Cannabis & Sleep: Ready for a More Restful Night?
Getting a proper amount of sleep is one the best ways you can take care of yourself! However, we know that it isn’t always as easy as counting a few sheep and dozing off blissfully for the night. Combined with healthy sleep hygiene, there’s plenty of medical cannabis strains and products to help you get a good night’s sleep!
Before consulting with one of our Patient Advocates, make sure you’re following these recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation:
Implement a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake-up time. Yes, even on the weekends!
Incorporate a relaxing bedtime ritual—and put away your phone!
If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon.
Exercise daily.
Make sure your bedroom is set up for a good night’s sleep. Remove unnecessary noises and lights and keep the temperature at a comfortable setting.
Treat yourself to a comfortable mattress and pillows. You deserve it. And you need it!
Keep your circadian rhythm in balance by limiting bright light in the evenings and exposing yourself to natural sunlight in the mornings.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the evenings. And avoid eating a large meal for at least two to three hours before bedtime.
Wind down with a book or mindfulness activity.
If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel tired.
If you’re still having trouble sleeping, cannabis is an effective sleep aid. It “restores a person’s natural sleep cycle.” Studies have shown that cannabinoids can improve patients’ quality of sleep.
In May 2014, the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics published the results of case studies examining the effect of CBD on patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD “is a parasomnia characterized by the loss of muscle atonia during REM sleep associated with nightmares and active behavior during dreaming.” This case series indicated “that CBD is able to control the symptoms of RBD.”
THC can increase the number of deep sleep stages a person experiences. In April 1975, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics published the results of research looking at the effect of THC on sleep. The researchers found that “administration of THC significantly reduced eye movement activity during sleep with rapid eye movements.”
At Four Green Fields, we have various products and strains you can use to help you get a better night’s sleep. Here are some of our staff’s favorites!
Kalm Fusion’s Black Cherry Chewable Tablets have been a God-send for me. This past year has been extremely stressful and I have had a hard time getting to sleep. The 1:1 THC:CBD ratio combined with the 1MG of melatonin in this tasty tablet has helped me tremendously!
Biz Honeywell, Community Outreach Coordinator
Sleep is crucial for overall wellness and health. As part of my bedtime ritual, I do a dab of Prime Wellness' Motor Mag Shatter about an hour before I go to sleep. With over 4% terpenes, this shatter helps me relax and unwind as I get prepared to drift into a peaceful night's sleep.
Thomas MacLeod, Patient Advocate
Epic Labs’ Cake N Chem RSO has played a pivotal role throughout my cannabis journey in pursuit of wellness. Sleep is a crucial facet in establishing healthy living patterns, and an aspect that I realized needed to be corrected in my life. Without a proper sleep schedule set in place, memory and motor function restoration are not occurring naturally as they should. RSO is a great way to keep the high levels of cannabinoids in my bloodstream, necessary for regulating sleep patterns. The oil is rich in THC, CBD, and sedating terpenes such as myrcene and terpinolene. RSO, being one of the most concentrated products in the cannabis market, often contains upwards of 700mg of activated THC in one milliliter of cannabis oil. Also present in the oil are an abundance of other beneficial terpenes and cannabinoids. RSO is generally 80% pure-usable cannabinoids. An effective dose for me is around 40mg of RSO. It’s important for all people, both experienced and novice cannabis users, to start at the lowest effective dose and work up. RSO has played a fundamental role in establishing healthy sleep patterns. A refreshing night’s rest has been the key to opening the door toward happiness and wellness.
Jeff Teller, Retail Director
If you’re interested in learning more about how medical cannabis can help you sleep more soundly, stop by the shop or schedule a Virtual Consultation with one of our Patient Advocates. We can’t wait to help you feel better!
