Insomnia is a sleep disorder that regularly affects millions of people worldwide. In short, individuals with insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. The effects can be devastating.Insomnia commonly leads to daytime sleepiness, lethargy, and a general feeling of being unwell, both mentally and physically. Mood swings, irritability, and anxiety are common associated symptoms.Insomnia has also been associated with a higher risk of developing chronic diseases. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 30-40 percent of American adults report that they have had symptoms of insomnia within the last 12 months, and 10-15 percent of adults claim to have chronic insomnia. Some 40 million Americans experience insomnia every year, and it's the most common sleep disorder in the U.S.Irrespective of the age and gender, insomnia can affect everyone on this planet. However, it is more common in adults and its frequency increases as the person advances in the age.Said this, an old person is more likely to suffer from insomnia as compared to child, adolescence and adult. Also, women in general are more likely to suffer from insomnia according to some health care experts. types of insomnia definition.Several small studies in adults and children have suggested that an exposure to light from televisions and smartphones prior to going to sleep can affect natural melatonin levels and lead to increased time to sleep.In addition, a study conducted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that backlit tablet computers can affect sleep patterns. These studies suggest that technology in the bedroom can worsen insomnia, leading to more complications.So far, research has been conducted on both humans and animals, more specifically lab rats, and the results show a lot of hope. In lab rats, scientists observed that low doses usually have an activating effect - meaning it works as a wake-promoting agent. Higher doses ranging from 10 to 40 mg/kg showed signs of additional sleep.This was further observed in a study done in 2006 that showed rats on micro-doses of CBD spent more time awake throughout the entire test period.A 2013 study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology showed that the total percentage of sleep increased significantly in the lab rats when CBD was administered in higher doses.These observations conclusively prove the effectiveness of CBD in alternating sleep patterns and habits. Individual studies on humans also yielded the same results as the experiments on lab rats. This study showed that large doses of CBD (600 mg approx) administered per day lead to the test subjects sleeping more.Even relatively low doses per day (160 mg) showed the volunteers who complained about their inability to fall asleep, actually sleeping more. In this study, the volunteers also claimed to have experienced lack of restlessness and fewer wakefulness periods. Miraculously (or not), the substance did not even give them a feeling of a hangover the next day.It is perhaps for this reason CBD is also said to help people suffering from PTSD by reducing the chance of getting nightmares. In conclusion, it's safe to say these studies suggest that humans respond to CBD the same way rats do: stimulating in low doses; sedating in high doses.