One consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak has been increasing “coronavirus stress” levels for those isolated at home, as well as more difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. For some, cannabis and CBD have provided help in both areas.

Coronavirus stress is a real thing, according to the Washington Post, with experts saying people are caught between worries about their health and their financial situation. Sleep also is an issue, with a spike in news stories and social media posts about people who are having strange dreams and can’t settle down for eight hours of sleep.

Numerous studies have shown that cannabis lowers stress, including a 2019 study that found 80% of participants experienced less anxiety when taking CBD.  And getting a better night’s sleep is one of the main reasons people use CBD and cannabis, according to a review of the research literature.

That’s made cannabis for coronavirus stress a trend. Rudy Schreier, a cannabis consultant, put it this way to the New Yorker: “You wake up, you have a good breakfast, you maybe take some vitamins, you do work, you have lunch, do more work, smoke a joint, eat an edible. It’s becoming the norm since we’ve been on lockdown.”

Combating Coronavirus Stress

Mishka Ashbel, co-owner of the MMD cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles, told the New Yorker that marijuana is perfect for the stay-at-home orders many people still live under. Even in states that have started to lift those orders, people are voluntarily spending time isolating at home.

Ashbel said his dispensary provides “a little relief to a stressed society.” He added that marijuana also “turns off the sensory overload from the news right now.”

CanaFarma CEO David Lonsdale, who lives in New York City, told the New Yorker people are looking to maintain an “overall wellness program” during the social distancing that the COVID-19 outbreak requires.  “Cannabis becomes part of your daily routine, like blood-pressure medicine,” he said.

CBD For Better Sleep

Coronavirus-induced insomnia is also a real thing, according to interviews with medical professionals by Psycom. Dr. Julie Kolzet told the site: “People are reporting an increase in anxiety and fears related to uncertainty. Those feelings often translate to sleep disturbances.”

And it’s a potentially hazardous situation. Dr. Eric J. Olson said studies have shown people who don’t get quality sleep may be more likely to get sick and take longer to recover if they do fall ill.

Medical experts offer tips for good sleep that include avoiding the news for the hours preceding sleep, trying to go to sleep at about the same time each day, and not consuming alcohol or caffeine near bedtime.

Many also have tried CBD. According to the Chicago Tribune, the fact that CBD – the chemical  ingredient in marijuana that does not cause the “high” feeling – can reduce stress and anxiety is what makes it a potential sleep aid.

It’s a trend that started before the coronavirus outbreak. In 2020, many moms said in interviews that they use CBD to relax, unwind after a long day and also to get a good night’s sleep.