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The first documentation regarding this use comes from Herodotus, a Greek historian and geographer who described the sleep rituals of Thracians. The warrior tribe would throw cannabis flowers into a bonfire and dance around it, inhaling the smoke. Then, they would fall asleep within minutes of going back to their tents (8).
Cannabis has also been used in the 19th century in India as a sedative. British doctors applied high doses of cannabis tinctures to patients before surgeries, becoming one of the most effective analgesics
“Marijuana is an effective sleep aid because it restores a person’s natural sleep cycle, which so often falls out of sync with our schedules in today’s modern lifestyle.”
Whether you have a sleep disorder or you’re having difficulty sleeping after a stressful day, cannabis might be a choice for you. Marijuana’s analgesic properties might provide relief for those with chronic pain, while the anti-anxiety properties can soothe a stressed out mind and body.
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How Does Cannabis Support Sleep?
Cannabis supports sleep by reducing pain, anxiety, and depression symptoms, but it can also alter your sleep architecture and manipulate the time you spend in different sleep stages.
The health benefits of cannabis are mediated through the endocannabinoid system (ECS), the master regulatory network in all mammals .
The ECS is made of receptors, enzymes, and endocannabinoids that work to establish and maintain homeostasis throughout the body.
Cannabinoid receptors are located in the brain, central nervous system, immune system, and peripheral organs.
Whenever homeostasis is disrupted, the ECS produces endocannabinoids to bring it back. However, the ECS doesn’t store them for later, not to mention that endocannabinoids are quickly broken down and flushed from the body once used,that’s where plant-derived cannabinoids come into play.
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THC for Sleep
THC reduces sleep latency, so you need less time to fall asleep once you go to bed.
Another benefit of using THC in the evening is its ability to make you feel sleepy. Once the effects of THC wear off, your body starts to produce more melatonin. Similar to CBD, it can also increase your levels of adenosine.
Studies have shown that THC increases the time people spend in the deep sleep stage — the phase where restorative processes occur.
At the same time, THC reduces the duration of the REM stage. REM sleep is when you dream, so THC can prove beneficial for individuals struggling with recurring nightmares.
How to ingest marijuana for a good night’s rest
Most people ingest marijuana by smoking it as a joint or with a pipe.
If you don’t enjoy smoking try THC-rich tinctures, which are dropped under the tongue. Both are common methods of using marijuana for sleep.
Then comes the question of how much marijuana to use. It might take some experimentation to get the dosage that’s right for you.
Which Type of Cannabis is Best for Sleep?
Take a look at the products we recommend for a nice sleep.
Cream Pie Kush
The Cream Pie Kush high is one of a classic indica, with lifted and relaxing effects that will help you settle down and kick back before you finally get to sleep at night. You’ll feel uplifted and euphoric with a sense of pure unfocused happiness. This is accompanied by a soothing body high that locks you to the couch before pulling you down into pure and heavy sleepy sedation. Combined with its super high 30-31% average THC level, these effects make Cream Pie Kush a great choice for treating experienced patients suffering from chronic pain, insomnia, cramps or muscle spasms, chronic stress or anxiety and depression.
Better Than Bubba
This potent bud packs a super heavy high that’s perfect for kicking back after a long and stressful day when sleep just won’t come. You’ll feel a slightly lifted onset at the start of the high that fills you with a sense of warming euphoria, pushing out negative thoughts and leaving you totally at ease. As your mind lifts to new heights, your body will start to drop off into a super sedative body high that leaves you sleepy and totally immovable for hours on end. With these effects and its super high 33% average THC level. Better Than Bubba is often chosen to treat conditions such as chronic pain, muscle spasms, chronic anxiety, and nausea or appetite loss.
Layer Cake
The Layer Cake high is one for the ages, with a notable social energy and relaxing body that is perfect for those lazy nights spent indoors catching up on your favorite shows with your friends or roommates. The high starts with a heady effect, filling your mind with a lifted and outgoing energy that has you jumping in and out of conversations with ease. A heavy body high comes next, locking you to the couch and leaving you feeling pretty sedated. Thanks to these effects and its insanely high 34% + average THC level, Layer Cake is often suggested for treating experienced patients suffering from chronic stress or anxiety, chronic pain, depression, muscle spasms or cramps and insomnia.
Cannabis Oil Tincture
Tinctures, when taken sublingually, can start working as quickly as 15 minutes. The cannabinoids are absorbed via blood vessels under the tongue, quickly delivering them to the brain and throughout the body.
Great at bedtime for sleep. Eliminates pain. Very potent, use sparingly at first, recommend 2 drops to start.
Cannabis Edibles
The great thing is you can treat insomnia with delicious cannabis edibles . Remember that not all edibles are created the same. Some take longer to hit, others have more of one strain than the other. The key is to find what works for you.
“They are unreliable about when they’ll kick in. Sometimes it’s about one hour, other times it can be more like two to three hours.”
Timing your intake for bedtime
Timing is important when it comes to using cannabis, especially for sleep. It can also affect us for longer than intended and cause grogginess in the morning. “Because of the way cannabis is processed from our gut to our liver, the duration of action can be much longer, like 8 to 12 hours.”
While everyone’s physiology is different, it’s usually better to ingest the marijuana at least an hour before bedtime. An hour before bedtime is ideal because the cannabis will work for about three to four hours, helping you to fall asleep.
