Recipe for Sleep Aid Tincture

A 2019 study in The Permanente Journal attributed CBD’s benefits as a sleep aide to its anxiety-relieving and stress-reducing effects. And a 2017 review in Current Psychiatric Reports suggests that “cannabidiol (CBD) may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia.” If you are able, try using some THC along with your CBD-rich material for this recipe, if even just a little. A one-to-one ratio of CBD-to-THC can be very effective for sleep, as well as helping to relieve pain that may be adding to the problem.

Equipment

Spice grinder
3 wide mouth canning jars with tight fitting lids
Fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth
Optional: coffee filter or paper funnel
1 or 2 ounce amber glass bottles

Ingredients

1/4 to 1/2 ounce CBD-rich flowers from (cannabis or hemp) raw or decarboxylated¹
1/8 ounce dried ginger
1/8 ounce dried passion flower
1/8 ounce dried chamomile
1/8 ounce dried valerian
1/8 ounce dried hops
1/8 ounce dried California poppy
1/8 ounce dried lemon balm
8 to 12 ounces of high proof alcohol, like Everclear or pure grain alcohol—or – 8 to 12 ounces of vegetable glycerine.

Directions

Grind the herbs.
Place all plant matter in a wide-mouth pint or quart jar.
For the slow alcohol tincture method: Place jar in a dark, dry place and shake every 2-3 days, adding more alcohol as needed to cover the herbs over a 4 to 6 weeks period.
For the fast alcohol tincture method: Heat a deep pot filled with water to 170°C. Place the cannabis/alcohol jar in the pot and allow to heat for 30 minutes to an hour, keeping the temperature stable. Remove from the pot and let cool for at least an hour.
For the glycerine tincture method: Place a washcloth or folded towel in the bottom of a crockpot and fill halfway with warm water. Put sealed jar of glycerine and herbs in the crock pot, place the lid on top if it still fits (otherwise drape a kitchen towel over it) and set to warm for 24 hours. Shake occasionally to disperse ingredients. Use a pot-holder to take the jar from the crockpot and allow to cool for at least an hour (see finishing, below).
To finish the tincture base: Place a fine sieve or several layers of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band over a clean bowl and strain out plant material. With clean hands twist the cheesecloth and squeeze remaining liquid from the herbs. If more clarity is needed, cover and allow to settle overnight and then strain again through a coffee filter. Add cannabis extract, if using, and mix well.
Use funnel to decant into small one-ounce or two-ounce bottles.
Label, date and store in a cool, dark place.

Dosage

For most herbal tinctures, adult dosages are typically 30-60 drops in water or tea, three times a day as needed. If you used whole plant cannabis flowers in the recipe (especially with THC in the mix), you’ll want to take things more slowly. Start with the lower dosage, see how you feel, and adjust accordingly. Take the dose about an hour before bed. Unless a bit more THC has been added to the formula, CBD can actually be stimulating to some people, so it might not be as effective right before bedtime. You can also make the sleep formula without CBD and try it with and without CBD oil extract to see which works better. Lastly, try using the stress formula tincture during the day to help later with sleep. Also, sleep remedies are best used occasionally.

Other Home Remedy Recipes

Melinda Misuraca is a Project CBD contributing writer with a past life as an old-school cannabis farmer specializing in CBD-rich cultivars. © Copyright, Project CBD. May not be reprinted without permission.

Footnotes

How and why to decarboxylate cannabis: Decarboxylation entails heating cannabis to convert the cannabinoids into a different form. While the conventional wisdom has been that this process increases the bioavailability of CBD and THC, more recent science has shown that cannabinoids also confer significant therapeutic benefits without decarboxylation. To decarb, preheat oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Grind dried cannabis flowers to a fine consistency in the spice grinder. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool.