According to the National Sleep Foundation, over half of adults experience at least one insomnia symptom a few nights per week. One-third report experiencing insomnia symptoms nearly every night. Unfortunately, sleeping pills come with the risk of side effects and addiction. In California, cannabis might be the answer for insomnia sufferers.
People respond differently to cannabis products, so each individual should experiment to determine which ones work best for their insomnia. A person can test different dosages and formulas over time while tracking sleep patterns to clarify which products work best for them. Here are some cannabis products for sleep to try first:
Indica Cannabis Products
Indica is known for promoting relaxation, so ingesting an Indica strain of cannabis can help people fall asleep more quickly. When it comes to THC, there is no set amount recommended to aid with falling or staying asleep. People’s best bet is to start low and gradually increase the amount of THC they consume before bed if they feel they need more. Sleepers with a higher tolerance will likely require more THC than people who don’t regularly ingest cannabis already.
Research suggests that too much THC could interfere with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM is important, so people want to make sure they strike the right balance. Ingest enough THC to enjoy the benefit of falling asleep more quickly, but not so much that REM sleep is shortened. If a person taking cannabis before bed wakes up in the morning feeling more unrefreshed than normal, they might be ingesting too much THC before bed.
There is one case in which people might want to try a Sativa rather than Indica cannabis product before bed: when experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) nightmares. Preliminary studies suggest that Sativa products help reduce the occurrence of nightmares in people experiencing PTSD. If PTSD rather than general insomnia is what’s keeping a person awake, Sativa might help more than Indica.
CBN-Rich Cannabis Products
Cannabinol (CBN) is a cannabinoid that doesn’t receive as much fanfare as more-popular THC and CBD. Insomniacs might want to pay attention to CBN, however. Although research isn’t yet conclusive, many professionals believe CBN has sleep-inducing qualities. Some suggest CBN has a sedative effect comparable to that from a prescription sedative medication.
The jury is not yet out when it comes to how CBN affects sleep. Until more research is conducted, customers can safely do their own experimentation with CBN-rich cannabis products before bed to see if they experience sound sleep as a result.
Cannabis Products with Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone created by the body that’s known for promoting sleep. There are many sleep-promoting cannabis products on the market that also contain melatonin. A cannabis-melatonin product could be useful to people who find that they need a sleep aid that’s stronger than either cannabis or melatonin on their own. Like cannabis, melatonin helps people fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep for a longer time period.
Takeaway
Research shows that cannabis can help people suffering from insomnia. There is more than one cannabis product that aids with sleep, however, because each person’s body operates a little differently. The best approach is an experimental one. People experiencing insomnia can start by trying Indica strains of cannabis, CBN-rich cannabis products, and cannabis products with melatonin to see which helps ease their sleeping problems the best.