What Happens When You Sleep High? The Different Types of Sleep When You're High

People often don't realize that sleep plays an important role in your physical and mental health. Good sleep is imperative to memory, heart health, can prevent weight gain, and even increase exercise performance. However, approximately 50 to 70 million US adults experience some symptoms of sleep disorder and are starting to push the pills aside for more natural sleep aid like cannabis. Below, we'll discuss what happens when you sleep high, the best strains for sleep and which consumption methods to steer away from when lighting up before bedtime.

What Cannabis Does Within the Body

When people think of marijuana, it's all about getting baked out of your mind and sitting on the couch with your favorite munchies snack. However, marijuana is doing so much more within the body than what meets the eye on a medicinal and therapeutic level. Cannabis is crucial for homeostasis, which is where your body keeps all its vital systems stable. Cannabis works with a bodily system called the endocannabinoid system to regulate not only homeostasis but immune functions, pain, memory, motor controls, digestion, and inflammation - just to name a few. Through the binding of cannabinoids to receptors, THC can do wonders within the body, causing euphoric feelings, altered senses, and perception of time.

How Does Cannabis Interact with Sleep?

Outside of the euphoric and body-numbing feelings that can accompany cannabis, perhaps the most popular use for marijuana is as a sleep aid. A cornerstone of the industry is finding people the best strains for insomnia and the best indica strain for a rejuvenating night's sleep, but how does cannabis achieve this? Cannabis works as a sleep aid because it has relaxing and sedative properties, making it easier to fall asleep. Studies have found that cannabis shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and lengthens the time spent in deep, slow-wave sleep.

Three of the best-known cannabinoids all have positive effects on sleep. CBD reduces anxiety and relieves pain, which is why it can be the best cannabis for sleep. CBN, a lesser-known cannabinoid, has extremely powerful sedative effects which may be enhanced when combined with THC. Of course, THC, the most popular cannabinoid has the sedative effects to knock out any user for the evening.

Which Consumption Method is Best for Sleep?

When it comes to which consumption method is best for falling asleep, this one is a little subjective. Some people react best when they hit their vape pens, others swear by edibles. Note that if you're just starting out, trying different methods and looking for the best weed for insomnia will be a trial-and-error process, with the results looking different for each user.

For starters, most people are turning to edibles when it comes to consuming the best weed for sleep. When edibles are consumed, it needs to be absorbed and digested within the body and eventually metabolized by your liver. This is a delayed reaction but is often worth the wait as THC is transformed into something more potent. Not only do edibles create a higher potency, but they generally last longer (4-6 hours) and have you feeling more sedative, which can be optimal for sleep.

Smoking a bowl, ripping the bong or rolling a joint or blunt is going to send that THC to your mind and body instantly. The THC goes directly to the lungs and reaches the brain within seconds. While this high may happen instantly, it is going to last anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. If you need to fall asleep fast, smoking flower may be the way to go, especially if you don't have an issue staying asleep once you're already there.

Tips On Smoking Before Bed for Optimal Sleep

Know Which Terpenes You're Consuming

While cannabinoids have often taken the main stage when it comes to cannabis, terpenes are slowly coming to the forefront because of the medicinal properties they contain and how they can enhance the effects of different cannabinoids, too. If you're late to the party, terpenes are tiny, aromatic compounds found in cannabis that create smell and taste and are also found in fruits, flowers, and other plants. Terpenes like myrcene and limonene have relaxing and calming effects, which can promote great sleep. Linalool, the lavender-scented terpene, increases adenosine, a sedating hormone that helps us fall asleep. When looking for marijuana strains for sleep, a high-linalool strain like Purple Kush may erase all sleeping issues.

Familiarize Yourself with The Cannabinoid Profile

When it comes to cannabinoids, this is also subjective for the user. For some people, the best strain for sleep is a heavy-hitting, super high-THC indica strain. For others, they'll be looking for something high in CBD, to wash away the anxieties for the day. We recommend experimenting with a few different cannabinoid profiles to ultimately determine what works for your body. If you haven't experimented with the lesser-known cannabinoid, CBN, now is the time to try! It is most often used as a sleep aid, so if you find yourself suffering from insomnia or other sleep disorders - try this one out.

Be Intentional with Your Strain Type

This may seem like common knowledge at this point, but make sure you're choosing the right strain to wind down with at night. As always, an indica is going to create a more relaxed and sedative feeling to knock you out for the evening. The best indica strain for sleep is arguably Granddaddy Purple, Northern Lights or AC/DC. A sativa strain is going to elevate your mood and focus while giving you bursts of energy to last throughout the day, so steer clear from those. Hybrid strains however can still induce great sleep, just ask your budtender for indica-leaning ones the next time you're looking for a new sleep remedy.

Do you use cannabis for sleep? Which consumption works best for you? Tell us your favorite strain to light up with before bed below.