It’s common for people to use
marijuana before bed time, whether out of habit or necessity. Now, research on
marijuana and sleep helps explain why.
Besides easing insomnia, marijuana seems to have a
wide range of effects on sleep.
This is because chemicals in marijuana, known as
cannabinoids, actually mimic the activity of chemicals found naturally in the
brain.
These chemicals and their biological pathways make up
the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating sleep,
among other things.
Likewise, research shows that marijuana can also have
a direct impact on sleep. Here’s 5 of the most important effects that studies
have identified so far.
1.
Easier Falling Asleep
Some of the earliest
research on marijuana and sleep shows that marijuana’s main ingredient, THC,
can significantly reduce the time it takes for both insomniacs and healthy
people to fall asleep.
In a small study
published in 1973, THC reduced the time it took for 9 subjects with insomnia to
fall asleep by over an hour on average. However, the researchers noted that too
high of a dose could counteract the effect.
THC was also found to
ease falling asleep in a 2013 study involving healthy subjects.
2.
Longer Sleep
Early studies also
revealed that taking either THC or CBD before bed could lead to an increase in
overall sleep. In one study, increasing the dose of THC also increased the amount
of time spent sleeping.
However, higher doses of
THC also caused a “hang over” feeling in some subjects when they woke up, while
the feeling was not present at lower doses..
3.
More Deep Sleep
.Some of the more
interesting effects of marijuana on sleep involve its impact on the sleep
cycle. Studies show that THC can increase the amount of slow-wave sleep, also
known as deep sleep, that an user experiences during their slumber.
This is likely a good
thing, since deep sleep is believed to play a major role in the restoration
process that occurs during sleep.
What’s more, experts
believe that the most damaging effects of sleep deprivation result from a lack
of slow-wave sleep. For example, research has shown that reduced slow-wave
sleep can be a strong predictor of high blood pressure in older men.
4.
Shorter REM Sleep
Another way marijuana
affects the sleep cycle is a reduction in REM sleep. Many people who smoke
before bed report a lack of dreaming, which only occurs during REM sleep.
While less REM sleep
could be seen as a negative effect of marijuana use, scientists are still not
sure what purpose REM sleep actually serves.
However, people who quit
after using marijuana on a frequent basis often experience an increase in REM
sleep, also known as the “REM rebound” effect, which is accompanied by an
increase in dreaming and restlessness during sleep. But this effect tends to
wear off within days or weeks, depending on the individual.
5.
Better Breathing
When it comes to medical
use, marijuana could offer an incredible benefit to the approximately 25% of
men and 9% of women who suffer from a disorder called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is
characterized by disrupted breathing during sleep, and has been linked to a
number of serious conditions, including diabetes and heart problems.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of sleep apnea sufferers remain undiagnosed
and untreated.
Even of those who seek
treatment, many eventually give up on wearing a CPAP mask every night.
But that’s where
marijuana may help, as researchers are currently trialing THC as an
alternative, with early results already showing promise. If clinical trials are
successful, sleep apnea patients may one day have the option of swapping a
bulky sleep mask for popping a few pills before bed.
Source= www.leafscience.com