Can the CBD Pillow give you the sleep you’ve always dreamed of?

The CBD Pillow is one of the latest products to hit the market promising big things, but how does it work and is it worth the hype?

For many of us the quest for a good night’s sleep is one that will last a lifetime and will see us buying into any gimmick that claims to offer eight hours of undisturbed shut-eye.

And that was before coronavirus.

With added stress, anxiety, changes to our routine and bedrooms becoming home offices overnight, has anyone had a decent sleep in 2020?

Enter the CBD Pillow. Bursting onto the market at the beginning of the year its parent company, US home textiles firm Plush Living, is leading the charge among homeware brands slowly cottoning on to the appeal of incorporating the cannabinoid into our everyday lives.

But before you switch-off at the prospect of another over-hyped, over-priced CBD product, this is one match that might actually make sense.

Why do I need a CBD Pillow?

Early studies indicate that high doses of CBD could help aid sleep, and consumers report that taking oils or tinctures before bed helps them relax, unwind and wake up feeling better-rested.

Described as ‘the world’s most relaxing pillow’ the CBD Pillow aims to bring together Plush Living’s expertise in bed wear and sleep, with the benefits of CBD to give customers the sleep of their lives.

“The founders wanted to find the safest and least intrusive way to deliver CBD to people who could benefit from it most, whether that’s to reduce stress, aid sleep or ache and pain relief,” said Michael Howe, managing director of Distrobros, the UK distributors of CBD Pillow.

“Their area of expertise is sleep and the two seemed to go hand in hand. They are all about trying to be innovative to give people the best sleep possible.

The timing couldn’t be better, with The National Sleep Survey reporting earlier this year that almost half of respondents are finding it harder to fall asleep since the outbreak of Covid-19, with unease around the current situation affecting sleep for three quarters of people.

“The CBD market is exploding, especially during the pandemic and this is a much-needed product for a lot of people,” continued Michael, who insists that a great deal of research went into the technology behind the CBD Pillow.

How does it work?

Each hypoallergenic pillow is handmade in California, with a gel memory foam core to provide the neck and back support of most high end pillows on the market.

The pillowcase, which is patented by CBD Pillow, uses microencapsulation technology to create the effect of microdosing CBD throughout the night.

Millions of microcapsules of CBD varying in size and thickness are infused into the fabric of the pillowcase. The capsules are timed to burst at different intervals, when triggered by friction and movement, and the CBD is then absorbed through the follicles to react with receptors in the hair and skin.

“The feedback we have had is that people have had an all-round better sleeping experience,” said Michael.

“This is due to a combination of things, the pillow itself gives you that spinal alignment that you potentially miss in an ordinary pillow, but the CBD element of it is also having a positive effect on people.

“When it comes to CBD, you’re not going to wake up bursting with energy, but day to day, it does aid you in getting a better sleep so you wake up feeling more refreshed.”

Michael recommends using the pillow alongside other CBD products before bed to feel the greatest benefit.

“One of the most effective ways that the product can be used is in conjunction with other oils, tinctures or edibles before you go to sleep,” he said.

“The effects of those are typically going to last for a couple of hours, so the idea is that the microdosing from the CBD pillow helps to sustain those effects throughout the night.”

What does the science say?

Although most of the evidence on its efficacy is anecdotal as of yet, the team behind CBD Pillow has teamed up with Stanford University in the US to launch its own study.

Although this is currently on hold due to Covid, it hopes to commence in 2021.

“That will be quite a pivotal moment for products of this nature,” said Michael.

“As more evidence comes to light I think innovation will speed up and we’ll see greater interest.

“It’s safe to say in the UK people are more sceptical, but we are starting to see a pickup and in the next few years that I think this will continue.”

What should we expect next – CBD coffee tables?

“I expect we’re going to see quite a lot of innovation in home furnishings and textiles, especially as people move towards more natural ways to improve their wellness,” said Michael.

“But hopefully we will only see things that are going to be beneficial to people.”

He added: “The key is making sure consumers are aware of what could actually help them and what is just a gimmick.

“We provide a 30 day money back guarantee, so if people don’t feel it has made a difference to them, they can then return it for a full refund. I think that shows the levels of confidence that we have in it.”