Cannabis and Sleep: 10 Things You Should Know

  • If you have sleep problems, cannabis can be a great help, but it's still important to approach its use cautiously.

  • Cannabis and sleep have been studied extensively in recent decades, and research has shown interesting results.

Cannabis can be an excellent aid for falling asleep and that's why many people keep it on their nightstands. Even people with the most persistent insomnia can be helped into the realm of dreams by the calming indica. Most users know that cannabis can help them sleep well, but in reality, it's more complex than it might seem at first glance. Did you know that older, dried cannabis will make you feel more drowsy than fresh cannabis? And did you know that cannabis suppresses dreams?

Get ready to learn a few things about how cannabis can support your night's hibernation, or conversely, prevent it.

1. CBD and THC affect sleep differently

You probably already know that there are different types of cannabis: some will intoxicate you (high THC, low CBD), some do not (high CBD, low THC), and others have minimal effect (similar THC content). In some parts of the United States, it's quite difficult (if not impossible) to find high-CBD varieties, so most sleep studies focus only on high-THC varieties, which is basically useless.

What effect does high-CBD cannabis have on sleep? In 2006, a study was conducted examining CBD's effects on animal models in two situations – during daylight and darkness. It was found that this non-psychoactive compound increased alertness during the day, while having no clear effects on sleep at night. From these results, the authors concluded that CBD could be promising for treating sleepiness or excessive daytime sleepiness resulting from poor night's sleep.

2. Indicas are better sleep helpers

Public opinion shows that Indica varieties induce stronger states of drowsiness, while Sativas stimulate and provide energy. Check our list of the best sleep helpers and you'll see a page full of purple Indicas, with the occasional green hybrid. Although chemical and DNA testing will reveal why Indicas are better sleep helpers, some people think it's due to the content of terpenes, fragrant compounds that make each plant as special as a fingerprint. In other words, Indicas may contain more calming terpenes than their Sativa relatives.

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