What Can Cannabis Do for Insomnia: All you Need To Know

The circadian rhythm is a tricky little thing to work with. Extremely sensitive to most environmental, physical, and emotional upheavals – and incredibly difficult to fix – the body’s natural clock is one that has confounded people for a long time. Getting a healthy amount of sleep is important for the wellbeing of the human body. A bad sleep cycle ends up being a vicious cycle of insomnia causing stress, anxiety, and health problems.

Doctors and patients across the world have tried multiple methods of finding a cure for insomnia from western medication to natural alternatives, all have been tried. We have seen how medical marijuana

– and one of the most commonly debated ones in this day and age is the use of medical marijuana to help fix insomnia.

Dr. Matt Roman shares that marijuana works as a sleep aid because it helps restore the body’s natural sleep cycle, one which so easily falls out of sync. The brain’s tendency to accept THC in place of natural neurotransmitters can lead to a feeling of relaxation and de-stress, which can help an individual fall asleep much easier after a very strenuous, stressful and/or anxious day.

The Effect of THC versus CBD on Insomnia

A 2008 study shows that strains with high level of THC can have a better effect on sleep, while CBD is better for anxiety. THC is also known to eliminate REM sleep, leading to a “deeper” sleep due to lack of dreams.

Since the average sleep cycle lasts about 1-1.5 hours, this leads to a longer, rested sleep. However, REM is also crucial to the immune system and for cognitive functioning. So while THC is a great solution for temporarily restoring your sleep, in the long term it can actually hamper the positive effects of a good night’s sleep.

Alternately, strains with high level of CBD are known to target stress and anxiety. Even if they don’t directly cause sleepiness or drowsiness, they combat the elements that might be hindering someone from falling asleep. Therefore, strains with CBD are a better option for a more chronic problem.

Either way, it is important to talk to a medical marijuana doctor and to visit a sleep clinic to fully understand what is the root cause of insomnia, and what type of marijuana can be used to treat it. Understanding the right breed and components of what you’re ingesting is crucial to getting the right help. At Florida MMD, we can help you connect with the most experienced and qualified doctors to get you the best recommendations.