Cannabis has a significant impact on sleep, as it can change the way your body goes about its sleep cycles. The endocannabinoid system in your body plays a key role in the architecture of your sleep, as it affects the different stages of sleep.
There are two main types of sleep phases: non-REM sleep and REM sleep. THC has been linked to a reduction in REM sleep and an increase in the lighter, more frequent phases of non-REM sleep.
1. Insomnia
Insomnia is a common problem for many people. It can have a major impact on your daily life and can even negatively affect your mental health. For some, insomnia can be a mild inconvenience while others may experience severe difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
The good news is that cannabis has been shown to improve sleep for a variety of reasons. It can relieve pain and help to reduce stress, so it’s a great natural treatment for a wide range of sleep disorders, from insomnia to chronic pain.
Medicinal cannabis can help to regulate the body’s internal clock, which is important for getting to and staying asleep. It can also reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calmness.
There are a number of strains that have been shown to ease insomnia. You should try to choose strains with terpene profiles that are known for promoting sleep.
THC is the main active component in cannabis and it’s been shown to influence the duration and quality of your sleep. It has been found to increase time spent in slow-wave sleep and decrease time in REM sleep, which can help to promote restful sleep.
It can also suppress dreaming, so it can help you fall and stay asleep. But, it’s best to avoid using cannabis if you’re experiencing a lot of nightmares and recurring sleepless nights.
While there’s some evidence that cannabis can improve sleep in the short term, long-term use is likely to disrupt slumber, new research shows. Researchers looked at the sleep problems of a group of medical cannabis users who used the drug for pain and other ailments. They found that frequent users had more problems initiating and maintaining sleep, while whole-plant use was associated with fewer issues.
2. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. The pauses in your breathing disrupt your natural sleep rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep or wake up refreshed.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. People with this disorder have short pauses in their breathing that last for seconds to minutes. These pauses cause you to have fewer deep, restful sleep cycles and lead to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, moodiness and more.
It can also increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and other health problems. It can also make you irritable and less likely to have a healthy immune system, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
In addition, you may be more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea if you have a family history of it or if you have certain medical conditions like enlarged tonsils and adenoids. It’s also more common in men than women and in older adults.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, it’s important to get diagnosed and treated. This will help prevent serious complications of the condition, such as heart attack or stroke, and lower your chances of developing diabetes.
A doctor can evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical exam and possibly do a sleep study. They’ll look for signs and symptoms that could indicate you have OSA and check your family’s history for any risk factors.
If you do have obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor can prescribe a device to help you breathe during sleep. This device will help your throat stay open and keep your airway clear so you can breathe properly throughout the night. It can be a mouthpiece or a machine called a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) unit.
3. Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders disrupt your ability to get enough sleep, which can have a long-term impact on your health. Not getting enough sleep can cause a range of problems, including weight gain, poor performance at school or work, and mental health issues.
People with sleep disorders often feel fatigued and irritable. They may also have difficulty concentrating and remembering, which can lead to mistakes at work or school.
Certain types of sleep disorders can be very difficult to treat, despite the many available options. These include behavioral therapy, sleep medications and alternative sleep aids. However, the choice of treatment depends on your diagnosis, medical and psychiatric history, and preferences.
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which affect teenagers and adults, can disrupt your body clock. They can also occur if you travel across multiple time zones or work overnight.
Some sleep disorders are caused by the physical condition of the brain. Narcolepsy, for example, is a sleeping disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and dream-like activity while awake.
Other sleep disorders are caused by problems with the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. They include advanced sleepers, also known as “larks” or night owls; and delayed sleepers, or “day owls.”
In addition, some people with sleep disorders have trouble breathing at night. This can be a result of allergies, colds, or upper respiratory infections. It can also be a side effect of some medicines or conditions, such as asthma or heart disease.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that people who use cannabis regularly tend to have longer, more restful sleep. They surveyed 273 adults in the US who reported they had used marijuana in the past 30 days and compared their sleep duration to those who didn’t use it. They also looked at other factors that might influence sleep such as age, race, education, and weekly working hours.
4. Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common condition that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs, usually at night. These include itching, crawling, pulling, aching, and throbbing. The feelings often go away when a person moves their legs, but movement can also trigger them.
Doctors believe that the symptoms are caused by a malfunction in a person’s dopamine pathway. This makes it hard for people with RLS to get enough sleep.
The disorder can affect anyone at any age, but women are more likely to have it. It can also be triggered by certain diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia and end-stage renal disease.
Researchers are investigating changes in the brain’s signaling pathways that contribute to restless legs syndrome, as well as trying to find better treatments. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a part of the NIH, is funding research on restless legs syndrome.
In addition to medication, exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol use before bed can also help.
You can also participate in a clinical trial to find out more about restless legs syndrome and other sleep disorders. These studies are done with healthy volunteers of all ages, sexes, and races to ensure that everyone who takes part gets the treatment that will work best for them.
A small study found that participants using medical cannabis oil experienced subjective improvement in their sleep quality. While adverse effects such as nausea were experienced by some patients, these effects were manageable. These effects were resolved when doses were lowered.
5. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder. It occurs when your airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep, causing breathing to pause. This happens hundreds of times a night, resulting in interruptions to your sleep and daytime drowsiness.
In severe cases, breathing pauses can happen for up to 10 seconds or more, which can lead to long-lasting changes in oxygen levels and a buildup of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream. This disturbance in your sleep can have many effects on your health, including higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
You can have obstructive sleep apnea at any age but it’s more common in older people, especially those who are overweight. The condition can be triggered by certain factors such as body weight, cigarette smoking and hormone abnormalities.
Men are more likely to have OSA than women, but it can also affect children. If you think you or your child might have the condition, talk to your doctor about a referral to a sleep clinic for testing.
Treatment for OSA helps keep your airway open while you sleep. Most people use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which attaches to a mask you wear while you sleep.
Other treatments may include lifestyle changes and a dental appliance or mouthpiece that can be placed in the back of your throat to help keep your airway open. If these treatments don’t work, surgery might be the best option to treat your obstructive sleep apnea.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, it is important to get treated as soon as possible to reduce your risks of other health problems such as heart disease and stroke. Getting treated can improve your quality of life and make you feel better during the day.
