Supplement

CBN (Cannabinol)

Herbs · Cannabinol, CBN oil, CBN gummies, 11-hydroxy-CBN

CBN forms when THC in hemp oxidizes over time. For a few years it has been sold as a sleep cannabinoid in oils and gummies. For a long time there was not a single sleep study on it; now there are two.

In short

The two randomized trials on CBN and sleep missed their primary endpoint, but show movement in the hoped-for direction: among 293 adults with poor sleep, participants on CBN woke up less often, and in the sleep laboratory 20 people with insomnia fell asleep faster on the high study dose and rated their sleep better. In rats, CBN clearly prolonged sleep, and a metabolite acts on the cannabinoid receptor similarly to THC. Long-term data in humans are lacking; in mice, tolerance and dependence developed. In the EU, CBN is an unauthorized novel food, and it is banned in competitive sport.

What CBN is and how it works

Cannabinol is a cannabinoid that forms in hemp when Δ9-THC oxidizes through air and light. It is sold commercially as an isolate, usually with the promise of better sleep. Unlike CBD, which is approved as a medicine for epilepsy, there is no approval for CBN.

In rats in the sleep laboratory, CBN prolonged total sleep time and increased both deep sleep and REM sleep; for deep sleep, the effect was in the range of the sleeping pill zolpidem. After administration, the metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached similarly high levels in the brain as CBN itself and acted on the cannabinoid receptor CB1 about as strongly as THC, while CBN itself was considerably weaker. This provides a plausible explanation, but this pathway has not been studied in humans. For other sleep topics see Sleep and sleep hygiene and Melatonin.

What is well supported

Fewer night-time awakenings. In a double-blind study with 293 adults with poor sleep, participants on CBN woke up less often over 7 nights, and overall sleep disturbance decreased, without more daytime sleepiness.
Faster sleep onset in the sleep laboratory. In 20 people with diagnosed insomnia, the high study dose shortened the time to fall asleep (dz = −0.74), improved subjective sleep and reduced arousals in the EEG.
Clear effect in the animal model. In rats, CBN prolonged sleep in the objective sleep laboratory, with an active metabolite as a possible contributor.

What the studies show

Bonn-Miller 2024: 293 adults, 7 nights

Adults between 18 and 55 who rated their sleep as poor or very poor received placebo, CBN alone or CBN with three different amounts of CBD for 7 nights. The primary endpoint, sleep quality, narrowly missed significance for CBN alone (OR 2.26, p = 0.082). Night-time awakenings and overall sleep disturbance were significantly lower. There was no difference in time to fall asleep, time awake during the night or daytime sleepiness. Adding CBD brought no additional benefit.

Lavender 2026: sleep laboratory in insomnia

20 adults with medically diagnosed insomnia, 17 women and 3 men, each received a low or high amount of CBN or placebo for one night in a crossover design. The primary endpoint, wake time after sleep onset in the sleep laboratory, did not change. With the high amount, however, light sleep (stage N2) increased, the time to fall asleep became shorter, subjective sleep quality improved and arousals in the EEG became less frequent. The authors consider larger and longer studies justified.

Corroon 2021: the state of knowledge before the studies

A 2021 review found not a single study that had examined CBN with validated sleep questionnaires or in a sleep laboratory. The human data came mostly from the 1970s and 1980s, and whether CBN has cannabis-like effects in humans was inconsistent. Commercial sleep products mostly contained very small amounts.

What users report

In a representative survey of 1,523 adults in the US, 4.5 percent had taken CBN at some point. Most used it for health reasons, most often for sleep problems (15.4 percent of mentions), followed by pain and anxiety (Satybaldiyeva 2025). This shows what people use CBN for, not whether it works.

Where the data stop

Primary endpoints missed. Neither study reached its most important goal; the positive findings are secondary endpoints.
Short duration. One night in the sleep laboratory and 7 nights at home. Whether the effect holds or fades with longer use is unknown.
Small groups. 20 people in the sleep laboratory, mostly women.
Tolerance and dependence. Shown in mice, never studied in humans.
Product quality. According to the 2021 review, the amount in commercial products was mostly well below the study amounts.

Status, approval and legal

In the EU, CBN is an unauthorized novel food: the European Commission’s Novel Food Catalogue explicitly lists cannabinol in the entry on cannabinoids and classifies extracts with non-psychoactive cannabinoids as well as synthetically obtained cannabinoids as novel (status: not yet authorized). Under the Novel Food Regulation, novel foods may only be placed on the market if they are authorized.

CBN is not listed in the annexes of the German Narcotics Act (Betäubungsmittelgesetz) and is not an approved medicine in Germany. In sport it is banned in competition: WADA bans all natural and synthetic cannabinoids except cannabidiol (2026 Prohibited List, S8).

Safety

In humans, data are available only for one night to one week. In the sleep laboratory, 247 mild to moderate side effects occurred across all study arms; the abstract does not contain a breakdown by group. In the 7-night study there was no difference in daytime sleepiness.

In mice, repeated administration led to tolerance and physical dependence, and CBN fully substituted for THC in the discrimination test. Whether this applies to humans is open. Anyone taking sleeping pills or sedatives should not add CBN on their own initiative. This text is for information and does not replace medical advice.

BK-Score Thin human evidence

Human evidence		4
Mechanism		4
Safety data		2
Hype gap		3
Track record of use		3

Evidence 4, because two randomized, placebo-controlled trials are available that both missed their primary endpoint but showed secondary findings in favor of CBN: fewer night-time awakenings in 293 adults over 7 nights (Bonn-Miller 2024) and faster sleep onset as well as better subjective sleep in 20 people with insomnia in a single night in the sleep laboratory (Lavender 2026). Mechanism 4, because in rats a sleep-prolonging effect and a metabolite acting THC-like at the CB1 receptor have been shown (Arnold 2025), but the pathway has not been studied in humans. Safety 2, because human data cover only one night to one week and mice developed tolerance and physical dependence with repeated administration (Vanegas 2026). Hype 3, because CBN was marketed as a sleep cannabinoid before there was a single study with validated sleep measurements (Corroon 2021), and the current studies support these promises only in part. Use 3, because CBN has only been sold as an isolate for a few years; in the US, 4.5 percent of adults had already taken it (Satybaldiyeva 2025), and systematic observations are lacking. Direction mixed: missed primary endpoints alongside positive secondary findings.

The score rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. “Safety data 9” means well studied – not harmless. “Track record of use 9” means used long and widely – that is not proof of efficacy.
Subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules – not a scientific rating and not a medical recommendation. Rules and all ratings (German)

Frequently asked questions about CBN (Cannabinol)

Does CBN help with sleep?

Possibly a little. In two small studies, CBN missed the primary goal but improved secondary measures: fewer night-time awakenings over 7 nights, and faster sleep onset with better subjective sleep in one night in the sleep laboratory. The studies are too small and too short for a clear statement.

What is the difference between CBN and CBD?

CBN forms from THC when it oxidizes; CBD is a separate hemp compound. CBD is approved as a medicine for certain forms of epilepsy and is permitted in sport. CBN has no approval and is banned in competition. In one study, adding CBD to CBN brought no benefit for sleep.

Does CBN get you high?

This has been studied inconsistently in humans; older research mostly found no cannabis-like effect. In rats, however, a metabolite of CBN acted on the cannabinoid receptor about as strongly as THC, and mice could not distinguish CBN from THC. A THC-like effect therefore cannot be entirely ruled out.

Is CBN legal in Germany?

CBN is not listed in the German Narcotics Act. As a food, however, it is not authorized in the EU: the Novel Food Catalogue lists cannabinol among the cannabinoids that are considered novel and are not yet authorized. There is no approved CBN medicine.

Is CBN allowed in sport?

No, not in competition. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List bans all natural and synthetic cannabinoids in competition; the only exception is cannabidiol.

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Sources

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Information only, not medical advice and not a usage or dosage recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in the hands of a physician. Last updated: 2026-10-07.