How Does Cannabis Affect Sleep?
Consumption of cannabinoids affects sleep by decreasing REM and increasing deep sleep which helps our bodies to rest.
Consumption of cannabinoids affects sleep by decreasing REM and increasing deep sleep which helps our bodies to rest.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘marijuana’? Maybe you think of 70s hippies or a group of students in their dorms secretly smoking weed to relax. Whatever it is, the chances are that your opinion of it was formed on popular viewpoints during your childhood.
A decade ago, during 1969, about 84% of people in the US said that cannabis shouldn’t be legal because it was presented as something terrible and vicious “with its roots in hell” like it was described in one movie from the 30s. Apparently, people choose to believe what they want without informing themselves and investigating the claims (because why would mass media lie right?).
Then in the latest research, made by Pew Research Center in 2018, 62% of Americans said marijuana should be legalized. Why such drastic change, if it’s, is something wrong? Simply put, doctors and scientist now acquired more significant knowledge and understanding of how cannabis affects our body and mind. There are more and more drug trials that try to include medical marijuana as a part of a treatment of many disorders including sleep disorders. Actually, about forty percent of Americans are struggling with some sleep disorder, so no wonder 29 states approved cannabis use in one way or the other. The question is can it really help?
Sleep is essential for the optimal functionality throughout the day. Lack of sleep can cause failure of other functions in our body that we rely on. So, we already know we’ll be in trouble the next day if we struggle to fall asleep or get a restful and deep sleep, the night before.
Interestingly receptor called CB1 (part of the endocannabinoid system) which is in the human body is involved in the regulation of sleep. Consumption of cannabinoids like THC and CBD affect sleep by decreasing REM and increasing deep sleep which can help our bodies to rest. Cannabinoids also help with relieving the pain, and it’s best to use a balance between CBD: THC to help you fall and remain asleep. Since cannabis has various natural substances that affect sleep, it would be good to be informed of what those are.
CBD – Cannabidiol is known to promote relaxation, and it doesn’t contain psychoactive substances to cause the ‘high’ effect. Many studies have shown that CBD has proved to be successful at easing symptoms of anxiety, reducing sleepiness during the day and promoting mental focus. Scientists believe that CBD works to balance the psychoactive effects of THC.
THC – Tetrahydrocannabinol is like we mentioned the main factor that causes psychoactive effects in cannabis. Despite that, studies have proved that it can be used as an effective sedative that can help you fall asleep easier. Some suggest that it improves breathing during sleep so, it can be a possible treatment for sleep apnea. THC appears to reduce time spent in REM while sleeping, and due to that it decreases dreaming which can trigger nightmares. That can be very helpful to those who have PTSD. Since each sleep cycle is significant, considering the changes and side effect you may encounter during the use of cannabis can be a good thing when deciding how long to use it.
CBN – Cannabinol is not as known as CBD but it also has strong sedative and THC may enhance those effects. CBN also helps with relieving pain and anti-inflammatory ability. Fun fact: THC naturally transforms into CBN due to the aging of cannabis, and it doesn’t contain any psychoactive effects
Terpenes are an important part of cannabis which affects sleep and other cannabis effects. Although scientists are still learning about them, they think terpenes can enhance those beneficial effects. There are over 150 types of terpenes and based on different cannabis strains and their combinations you can get different smells and tastes. Research also shows that it can affect your mood, sleepiness, and alertness.
Myrcene – It has anti-inflammatory and sedative effects. It can also be found in ylang-ylang and plant hops.
Caryophyllene – This terpene is usually used to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and pain but due to analgesic and anxiolytic properties it can be used to improve sleep. It can be found in cloves as well.
Terpineol – This one has sedative, pain relieving and relaxing effects. It can also be found in pine and eucalyptus.
Linalool – Studies show that this terpene lowers symptoms of depression and anxiety, but more importantly it promotes adenosine increase which is a hormone that helps us sleep.
Limonene – This has been known to reduce stress and promote serotonin levels which makes it also a sleep promoter. Some studies show that it can be very helpful to reduce symptoms of insomnia.
Marijuana strains are divided into three groups, that differ in terms of their effects and where they are grown.
* Effect of those can vary sometimes depending on the person.
Specialists recommend using Indica strains for sleep disorders and to avoid an overdose of THC that leaves you feeling something similar to a hangover; it is best to use marijuana strains that contain less than twenty percent of THC. Optimal balance between CBD: THC can help you reduce daytime fatigue, insomnia, and increase the quality of sleep.
Our sleep system contains light sleep, medium sleep, deep sleep, and finally REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement which is a stage of intense dreaming and during that time our body is resting. Normally, all stages focus on resetting and helping various body parts to relax including regulating our brain and body functions. Fifty percent of sleep time we spend in light sleep, and during deep sleep, our body is resetting and strengthening the immune system. Final stage REM promotes emotion regulation and it ‘deletes’ memories that are short term. After that, due to the reset of the brain, we experience dreams which are intense.
As we age, REM sleep is slowly reduced which can cause emotional disbalance. Using cannabis can help people with sleep disorders to regulate those cycles, and it can relax them enough to fall back asleep if their rest gets disrupted during the night.
There are many ways to consume marijuana, but we will list a couple of the most popular ones. Keep in mind that there is no best method only the right method for you.
If you want to get the most out of cannabis effect before sleep timing is essential. The optimal time is 1h before bedtime as cannabis will do its work for 3 to 4 hours helping you fall asleep. It is always best if it doesn’t kick in right away because it can prevent sleep causing excitability.
Experts do not recommend consuming edibles before sleep due to digestion (form our gut to the liver) process which can last from eight to twelve hours.
Even though cannabis has its perks, knowing the potential side effects is one of the major factors to consider before consumption.
Here is what science says about marijuana’s effect on sleep
A fashion designer by profession, writer by choice and bookworm – always. As a person struggling with anxiety for years and someone who loves to sleep, I can relate to the struggles of getting a good night’s rest. When I'm not doing sleep research, I enjoy reading books, being involved in creative activities and discovering the best use of my Moka pot.