Something exceptional happened in our bedroom over the past several nights.
Pam and I have been together for more than 50 years, and for at least 20 of them she’s had difficulty sleeping.
It’s been made worse by my ability to sleep almost anywhere and at any time…a skill honed over decades on planes, in the back seats of cabs, and in hotels around the globe.
Not sharing my good-sleeping fortune, she’s experimented with every sleep aid: pharmaceutical and supplemental. Some knock her out for a few hours. Others make her groggy the next day. You should know that she is an active meditator and an experienced yoga teacher/practitioner. Since menopause, nothing has helped her get a full, untroubled, night of rest.
Last week, we received a bottle of Deep Sleep, a product from Biofit 360, a relatively new SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. It combines hemp oil extract with other organic, natural ingredients.
Pam applied a single full dropper of the liquid under her tongue about a half-hour before going to bed. She slept soundly through the night. Actually, she’s repeated the drops every night since and has slept soundly six nights in a row.
She hasn’t experienced that for years. No sleeping pills. No white sound. Simply a full dropper under the tongue, followed by a really good night’s sleep.
I was not planning to write about this, but the result is so impressive that I want to share it. I don’t know how many of you have difficulty sleeping, but it’s not uncommon among seniors.
Before the Deep Sleep drops arrived, I spoke with Heather Hughes, Biofit’s president and founder. She explained what makes her products different from those made by other CBD companies. Among other considerations, Biofit uses only medical grade ingredients.
During the call, I learned a bit about cannabidiol (aka CBD), an extract of the industrial hemp plant.
CBD occurs naturally in the human body and has a positive effect on the brain and other organs, each of which has CBD-specific receptors. It is legal in all states and does not make people high.
One of CBD’s many benefits is that it reduces cortisol, the hormone that surfaces early in the morning causing anxiety. CBD also releases serotonin, often known as the “happy” chemical because it contributes to the feeling of well-being.
Deep Sleep, the drops giving Pam such sound and untroubled sleep, combines CBD, CBN (another hemp extract that has a calming effect and promotes longer and deeper sleep), and melatonin.
Biofit’s current advertisement features Relief CBD Cream, a topical anti-inflammatory that reduces pain. That product is what led the company to advertise on a site geared toward active older skiers. As you know, it’s not unusual to experience achy body parts at the end of the day.
Relief CBD Cream is engineered to mitigate that pain within 15-20 minutes of being applied. A little bit goes a very long way, so don’t be put off by the cost; the jar lasts a while. Heather recommends applying a small amount before hitting the hill and after skiing.
A friend in her early-70s whose shoulder was bothering, tried Relief CBD Cream. It worked quickly and effectively.
Many CBD options have surfaced over the past few years. About 30 of them exhibited last winter at the big OR/SIA ski trade show in Denver. Claims ranged from reasonable to absurd.
What you’ll find at www.biofit360.com is a well-organized and educational approach to explaining CBD in general and its products (for relieving pain, improving sleep, reducing anxiety) in particular.
I haven’t tried the products yet. I will the next time something hurts. My hope is that I never need Deep Sleep drops. But I am grateful that, finally (and by accident), Pam has a product that gives her a good night of sleep (and that she’s no longer waking me to tell me to stop snoring).
Very interesting article!
I don’t know about this product but CBD products do work. This particular one isn’t cheap…$90 for a bottle. I use Dragon Balm (comes in a stick like a deodorant stick) for my back and it helps quite a bit.
Just a caution: before using anything with CBD extract in it: please check with your pharmacist or physician as there can be cross-reactivity with prescription medications.
I want to say thank you so much for your article. I had insomnia and slept 4-5 hours a day for almost a month. I searched a lot on the Internet, it seems to me that I tried everything that was just there and still nothing helped me. And then I saw your article and thought that it is possible to try CBD oil, I see that they write that it is expensive, but before that, I spent 3 times more money on all these remedies for insomnia and I can say that this is a super thing! I can finally sleep)) Thank you)) You really helped me!
I have used a product from RXRemedies (also a CBD) for knee arthritis. Works great! Just rub a little on the knee and pain goes away. Not cheap either. $44.00 for a small container. But it lasts a long time.
Beware the placebo effect! I doubt most of claims made of CBD’s benefits would stand up to rigorous study. CBD has only been approved by FDA for seizure disorders, and then only in certain circumstances. The CBD craze has all the hallmarks of good old-fashioned snake oil.