How Can Medical Marijuana Edibles Affect Your Sleep?

Medical marijuana can be a great sleep aid; it has been shown to give users a good night's sleep - even those with stubborn insomnia. Along with the favourable benefits of cannabis when it comes to insomnia, there is still more to this relationship than you might think. Check out these amazing facts on the ways medical marijuana edibles can help with your nightly hibernation.

THC and CBD Have Different Effects on Sleep

There are different kinds of marijuana strains with different effects. Those with high THC and low CBD get you high, those with low THC and high CBD will not, while those with equal parts THC and CBD create a minimal buzz. Studies have shown that CBD has promising benefits for people with somnolence or excessive daytime sleepiness.

Indica Weed Strains are Better Sleeping Aids

Indica strains induce sleepy effects, while sativas have an uplifting effect. Researchers have yet to discover why indicas are better sleep aids, but some theorize that it might be because of the terpene content, aka. the aromatic compounds that makes a strain unique. This means that indicas have more sedating terpenes than sativa.

Aged Marijuana Will Make You Sleepier

As THC degrades with time, it becomes a sedating chemical called cannabinol. This is a chemical compound that has a sedating effect that's five times to that of THC. As THC degrades, only a small amount of it turns to cannabinol, making it hard to collect large quantities of it. Thus, old weed makes for a sedative medicine.

Natural Cures Maximize the Effects of Weed

Cannabis does well on its own to help you sleep. But pairing it with other natural sleep remedies can give you an even more restful night. Some terpenoids work well with cannabinol, and are found in many herbals. When eating your medical cannabis edibles to get a good night's sleep, do so with a lavender bubble bath, some chamomile tea, or melatonin supplements to enhance the sedation efficacy.

Cannabis Helps You Fall Asleep Faster

Aside from controlling stress and promoting relaxation, weed can also help you fall asleep faster. This can be particularly helpful among people suffering from insomnia, pain, multiple sclerosis, PTSD or other medical conditions that interfere with sleeping. Edibles might take longer to take effect than smoked weed, but its effects can last for many hours, allowing you to sleep longer.

Nighttime Weed Can Cause a Hangover

Marijuana has been shown to cause mild hangovers in the morning when you wake up. You might feel dehydrated, foggy, congested, lethargic or dry-eyed, although some users have not reported feeling any. To avoid this, only buy and use clean cannabis. It also helps to eat healthy foods, drink lots of water and resist the urge to overindulge.

Weed Hinders REM Sleep and Dreaming

If you've used cannabis to help you sleep, you might notice that you've stopped dreaming. This is because it reduces your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is the final stage of the sleep cycle where dreams happen. There are cases, though, where users stopped long-term marijuana use and experienced a REM rebound, which created more lucid dreams.

Marijuana Can Promote Improved Breathing

Several studies have shown that marijuana can help sufferers of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a medical condition where patients experience frequent obstructions of breath, which can lead to them waking up several times over the course of the night. This condition can lead to unpleasant ripple effects such as headaches, fatigue, inattention, daytime sleepiness and other health issues.

If you're interested in trying out medical marijuana edibles to treat your sleeping problems, it's best to consult an expert first. You can visit a reputable medical cannabis dispensary and ask for the best strains to use. If you're a newbie, start low and go slow. You want to actually experience a good night's sleep, not the unpleasant effects of too much cannabis.