Sleep allows your body to relax both physically and mentally. Sleep can be negatively affected by stress, pain, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Cannabis and cannabinoids are known to affect these factors that affect Sleep. This article will explore how Sleep is promoted or affected by the presence of cannabis and cannabinoids in the body. Cannabis induces a high effect because of the THC compound, not available in cannabinoids.
Cannabis And Sleep
Cannabis refers to the dried leaves and flower mixture of marijuana mostly smoked. It contains both THC and CBD compounds. Cannabis may help Sleep because it binds with the ECS receptors in the brain and body cells. It increases the flow of signals from the brain to body cells. THC may stimulate new cannabis smokers or those who take high doses, making it hard to sleep. The low amount of CBD in marijuana induces alertness.
Cannabis use alters the amount of time you sleep in every sleep stage. Short-time use of cannabis increases the amount spent in deep state sleep resulting in a refreshed wake-up. THC decreases the amount of time in the dreaming stage or rapid eye movement. According to Marcel et al. 2014, decreasing REM is beneficial to people who have PTSD. People with PTSD may use cannabis to cope with nightmares. Betthauser et al. (2015), cannabis Indica is commonly used for Sleep because of its calming nature that helps induce feelings of relaxation and sleepiness, as indicated in the research. On the other hand, cannabis sativa stimulates and induces feelings of euphoria.
How And When To Take Cannabis For Sleep.
The common method of taking cannabis is inhalation. The dry leaves and flowers of a cannabis plant are rolled up and smoked. You can also ingest marijuana by eating marijuana cookies or brownies. The effect of marijuana is felt almost immediately in smoking compared to ingestion because of the metabolism process. The effects of marijuana depend on every individual; thus, when taking marijuana for Sleep, you should know the amount of marijuana suitable for you.
Cannabinoids And Sleep
Cannabinoid or CBD is the compound extracted from a cannabis plant, mostly hemp. CBD does not have a high effect like marijuana. CBD binds with the ECS’s CB2 receptors in the cells that receive signals from the brain. It works by avoiding the breaking of neurotransmitters. CBD works with melatonin, a hormone that controls the light-dark cycle in the body, to induce Sleep by avoiding breaking this hormone at night. It also helps Sleep by alleviating the common factors that affect sleep like stress, pain, and depression. According to Babson, Sottile et al. (2017), when you use CBD for Sleep, the brain becomes stress-free, encouraging Sleep.
How To Take CBD For Sleep
To make CBD more bioavailable, CBD is processed into products like CBD oils, CBD edibles, CBD vapes, and CBD topicals. These products have different administration methods like sublingual administering, ingestion, inhalation, and on-skin application. The sublingual method involves adding a few drops under the tongue for 60 seconds, and absorption is through the tissues in the sublingual layer. The ingestion method involves eating CBD edibles like gummies or mixing CBD oil with meals and drinks. The CBD undergoes the metabolism process before it is absorbed. Inhalation involves smoking CBD and vaping, where the CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream with oxygen. The final method of taking CBD is applying CBD oil to the skin and massage for absorption.
When To Take CBD For Sleep
The ideal time to take CBD for Sleep is an hour before bed and after eating. Time taken for CBD to kick in is determined by the method used. In the sublingual method, the effect can be felt after 30 minutes, inhalation 15 minutes, and ingestion can take even longer. These methods also determine how long the effect of CBD will be in your body. The effect of a CBD capsule, which is taken by ingestion, can last in the body for 8 hours, while that of a vape lasts for 30 minutes. It is better to check your schedule to avoid grogginess in the morning by selecting a suitable method.
Why CBD Is The Best For Sleep
Even though cannabis and CBD can be used to aid Sleep, CBD can be a better choice because it does not have the THC compound. You can fail a drug test because THC in cannabis is detectable, while CBD does not have a detectable amount. Another reason why CBD is a better choice because cannabis is very addictive because of its seductive nature. Smoking marijuana can lead to effects like cancer, heart diseases, stroke, and lung diseases, and smoking can increase the risk of tuberculosis.
Conclusion
Cannabis and CBD can help aid sleep, but cannabis has limitations, including legal issues and causing addictions. The euphoric nature of cannabis can impair judgments that lead to accidents and injury when operating machines. It would be best if you always used CBD for Sleep at night or when taking a daytime nap because CBD for Sleep does induce drowsiness which can also lead to accidents. Cannabis and CBD products are not meant for diagnosing or treating; you should always check with your doctor before using these products. Finally, when taking these products, you should know that they affect every individual differently.
References
Betthauser, K., Pilz, J., & Vollmer, L. E. (2015). Use and effects of cannabinoids in military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 72(15), 1279-1284.
Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: a review of the literature. Current psychiatry reports, 19(4), 1-12.
Sleep specialist
Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.
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