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If you struggle with a sleeping disorder every night you might like to know the answer to the question “does medical marijuana really help with insomnia or not?” Marijuana is currently being tested as a form of treatment for many medical conditions. Insomnia is more common than you might think. Thousands of Americans and people all over the world lay in bed all night incapable of sleeping.
I decided to research whether medical marijuana really helps with insomnia. Since it’s currently being prescribed for medical purposes, it might be a useful aid in the help against insomnia. Medical marijuana might help you get the sleep you desperately need.
What Is Insomnia? How Does Western Medicine Treat Insomnia?
Insomnia is a medical condition that affects a person’s ability to fall or stay asleep. People commonly think of lying awake in bed all night without being able to sleep when they speak of insomnia.
1.Insomnia, however, has multiple forms. Trouble falling asleep is just one of them.
2.Another common form of insomnia is waking up early in the morning before your waketime. If you find yourself waking up at 5am every morning despite not getting enough sleep or your alarm ringing, you might suffer from insomnia.
3.Insomnia is not just about difficulty falling asleep or waking up early. If you wake up multiple times every evening, this is also a type of insomnia. Basically, if your ability to get quality sleep is impaired, you might suffer from the common condition.
Western Medicine Treatment
Western medicine has a variety of sedatives and hypnotics that can be used to treat insomnia. It’s important to identify the cause of insomnia. Sometimes there’s no cause but it can also be due to other medical conditions like PTSD or thyroid problems. Patients with hyperactive thyroid glands might complain of insomnia. Their insomnia will resolve once they receive thyroid medications or undergo surgery.
There are available drugs to treat primary insomnia where no cause is identified. These drugs include benzodiazepines and they can be long or short acting. The use of benzodiazepines should always be done under medical supervision and isn’t recommended for a long time.
Generally, patients shouldn’t continue using drugs to treat insomnia for long periods because getting off these drugs will become harder and they will gradually become less effective.
Holistic Treatments
Holistic treatments are common for insomnia and recommended by many medical professionals. You might consider doing some exercise or going for a run a few hours before bedtime. This will release endorphins and help your body relax by the time you need to sleep.
Yoga and meditation are also effective and recommended. They don’t come easily for everyone and might require some practice. Fortunately, there are mobile applications that can help you meditate and clear your head.
For many people, insomnia is due to stress. Holistic methods are often effective at dealing with stress. A significant portion of people with insomnia are simply too stressed to sleep. Stress can make it hard to fall or stay asleep.
Using drugs like benzodiazepines or marijuana without eliminating the cause of the problem isn’t effective and might even lead to problems in the long run. That’s why a diverse approach is advised when dealing with marijuana.
Marijuana and CBD Oil
Marijuana is effective at putting our minds at ease and helping us relax. There are two main strains of marijuana: indica and sativa. Indica is soothing and will help you relax. Sativa, on the other hand, is more exciting and is more likely to keep you awake.
- If you suffer from insomnia, it is usually recommended using Indica strains rather than Sativa. Indica contains more THC than CBD, both of these are substances found in varying degrees in marijuana strains. THC helps promote sleep and relaxation.
- How does medical marijuana work? THC is thought to help you fall asleep and also reduces the amount of REM sleep that you get. The REM phase of your sleep cycle is where you dream. By reducing REM sleep, you reduce the likelihood of getting nightmares which can be very effective in conditions like PTSD.
- Unfortunately, REM sleep is also useful in building cognitive abilities and memories. Reducing it can have side effects on your ability to learn and retain new memories and information.
The effects of marijuana and sleep haven’t been thoroughly studied but it’s clear that marijuana alters the sleep cycle. You need to talk to your doctor first before starting to use marijuana as a cure for insomnia.
- The way you consume marijuana can vary. Some people like to smoke it while others prefer CBD oil. If you choose to use CBD oil, you should make sure you get verified oil from a certified seller. Many people online sell terrible and low quality CBD oil for cheap prices. Make sure to get the best type possible with as many guarantees as you can.
How to Consume Medical Marijuana for Insomnia?
Marijuana should be consumed one to two hours before bedtime. It takes time for it to enter the circulation and exert its effects on your brain. Do not use marijuana too early in the day or you’ll end up feeling tired and sleepy before your bedtime which could affect your ability to function.
The exact dose should be set by your physician as I don’t recommend using medical marijuana for insomnia without medical support or for long periods of time.
Medical marijuana is on the rise and seems to be useful in a variety of conditions. It has its effects on the sleep cycle that need to be fully studied. If you wish to use medical marijuana as a cure for insomnia, consult with your primary doctor about the best way to consume it and the proper dosage.
Thank you for reading our “Does Medical Marijuana Really Help with Insomnia?”
We would love to hear about your experiences using medical marijuana or CBD oils for Insomnia – please give your comment below.
We believe others who are trying to find a natural treatment for their Insomnia will definitely appreciate and benefit from it.
Learn more:
https://www.healthline.com/health/medical-marijuana/cannabis-for-sleeping
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-brain-food/201904/marijuana-insomnia
