Sleep and Cannabis

While humans have used cannabis to support sleep for all of recorded history, only recently through modern technology do we understand how it works. Many components of the ECS (The Endocannabinoid System) - primarily CB1 receptors regulate the sleep and wake cycle. The natural cannabinoid we produce (AEA- anandamide) increases slow-wave sleep and REM sleep and reduces wakefulness by using CB1 receptors, the same receptors Cannabis reacts with.

THC, CBD, and CBN work in the exact same way as our bodies' natural cannabinoids do. When you take them, they look and act exactly like the anandamide we make. They come in and gently tell your body,

"Hey, it's ok to reduce wakefulness, slow down so you can heal and float into that ever-productive REM sleep, where memory consolidation, learning, and emotional processing happen.”

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Most equally effective pharmaceutical sleep aids fall into a class of pharmaceuticals called sedative-hypnotic medications or Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics which work by slowing your brain activity. They don't gently tell your body to reduce wakefulness; they come in fast, shut everything down, and turn off the lights, impacting REM sleep. While these medications can improve sleep onset, they are short-term use products that are not intended to rebuild the natural sleep architecture. As such, they have common side effects, such as next-day drowsiness, dizziness, and cognitive impairment.

Cannabis offers a diversity of approaches so you can find one that works for you.

Unlike the over-the-counter or behind-the-counter sleep aids that are one-size-fits-all, Cannabis offers a variety of solutions to target needs.

Knowledge is power

The following knowledge will help you make the choice that is right for you.

Products higher in CBD help relieve muscle or neural pain that makes sleeping difficult.
Products with THC help relieve anxiety, stress, or PTSD cycles that make falling asleep difficult.
The Indica plant is naturally sedating, some of our clients report feeling groggy after taking Indica.
Moving to products that are hybrid-based is recommended.
CBDh (hemp-based) products that come from nationally recognized brands like Roses, Mary’s and Wyld, and Care By Design are recommended for efficacy, but brands that are made with THC-bearing plants are the best because THC and CBD amplify each other's healing properties.
Replacing CBD with CBN or adding CBN increases the relaxation effect and is great for people who suffer from RLS, chronic muscular/skeletal aches and pains, RA or Fibromyalgia.

Dosing and ratios are important

Higher doses are not necessarily more effective or faster
Lower doses of CBD can have the effect of energizing
As always, go low and slow. Start with a low dose and increase over time.
Prepare: For the first time using cannabis or cannabis with THC, we recommend not drinking. When using cannabis to break an insomniac cycle, we recommend you take a break from alcohol on the nights you use the cannabis.