CBN Dosage for Sleep: How Much Should You Take?

Many people are using cannabinol (CBN) as a natural alternative to melatonin for sleep. And now you’ve decided that you’d like to give it a try, too. 

But how much should you take?

In this article, we provide CBN dosage formulas and a chart based on our experience helping 1000s of customers find their perfect dose.

• For sleep, start by taking 10mg CBN each night
• For anxiety, start with a dose of 5mg CBN per day
• For pain, start with a dose of 10mg CBN per day

What is CBN?

Cannabinol (CBN) is one of more than 100+ cannabinoids that naturally occur in the hemp plant.

Scientists discovered CBN nearly 100 years ago. But it didn’t become mainstream until people realized that combining CBN with THC produced a mellower, drowsier high than using THC by itself.

As a result, companies mainly market CBN as a sleep aid. However, research and anecdotal evidence also suggest that CBN may have therapeutic potential for pain, anxiety, ADHD, and eye health. 

How Much CBN Should You Take for Sleep? Factors to Consider

As a rule of thumb, you can start by taking 10mg CBN each night for sleep. This dose is enough to promote relaxation and mild sedation, but not so much that you become overwhelmed (an important consideration, given CBN is slightly psychoactive).

However, while this benchmark works well, considering dosing factors and using a formula helps you find a dose better suited to your body and needs.

We recommend considering the following CBN dosage factors:

• Why you’re using it: Depending on what you’re taking CBN for, you’ll need a specific dosage strength to see results.
• Weight: Your weight directly determines how much CBN you should take because, depending on the size of your body, you’ll need to take a certain amount of CBN to feel adequate effects.
• Symptom severity: Although each situation has a specific starting dosage, as you go, you’ll need to adjust the amount of CBN you take depending on how severe your condition is.
• Body chemistry and tolerance: We’re all unique, and CBN tolerance varies by person. Therefore, the dose you’ll settle on will probably look different than the dosage someone else uses for the same purpose.

Our dosing formulas account for the first two factors, because they’re the most important (and because the other factors can’t accurately be accounted for in a formula).

CBN Dosage Strength By Use

Here’s how much CBN we recommend you take, depending on why you’re using it:

CBN dosage for sleep

For sleep, we recommend starting with a medium-strength dose of CBN:

(0.1) x (your body weight in lbs.) = your nightly CBN dosage in mg.

CBN dosage for anxiety

For anxiety, we recommend starting with a low-strength dose of CBN:

(0.05) x (your body weight in lbs.) = your daily CBN dosage in mg. 

CBN dosage for pain

For pain, we recommend starting with a medium-strength dose of CBN:

(0.1) x (your body weight in lbs.) = your daily CBN dosage in mg.

CBN dosage for general wellness

For general wellness, we recommend starting with a low-strength dose of CBN:

(0.05) x (your body weight in lbs.) = your daily CBN dosage in mg.

CBN Dosage Chart

Formulas like those above are great for finding precise dosages. However, you can also reference the chart below for quick estimates:

How To Take CBN: Dosage Recommendations By Product

There are many types of CBN products. No delivery method is necessarily the best; it depends on what you’re looking for. 

Here’s what to consider when choosing a delivery method:

• Average Bioavailability — The percentage of CBN that your body is able to use from a product (in other words, how “efficient” a product is. Due to small differences, we don’t account for bioavailability in our dosage formulas.)
• Onset Time — How quickly you’ll feel the effects after taking a product.

We’ve also provided some information on how to dose each type of product.

CBN gummies

Average Bioavailability: 10-20%

Starts Working In: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Dosage Information: CBN gummies offer a fixed-dose way to take CBN, as each piece will contain the same amount. 

Most CBN gummies contain 10-20 mg per piece, so in most cases, you should start by taking one-half to one fully CBN gummy for sleep. 

CBN capsules

Average Bioavailability: 10-20%

Starts Working In: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Dosage Information: CBN capsules, like edibles, offer consistent dosing. The one downside is that they aren’t the best product for very small doses. Most capsules contain significant amounts of CBN per piece, and you can’t exactly split one in half to take a smaller amount.

Start by taking 1 CBN capsule each night. 

CBN oil

Average Bioavailability: 20-30%

Starts Working In: 10 to 15 minutes

Dosage Information: CBN oil is taken under the tongue, rather than swallowed. Because of this, it works faster and is slightly stronger than other products. It also allows for very precise dosing.

But the dosing can be a bit confusing: how much CBN is in each dropper?

Here’s what you need to know:

Generally, oils come with 1-milliliter droppers. Based on the strength of your product (our CBN oil comes in 500 mg and 1000 mg bottles), here’s how much CBN will be in each dropper of oil:

100 mg bottle = 3.3 mg CBN per 1 ml.

250 mg bottle = 8.3 mg CBN per 1 ml.

500 mg bottle = 16.7 mg CBN per 1 ml.

1000 mg bottle = 33.3 mg CBN per 1 ml.

1500 mg bottle = 50 mg CBN per 1 ml.

3000 mg bottle = 100 mg CBN per 1 ml.

5000 mg bottle = 166.6 mg CBN per 1 ml.

We recommend you start by taking one-half to one full dropper of CBN oil each night, although it varies depending on the strength of your product.

CBN flower & vapes

Average Bioavailability: 40-50%

Starts Working In: 5 to 10 minutes

Dosage Information: Inhalable consumption methods, like CBN hemp flower or CBN vapes, offer a fast-acting way to take CBN for sleep and other uses. However, there is a health risk with these consumption methods (as with anything you inhale).

The amount of inhalable CBN you should use for sleep depends on the type and strength of product you’re using.

Potential Benefits of CBN

While most people use CBN for sleep, research suggests CBN has a variety of potential therapeutic benefits:

• Sleep: CBN may promote restful sleep via its sedative, relaxing effects. A 1995 study done on mice found that CBN may prolong sleeping time [1]. Anecdotally, CBN may induce a full-body sedative effect. CBN is also commonly used as a replacement for over-the-counter melatonin supplements. 
• Pain: A 2016 study from University of Massachusetts researchers found CBN may have anti-inflammatory properties [2]. A 2021 study by researchers in Brazil found that CBN interacts with the CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system, which are capable of inhibiting pain and inflammation sensations [3].
• Anxiety: Although no scientific research has investigated whether CBN may render anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects, anecdotal evidence suggests CBN may be beneficial for stress and anxiety due to its mentally relaxing effects. 
• Focus: A 2020 study by researchers in Israel looking at the impact of cannabinoid and terpene consumption on ADHD found that a high dosage of CBN was associated with a lower Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale score [4].
• Eye Health: A 2021 study from the University of British Columbia, Canada, found that CBN promoted neuroprotection and normalized intraocular pressure levels in the eye [5].

How to Shop for CBN Products

If you’re ready to give CBN a try, here are a few tips for buying products:

Opt for full-spectrum CBN or CBN blends

Cannabinoids work better when used in combination, rather than taken in isolation. 

CBN is no exception, and that’s why we recommend using CBN products that also contain other cannabinoids:

• Taking CBN and CBD for sleep may promote a less-inebriating relaxing effect, as CBD can balance the mildly-psychoactive properties of CBN while adding to its calming effects
• Taking CBN and THC for sleep may promote stronger physically-relaxing effects, making this combination beneficial if you’re using CBN for physical discomfort (or struggle to sleep because of it)

Look for CBN products that also contain CBD or THC.

Check lab reports

Reputable brands will have their products lab tested by a 3rd-party company to verify potency and safety.

Check the lab report for a product before you buy it to ensure it contains the amount of CBN it claims to, and that it doesn’t have any heavy metal contaminants or pesticides.

If a company doesn’t lab test its products, don’t buy from them. Lab testing is the only way you can be sure that a product is potent and safe.

Read reviews

Brands can say anything they want about their products, but customers have the final word. It goes without saying that you should only buy products that receive more positive than negative reviews.

Takeaway: CBN Dosage for Sleep

CBN is a very under-researched cannabinoid. Consequently, most of what we know about it has been learned through experimentation and observation.

We’re able to make this CBN dosage guide based on our customers’ (and our own) experiences, as well as the experiences people have shared online about using CBN for sleep.

The best advice when finding your perfect dosage of CBN is to start slow, and then make small changes and observe how you feel. And remember that it will be different for everyone — our customers have reported their perfect dosage to be anywhere from 5mg to over 100mg a night.

CBN Dosage: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions our customers commonly ask us about CBN dosage.

Does CBN make you groggy in the morning?

No, CBN will not make you groggy the morning after you take it. This is one of the main reasons people prefer CBN to melatonin supplements.

How much CBD and CBN should I take for sleep?

For most people, a good starting dose of CBD and CBN for sleep is 5-10mg of each, taken together. Other people also find success with using CBD and CBN in other ratios, including 3:1 CBD:CBN.

Can you take too much CBN?

Researchers haven’t investigated whether taking too much CBN could be fatal, however, you can “overdose” on CBN in the sense that you feel more tired than you’d like.

CBN creates mild psychoactive effects, but it has few known side effects, even when taken in large amounts. However, taking too much CBN can make you feel drowsier or more fatigued than usual.

How much CBN is too much?

Starting out, doses exceeding 10mg of CBN may be a little bit too much. However, higher doses are beneficial if you know how CBN makes you feel and you’ve experimented with using it at different doses.

What are the effects of 10mg CBN?

A 10mg dose of CBN may promote a drowsy, relaxed, slightly psychoactive effect. This dose is good if you’ve already tried a smaller amount of CBN and determined the high effect isn’t too much for you.

How long does CBN last?

After taking CBN, you’ll feel the effects in 10 minutes to 1 hour, and the effects will last anywhere from 4-6 hours.

How long does CBN take to work?

The amount of time it takes CBN to kick in depends on the type of product you’re using. CBN gummies will start working in 45 minutes to 1 hour, while CBN oil will work in just 10-15 minutes. Inhalable CBN products, like vapes and flower, kick in within just 5-10 minutes.

Sources

[1] Yoshida, H et al. “Synthesis and pharmacological effects in mice of halogenated cannabinol derivatives.” Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin vol. 43,2 (1995): 335-7. doi:10.1248/cpb.43.335

[2] Zurier, Robert B, and Sumner H Burstein. “Cannabinoids, inflammation, and fibrosis.” FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology vol. 30,11 (2016): 3682-3689. doi:10.1096/fj.201600646R

[3] Campos, Raquel Maria P et al. “Cannabinoid Therapeutics in Chronic Neuropathic Pain: From Animal Research to Human Treatment.” Frontiers in physiology vol. 12 785176. 30 Nov. 2021, doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.785176

[4] Hergenrather, Jeffrey Y et al. “Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Doses are Associated with Adult ADHD Status of Medical Cannabis Patients.” Rambam Maimonides medical journal vol. 11,1 e0001. 30 Jan. 2020, doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10384

[5] Somvanshi, Rishi K et al. “Cannabinol modulates neuroprotection and intraocular pressure: A potential multi-target therapeutic intervention for glaucoma.” Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease vol. 1868,3 (2022): 166325. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166325