Sleeplessness. It’s a terrible feeling. You toss and turn, stare at the clock, and watch as the hours tick inevitably down toward the ringing of your alarm. If you’ve ever experienced nights like this, you’re not alone. Not getting enough sleep is so widespread in America that back in 2014, the CDC declared sleeplessness a public health epidemic. Given all this, it’s no wonder that as legal cannabis has taken center stage, more and more Americans are trying out herbal nightcaps to see if the green stuff can help them sleep. But, you may wonder, does it actually work? Let’s take a closer look.
Cannabis as a Possible Sleep Aid
As with almost everything having to do with cannabis, the short answer to “Will cannabis help me sleep?” is it depends. Cannabis can be an extremely useful sleep aid. Taking a few puffs from a vaporizer or joint or 5mg of an edible before getting into bed can help many users slip easily into dreamland. However, depending on body chemistry and the type of strain used sleep may not always be in store. You’ll likely have to experiment with a few things to discover what helps you sleep best.
A Few Considerations Before You Dive In
While an herbal sleep aid might sound exciting, here are a few things to think about before you dive in. You might experience a bit of a “hangover.” No, it’s not the pounding headache and overall queasiness of a hangover fueled by alcohol, but you may feel groggier in than usual in the morning if you use cannabis at night. These effects don’t tend to stick around long, but it’s worth remembering. Another thing to consider is that cannabis changes your sleep patterns. You’re much less likely to experience dreams and REM sleep when using cannabis. This isn’t to say that dreams and REM completely stop, you simply won’t move into those states as often.
Which Strains Are the Most Helpful?
Anecdotally, Indica strains are supposed to be the most mellow and the most likely to help send you into sleep. However, the effect a strain has on you likely has more to do with the particular mix of cannabinoids and terpenes in the strain than whether or not it’s an Indica, so some trial and error may be required to find the strain that’s right for you. Oddly, it’s older flower that’s going to be more likely to get you to sleep faster. This is because as flower ages, the THC begins to break down, creating cannabinol or CBN. CBN is a marvelous cannabinoid that has a far more sedating effect than THC. As more cannabis research comes along, no doubt some exciting sleep breakthroughs are going to be coming from the study of CBN.
Have you tried cannabis as a sleep aid? What was your experience? Tell us about it on Instagram. Or visit us in-store, our friendly team of budtenders is ready and waiting to help you get better sleep with cannabis. We’re located at 721 6TH ST, Clarkston, Washington and our hours are 8am to 10pm Monday-Saturday and 9am to 8pm on Sunday. Or you can give us a call at (509) 295-8218.
