Reference
Glossary.
plain English, no jargon for its own sake.
- CBN (cannabinol)
- A minor cannabinoid that forms as THC ages and oxidizes. It carries a 'sleepy' reputation, but rigorous human sleep trials are still thin — most evidence is early or preclinical.
- CBD (cannabidiol)
- A major, non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Its strongest human evidence is in anxiety and epilepsy; its direct sleep evidence is weak (a small, uncontrolled case series).
- CBG (cannabigerol)
- A minor cannabinoid sometimes called the 'mother cannabinoid' because others form from it. Evidence is early-stage; it's often blended into sleep products.
- Melatonin
- A hormone your body releases as light fades to signal night. As a supplement its best-supported use is shifting sleep timing (jet lag, late schedule), not deepening sleep.
- COA (certificate of analysis)
- A third-party lab report of what's actually in a supplement — potency and contaminants. The single most important thing to check before buying a cannabinoid product.
- HRV (heart rate variability)
- The millisecond variation between consecutive heartbeats. More generally signals a recovered nervous system; the absolute number is highly individual, so track your own trend, not someone else's.
- Circadian rhythm
- Your roughly 24-hour internal clock, set mainly by light. Morning light advances it (you get sleepy earlier); evening light delays it.
- Sleep latency
- How long it takes to fall asleep after lights out. Shortening this is melatonin's clearest, best-supported effect.
- Slow-wave sleep
- The deepest stage of non-REM sleep, concentrated in the first half of the night and most associated with feeling physically restored.
- n=1
- An experiment with a single subject (here, Brett). It's a hypothesis generator, not proof — what works for one nervous system may do nothing for yours.
- NAC (N-acetylcysteine)
- An antioxidant and glutathione precursor — an old, cheap drug. Not a general sleep aid; the one interesting sleep signal is a small trial in obstructive sleep apnea.
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)
- A 'universal antioxidant' the body makes. Its strong human evidence is for diabetic nerve pain (mostly intravenous), not the broad oral anti-aging claims.
- PFAS ('forever chemicals')
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — synthetic chemicals in nonstick, waterproof, and stain-resistant products that barely break down and build up in the body.
- Thermoregulation
- How your body manages its core temperature. Sleep onset depends on core temperature dropping, which is why a cooler bedroom tends to help.
- Tart cherry
- A fruit extract used in some sleep formulas; it contains small amounts of natural melatonin and is studied for modest sleep effects.