Guide to Smoking Weed Before Bed
Published on 10/18/21
It's almost impossible to overstate how important sleep is for you. Restful, quality sleep gives us time to rest our bodies and minds, gives our bodies a chance to reset and heal, and even has been shown scientifically to impact our mood, sex drive, mental and physical health and much more. Yet so many people still struggle to get restful, quality sleep for a wide variety of reasons.
According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70 million Americans alone deal with some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia, by far the most common ailment, impacts 30 percent of all U.S. adults at some point in their lives. For those who aren't great at math, that's an astounding 60 million Americans!
That's where cannabis can come in! Both recreational and medical cannabis is available in most states in the U.S., hemp-derived CBD products are legal pretty much everywhere, and there are cannabis-based products on the market made specifically for those struggling to get the right amount of shut-eye every night. In fact, the more research you do the more obvious it is that marijuana and sleep are deeply linked!
This article is going to break down why and how going to sleep high helps you get to and stay asleep, the scientific links between THC and sleep, how to dose marijuana for sleep and choose products that will work best for you! Let's get right into it, shall we?
The Science of Weed and Sleep
Simply put, weed and sleep go hand-in-hand! For a long time, the equation was as simple as "weed makes me tired, so it must help me sleep." While the basic idea of that anecdotal observation is true, as the legal industry has come to life all over the world, researchers have been able to figure out the science behind why.
Due to that work by researchers over the years, studies have long linked the effects of THC and CBD, two of the most well-known and best understood cannabinoids by researchers, with better quality sleep.
One study from 2008, for example, showed that high THC strains reduced the amount of REM sleep users got. For those suffering from PTSD, a major source of stress for people with PTSD is often their dreams. Reduced REM cycles mean fewer dreams, which would allow them to rest easier for longer.
Other studies, like this 2013 paper, showed that doses of THC helped users breathe better while they slept, which improved their overall quality of sleep. Another from 2002 showed a link between serotonin signaling in the brain and THC doses, which would help those dealing with anxiety disorders or depression.
CBD has been shown to have a big impact when it comes to sleep as well! A recent scientific survey amongst adults dealing with anxiety-induced sleeping problems found that 2/3 of participants reported significant improvements after only a month of CBD use before bed.
Another study found that CBD's pain-reducing effects helped those suffering from chronic pain get better quality sleep for longer without breakthrough pain. Anyone who's ever suffered from any type of chronic pain will tell you just how vital it is to find something that can effectively ease their symptoms enough for them to get periods of restful, restorative sleep.
Another lesser-known but incredibly important part of the link between marijuana and sleep is the CBN content of the product. While CBN might not be as mainstream as THC or CBD, CBN has been shown by researchers to be the most sedative of all the compounds in cannabis. This recently discovered compound is the result of the THC in cannabis getting older, which actually suggests those suffering from lack of sleep might be a good idea to smoke some older high THC cannabis that's been sitting around for a bit instead of the fresh stuff from your local dispensary.
With all of this science, and more comprehensive and legal research being done every day, There's no real debate anymore about the benefits of weed for sleep. The question these days is less, "does marijuana help you sleep" and more like WHICH marijuana sleep product is best for you!
Choosing the Right Product for You
Despite this research proving the links between weed and sleep, however, choosing the right type of product is still incredibly important if your goal is to get restful, restorative sleep.
Heading to the dispensary with the intention of going to sleep on edibles is all well and good, but if you end up grabbing a sativa-rich strain before you bake those brownies will mean you won't get the best night of sleep possible. That's why it's important to do two things in the dispensary before you spend a single dollar on a product you plan to use for sleep.
Ask You Budtender Questions
Believe it or not, those folks behind the counter at your local dispensary as pretty much experts at what they do. Those budtenders are often medical and recreational users themselves who personally understand the benefits and effects of the cannabis products you're trying to buy. They're resources to utilize to make sure you're getting the best product to help ease you into going to sleep high.
Read Your Product Labels
Dosing cannabis products can be a real struggle for many. Not only is your dosage dependant on the type of product you're using, but it also depends on factors like age, weight, sex, past cannabis use and other medications being taken. With that in mind, however, figuring out the right dose of the right product for you is vital to using marijuana for sleep.
As the cannabis industry has matured and developed, companies have gotten better at getting exact and accurate dosages onto product packaging. That, in turn, has helped cannabis users who utilize weed for sleep to be able to do so much more accurately.
Do you smoke weed before bed? Share your favorite tips and tricks to help you fall into a blissful sleep!