Still Wide Awake

A Clinical Trial Explores What Cannabinoids Can Do for People Who Struggle to Sleep

You know the feeling. It’s past midnight. You’re tired. You’ve been tired all day. But the moment you get horizontal, your brain has other plans.

You run through tomorrow’s to-do list. You replay a conversation from three days ago. You check the time, do the math on how many hours you have left if you fall asleep right now, and somehow that makes everything worse.

For millions of people, this is just Tuesday night.

Researchers call it subthreshold insomnia: you don’t meet the clinical definition of an insomnia disorder, but your sleep is still noticeably bad. You’re not sleeping well, and it’s affecting your life. You’re just not “sick enough” to get much medical attention for it.

A new pilot study suggests a cannabinoid-based supplement might change that.

What the Researchers Did

A research team from Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida recruited 20 adults who reported subthreshold insomnia symptoms. Their average age was 47, which puts them squarely in the demographic that tends to struggle most with disrupted sleep.

The study used one of the most rigorous designs in clinical research: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. That’s a mouthful, but what it means is:

• Randomized: Participants were assigned to groups by chance, reducing bias
• Double-blind: Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was taking the real supplement vs. the placebo
• Crossover: Every participant eventually tried both, so the same people served as their own comparison

This design is considered the gold standard. It’s the kind of methodology that makes findings trustworthy.

For 10 days, participants took a soft gel capsule containing CBD, CBN, a small amount of THC, and a proprietary blend of terpenes. Then, after a two-week washout period, they switched to the other condition.

Researchers measured sleep using multiple validated tools: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, and several others. They also tracked mood, anxiety, fatigue, and quality of life.

The Results

The cannabinoid supplement produced significant improvements in sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and insomnia symptoms compared to the placebo.

That last word matters: significant. In clinical research, “significant” means the results are unlikely to be due to chance. The people taking the supplement slept measurably better, and the numbers backed it up.

Quality of life scores also improved significantly. People weren’t just sleeping better in a technical sense. They felt better.

Mood outcomes like tension, fatigue, anxiety, and vigor trended in a positive direction too, though those particular results didn’t reach statistical significance. The researchers attributed that partly to the small sample size of this pilot trial.

No adverse events were reported. Every participant tolerated the supplement without issue.

Why CBN + CBD? The Case for Multiple Cannabinoids

The formula in this study wasn’t a single-compound product. It combined CBD, CBN, a terpene blend, and a small amount of THC. That combination is intentional, and there’s a reason researchers are increasingly interested in it.

Cannabinol (CBN) is a lesser-known cannabinoid that’s generated quiet buzz in sleep research circles. CBN is derived from the natural breakdown of THC over time and is considered mildly psychoactive at very low levels. Early research suggests it may interact with CB1 receptors in ways that support relaxation and sleepiness, though the science is still evolving.

CBD (cannabidiol) has a more established research record. Studies have explored its effects on anxiety, cortisol, and the nervous system’s ability to shift into a restful state. Many researchers believe CBD’s contribution to sleep is partly about quieting the mental activity that keeps people awake rather than acting as a sedative.

Terpenes are the aromatic compounds found in hemp and many other plants. The formula used in this study included 90mg of a proprietary terpene blend. Terpenes like myrcene, linalool, and bisabolol have been studied for their potential calming effects, and researchers believe they may work alongside cannabinoids in what’s sometimes called the entourage effect, where the whole formula performs differently than any single ingredient alone.

Together, these compounds may address the sleep problem from multiple angles: the racing mind, the physical tension, and the difficulty staying asleep once you get there.

Subthreshold Insomnia: The Problem That Doesn’t Get Enough Attention

One of the most interesting things about this study is who it focused on.

Most sleep research zeroes in on people with diagnosable insomnia disorder, which requires specific criteria around frequency, duration, and daytime impairment. But the vast middle ground, people who sleep badly without crossing the clinical threshold, is often overlooked.

This group is large. Survey data consistently show that somewhere between 30–50% of adults report poor sleep quality in a given year, but a much smaller percentage would qualify for a formal insomnia diagnosis.

The researchers found that even within this “subthreshold” population, the cannabinoid supplement produced meaningful results. That’s relevant for a lot of people who’ve been told their sleep isn’t bad enough to warrant medical treatment, but who are still waking up exhausted every morning.

What This Means for You

This was a pilot study, meaning it was designed to explore whether larger research is worth doing. The sample size was small (20 participants), and the researchers are clear that more work is needed. Here’s what the findings suggest for people dealing with sleep trouble:

• A cannabinoid formula combining CBD, CBN, and terpenes may support sleep quality without sedating you
• The study used a supplement taken orally (a soft gel) for 10 consecutive days, suggesting consistency matters more than a single-night dose
• The results were strongest for sleep quality and insomnia severity, which aligns with what many CBD+CBN users report anecdotally
• No one experienced adverse effects, which speaks to the tolerability of a well-formulated product
• “Subthreshold” sleep trouble is worth taking seriously. You don’t need to be clinically diagnosed to look for solutions

If you’ve been lying awake wondering whether CBD could actually help, this study gives you something more than a hunch to work with.

A Formula Worth Knowing About

Not all sleep supplements are created equal. The multi-cannabinoid approach in this study points toward products that combine CBD with CBN specifically, a pairing that’s becoming more common in premium sleep formulations.

If you’re curious about trying something in this direction, look for a product that’s third-party tested, clearly labeled with cannabinoid content, and made from high-quality hemp. The gummies format is popular for sleep because of the slower, sustained release compared to a sublingual tincture.

As with any supplement, consistency tends to produce better results than occasional use. The researchers in this study ran their protocol for 10 days, not a single night.

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About the Original Study

Title: Effectiveness of a Cannabinoid Supplement on Sleep and Mood in Adults With Subthreshold Insomnia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial. Published: February 2025.

Authors:

• Heather Hausenblas, PhD — Associate Dean and Professor of Kinesiology, Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences, Jacksonville University
• Stephanie L. Hooper — Instructor, Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida
• Tarah Lynch, MS — Jacksonville University

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39980821/

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