Believe it or not, it is the nepetalactone terpene within the catnip that attracts them.
Although scientists are still unclear about exactly what happens in the relationship between the cat and its catnip, they do agree that it affects them. It seems as if the mere taste and smell of it brings the cat to a mindset of calm and peaceful, or mellowed out.
The same goes for humans, dogs, and many other beings. Terpenes have the power to affect living creatures in one way or another. Although it may not be aggressive or direct like THC or opiates affects people, it could be that the scents and flavors that they produce have an effect on the mood of the person or creature that experiences them.
What Terpenes Do
Although terpenes have a plethora of different tastes fragrances and effects the one thing that they all have in common is that they benefit the plant that they inhabit. Some terpenes have a pest repellent effect, while others attract different types of pollinating insects such as bees.
Sometimes the taste or the fragrance of a plant will repel even a human, yet sometimes the fragrance will attract them.
Terpenes are present in plants so that they can protect them from harmful predators, yet also help them to be able to reproduce and continue to survive their journey of evolution.
Calming Terpenes
Many researchers believe in the theory of the entourage effect that comes with the use of cannabis products. The theory is that all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds that are available in the plant work together as one to deliver the best results to the user. What this means is that generally, terpenes don’t work alone in order to produce calming or sleeping properties.
Limonene, caryophyllene, and myrcene are the terpenes that researchers agree are the most prone to help with stress, tension, and sleeplessness. What’s great about this is that all three of these terpenes are found in a full-spectrum hemp extract. If the theory of the entourage effect is correct, the extract will have these three terpenes, plus all of the cannabinoids that are present in the plant including THC and CBD. All of these compounds work together to deliver a calming and relaxing effect.
In the process of the calming effect, it is probably safe to assume that the experience will help to administer a restful night of sleep.
Conclusion
The best terpenes to use for any type of condition will always depend on the person that is using them. Everybody has their own individual properties that can tolerate different substances. It appears that the best kinds of terpenes for sleep are the ones that are present in the hemp plant, however, this may not be the same for everybody. It is always best to get professional advice from a physician when trying to come up with a sleeping plan that is healthy and effective.
