16 best CBD oils to help with sleep, stress and focus

This high-strength, whole-plant oil has been blended with apricot kernel, turmeric, black pepper, lemon, lime, and strawberry-seed oils. These extra ingredients not only make for a very pleasant taste, they also offer enhanced bioavailability (the amount that actually gets to work in your body) and additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Our testers found that, after using this oil, they felt calmer within 10 minutes, even when they had been feeling very upset or worked up beforehand.

If you’ve seen CBD on the shop shelves, there’s a good chance it’s this one. Fortunately, as well as being accessible, it’s also a high-quality product, which our testers particularly rated on flavour. It’s more affordable than many other products we’ve seen, and comes in a choice of mint, cherry, and apple flavours (alongside a mild ‘natural’, too). Our testers who struggled with the strong hemp taste of other oils found the Orange County oil a pleasure to use, and equally effective – particularly as they didn’t find themselves putting off taking it.

This brand has a wide range of products to choose from, and every single one tested exceptionally well. But this oil was consistently voted the winner for sleep, anxiety, depression, PTSD, arthritis and menopausal symptoms. The Amber 42 (available with and without a very low, legal limit of THC) was a great pick overall, vastly improving sleep quality, hot flashes and arthritis pain in a matter of days. We also like that there is a variety of formulations to choose from, with each having been made to suit different needs.

Although this oil is relatively low in price, it is incredibly high in quality. As a whole-plant oil, you’re getting cannabis as nature intended (but with naturally legal limits of THC, which won’t get you high). It is slightly harsh to take, but this is usually the way with this type of top-level oil, and it’s definitely worth it – our testers found it was great for a wide range of needs, from anxiety to sleep. Furthermore, by purchasing this oil, you’re directly supporting the founder’s daughter’s life-saving medical cannabis prescription.

We tested a number of CBD oils that were great for sleep, but testers came back time and again reporting that this one “knocked them out” – not only helping them fall asleep faster, but stay asleep too. Even one tester with PTSD-induced sleep disturbances found this to be effective. The lovely, delicate, earthy mint flavour makes it a pleasure to take, too. It loses marks for price, because it’s undoubtedly an expensive option but it does work very well. Use code “AFF15DD” to get 15 per cent off at checkout.

This raw, full-spectrum CBD oil is a great example of a CBD product that enables you to take advantage of the entourage effect – all parts of the hemp plant working together in synergy to deliver the very best therapeutic benefit. It’s organic and contains CBDa, which is the molecule shown in studies to potentially prevent the transmission of Covid.

This isn’t a fluffy wellbeing product, though – it’s quite strong in flavour and harsh to take, but the results are worth it. Our testers found this oil to be particularly effective for combatting stress, both acute and chronic. A couple of testers found this oil was so good it actually managed to stop a panic attack in its tracks.

This is a CBD oil you can use with absolute confidence, thanks to the incredibly thorough lab reports it has made available. All CBD products must be third-party tested, but usually go for the very basic cannabinoid content – some only check for CBD and THC. This brand, on the other hand, has tested for a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, as well as heavy metals and mycotoxins. It’s made the reports available for all customers to see, which can help you make a more informed decision. The reports show this has a nice level of CBG, as well as CBD, which might be why our testers found this to be so great for reducing the pain and inflammation of arthritis, which improved the longer they used this oil.

A fantastic oil made by a company with a cause. This brand really understands the hemp plant and spearheads campaigns to promote sustainable, authentic, ethical production of both hemp and CBD products in the UK.

As an organic, cold-pressed, raw oil, this is another product that showcases the brilliance of the whole plant, with a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids present. Our testers found this to be very effective for promoting better sleep, feeling less anxious and depressed and for managing the symptoms of long Covid.

Did you know CBD oil can help promote higher energy levels, as well as relax you? One study even dubbed it a “wake-promoting agent”, making it potentially very useful for people who are after a pick-me-up.

This sweet, citrussy blend looks, feels and tastes like a luxury option. But it has also been chosen by the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society as a product it suggests prescribing doctors should recommend as an over-the-counter alternative to a cannabis (or cannabinoid) prescription. Our testers found the oil helped them wake up and stay focused throughout the day, with one even finding they could forgo their morning coffee after using the oil capsules.

Our testers with PTSD felt as though this oil “stopped the cascade in its tracks and provided much-needed respite from symptoms”. While a few others on this list also had this effect, the Amma Life boost oil did so in a way that was described as extremely comforting and warm. It may seem unusual to speak about a supplement in quite an emotional way, but the effects of this high level of CBD product can be very nuanced, as our testers noticed throughout.

Cramps, depression, mood swings, breakouts… periods can come with all sorts of unpleasantness. But CBD oil can help keep your hormones on a more even keel. When taken throughout the month (not just during menstruation – it’s key to have CBD accumulated in your system before you start your period), Potyque reduced all nasty symptoms. Two testers, who usually get very bad PMT and pains, found that, after taking the oil for a month, such symptoms were barely noticeable.

As well as being a very decent CBD oil, which tested well for general stress and wellbeing, this one also has the most incredible chocolate-hazelnut flavour. If you fancy a novel way of using your CBD, it makes a delicious addition to hot chocolate (although, it’s not water soluble, so it doesn’t mix in). As an extra perk, our testers found they craved sugary treats much less when taking this oil, as their sweet tooth felt satisfied after taking their dose, despite it being sugar-free and naturally flavoured.

This is a truly amazing CBD oil. We had myriad testers trial this product, and each found the gentle, patchouli-like flavour dramatically reduced stress, anxiety and migraines in a wonderfully uplifting way. More specifically, one tester, who suffers from dementia after an ischemic stroke, even found that a dose of the brand’s stronger 2,000mg oil helped them to stand up, walk across the room and have a semi-lucid conversation within 10 minutes of taking it. While we can’t claim that everyone who uses this oil will get the same results, our range of testers really reaped the benefits.

If you’re looking for a brand that offers as close to the natural benefits of hemp as you can get in a CBD oil, Hemp Heros is one to try. This is an exceptional range of full-spectrum products, created without heat or solvents, to maintain good levels of CBD, CBDa, minor cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. Although this product has a strong taste, due to its raw, whole-plant composition, our testers found it was worth getting through a couple of times a day, to reap the benefits. This one got high marks across the board when it came to helping with sleep, stress, pain management, menopause symptoms and even gut complaints.

From one of Ireland’s premiere CBD brands, this oil is currently being used in a pain management study for arthritis in dogs at University College Dublin (UCD) veterinary hospital and in a cancer research study with the UCD School of science.

You might associate CBD oil with relaxation and sleep, but it can also provide an energy boost when you need it most, especially when combined with other energising ingredients. Luxury CBD brand Mission C, whose products have just been launched in Selfridges, offer a pre-workout oil that combines broad spectrum CBD with natural ashwagandha, citral and maca root, which our testers loved.

One tired mum, who was working on getting herself back into the gym, found this oil made all the difference – after three weeks of taking it every day, she even managed to start skipping her mid-afternoon coffee, which meant she slept better at night, too.

This brand is all about holistic wellbeing, and its efforts to help you de-stress and sleep well span beyond CBD oil alone. With carefully curated soundscapes available via the Kloris website, and oil in hand, our testers were delighted to turn use of this broad-spectrum oil into a full self-care ritual to start and end the day. As a result, they found themselves feeling de-stressed, more present and calmer in the face of challenges.

If you want to take the Kloris experience to the next level, there’s a range of massage treatments available both in the flagship Soho store and a number of spas around the world.