Weed And Sleep: Does Cannabis Affect Your Rem Sleep?

Cannabis is a complex plant with over 400 chemical compounds, including dozens of cannabinoids. The two most well-known and studied cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). While THC is the main psychoactive component, providing the high associated with cannabis use, CBD is non-psychoactive and promotes relaxation and alertness at lower and higher doses, respectively.

Cannabis is widely used as a sleep aid, with around 70% of young adults reporting casual use to help them sleep. Among medical users, this figure rises to 85%. Cannabis may help restore natural sleep cycles, and its analgesic and anti-anxiety properties can provide relief for those with chronic pain and a stressed mind and body.

However, the relationship between cannabis and sleep is complex and not fully understood. While some studies suggest that cannabis can help with insomnia, particularly when used occasionally, others indicate that long-term use may negatively impact sleep quality.

Research suggests that cannabis use can decrease the duration of REM sleep, which is important for healthy cognitive and immune functioning and is when the

THC-rich strains of cannabis reduce REM sleep

THC-rich strains of cannabis have been found to reduce REM sleep. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, giving users the "high" associated with its use. It also has sedative effects, and studies have shown that it may improve breathing during sleep, making it a potential therapy for treating sleep apnea.

THC appears to play the most active role in altering sleep architecture and the time spent in specific sleep stages. Decades of research on cannabis and sleep have found that THC is most closely linked to reductions in REM sleep and increases in deep, slow-wave sleep

Cannabis can help treat sleep disorders

Cannabis has been shown to have a positive impact on sleep disorders, with around 70% of young adults who use cannabis casually reporting that they do so to aid their sleep.

The effectiveness of cannabis as a sleep aid is mixed, with some sources suggesting that it may help people fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality in the first half of the night. However, it may also cause more awakenings and fragmented sleep later in the night. While cannabis may provide short-term benefits, experts believe that long-term use could negatively impact sleep quality.

Cannabis contains several active compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC typically acts as a sedative and can help reduce sleep onset latency, making it easier to fall asleep. It also increases slow-wave sleep and decreases REM sleep. CBD, on the other hand, can promote alertness at lower doses and sleepiness at higher doses. It can also increase total sleep time and decrease the frequency of arousals during the night.

Research suggests that cannabis may be particularly effective in treating sleep disorders associated with abnormal REM sleep and disruptive dreaming, such as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and PTSD. It can help reduce nightmares and improve overall sleep quality. Additionally, cannabis has analgesic and anti-anxiety properties, which can provide relief for people with chronic pain and soothe a stressed-out mind and body.

However, it is important to note that long-term, heavy cannabis use may have negative consequences for sleep. It can reduce the amount of time spent in deep sleep and increase the time it takes to fall asleep. It may also have unwanted effects on the brain, including difficulty with learning, memory, and focus.

Overall, while cannabis may provide short-term benefits for people with sleep disorders, more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of cannabis on sleep.

Sleep difficulties increase the risk of cannabis relapse

Sleep difficulties are a common symptom of cannabis withdrawal. Research has shown that sleep disturbance during abstinence can contribute to relapse on previous attempts to quit. In a study of non-treatment seekers, sleep difficulty was reported by 32-47% of cannabis users during prior periods of cannabis abstinence, with 48-77% of this group reporting that they had resumed cannabis use or used sedatives, alcohol, or other substances to alleviate their sleep problems.

A study of daily cannabis users during a period of abrupt abstinence found that, compared with a control group, the cannabis users had less total sleep time, decreased sleep efficiency, increased sleep latency, decreased REM latency, less slow-wave sleep, and more nighttime awakenings. Another study found that sleep efficiency scores during the cannabis withdrawal period exceeded the score generally used to indicate clinically important sleep disturbance by the third day of abstinence.

The decreased sleep efficiency and increased sleep latency observed during cannabis withdrawal are consistent with prior studies. Chronic decreases in sleep continuity have been associated with fatigue, cognitive decline, decreased pain thresholds, increased anxiety, and negative mood.

In summary, there is evidence that sleep disturbance during cannabis withdrawal can increase the risk of cannabis relapse.

Cannabis withdrawal can cause sleep disturbances

The insomnia experienced during cannabis withdrawal can be incredibly uncomfortable and frustrating. One prominent reason this happens relates to how users often resort to marijuana to suppress feelings of stress or anxiety. When someone quits marijuana, that escape is no longer an option, and there is no more accessible time for stress and anxiety to manifest than when one is trying to sleep. Another reason for insomnia during cannabis withdrawal is the disruption of the ritual of using marijuana before bed. Many people use the drug at night as a sleep aid and have become accustomed to the routine.

During discontinuation of heavy marijuana use, polysomnographic (PSG) measures of sleep disturbance have been detected in users compared to a drug-free control group. These include lower total sleep times, worse sleep efficiency, longer sleep onset, and shorter REM latency. Sleep disruption appears to become worse on the second night of abstinence compared to the first.

While cannabis may help with sleep in certain cases, such as for people with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and multiple sclerosis, long-term use may negatively influence sleep quality. Studies suggest that heavy cannabis use, especially over the long term, may have consequences for sleep, including less time spent in deep sleep, longer time to fall asleep, and an increased risk of chronic bronchitis.

Cannabis may impair sleep quality

Cannabis can increase the time spent in the lighter stages of non-REM sleep and deep, slow-wave sleep. It can also help people fall asleep faster by shortening sleep latency.

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