How Cannabinoids Impact Your Sleep

If you’ve ever consumed cannabis for sleep, you know it can be helpful to get to sleep. You may have wondered what, if any impact cannabinoids have on your sleep cycle. In this article, we cover how consuming cannabis may affect your sleep schedule and more.

Sleep Schedules Defined

Just as every cannabis consumer and every cultivar is different, so is everyone’s sleep schedule. Cannabis can have an impact on these sleep cycles. Here are some examples:

Morning People

Morning people are your quintessential early rises. They rise with the sun and get ready for the day. Cannabis may help early morning folks fall asleep and stay asleep a few hours after the sun goes down. This is because studies show that cannabis can help balance our ECS and have a positive effect on our mood, circadian rhythms, and appetite.

Late Sleepers

If you’re the type who sleeps until late morning, cannabis can have an effect on your sleep. The obvious reason for this is that some people sleep in if they have the luxury to do so, since the plant medicine can be so relaxing. A microdose of an uplifting cultivar can help these kinds of sleepers get ready for their day and feel great about it.

Nocturnal

Nocturnal folks are your typical vampire type, who is always up throughout the night and wakes up in the afternoon. Common among those who work the overnight shift, cannabis can help these folks crawl into their coffins before sunrise and fall asleep fast for some restoration.

Insomniacs

According to Science Daily, 1 in 4 Americans develop some form of insomnia every year. Thankfully, 75% of those people do recover. For those who both recover and continue to suffer from insomnia, cannabis can help.

Second Sleepers

Those of us who deal with mild to moderate forms of insomnia may benefit from the way that our ancestors slept, which is called biphasic sleep. They would sleep for 3-4 hours, then awaken, then awaken for an hour or two, then sleep again for another 2-3 hours or so. I personally find myself on this sleep schedule nightly, and I find the space between sleeps is an excellent time for getting things done. Apparently, our ancestors agreed.

This sleep schedule was recently covered in a fascinating article from the BBC. Here is a quote:

"In short, single periods of slumber might not be "natural". And yet, neither are fancy ergonomic mattresses or modern hygiene."

THC Can Impact Our REM Sleep

As we covered in one of our previous articles on cannabis and sleep, THC does have an impact on your REM sleep. REM sleep is known as rapid eye movement, and it’s the time when we dream. Consuming cannabis can also reduce the amount of time we spend in REM sleep.

This is why some consumers say they don’t often remember their dreams. This tends to be the case with occasional consumers. As we build up a tolerance to cannabis, it takes more of it to feel the same effects. This seems to be the same with dreaming. The more we consume, the more tolerance we have to cannabis, and the less it may impact our REM sleep.

We can experience a “REM reset” if we take a tolerance break, which can be beneficial for regular consumers. However, taking a cold turkey tolerance break can also mean that we have trouble sleeping, especially if we rely on cannabis for sleep.

Moderation is Key

Everyday consumers who are looking to take a tolerance break are recommended to do so on a gradual basis. Doing so immediately and abruptly could cause a disturbance in both the force and your REM sleep. If you're new to cannabis and looking for some recommendations on cultivars that can help you get some shut-eye, check out our blog article on the topic.

Sweet dreams!

Disclaimer:

The content on this page is provided by HashDash for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for professional healthcare advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat any medical condition or ailment on your own. Always consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about treatment. The information and products mentioned herein have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.

HashDash is Supporting the Evolution of the Cannabis Community

In a future article, we will discuss how catching up on your sleep may be a myth, discuss nightly disturbances like sleep debt, and of course – provide ways that cannabis can help.

What are your experiences like? Let us know in the comment section or on social media.

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