Insomnia is a widespread problem. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 33 percent of adults lie awake at night, unable to sleep, tossing and turning, even counting sheep, all to no avail. Although drugs are available to treat insomnia, such as sedatives and tranquilizers, they are notoriously addictive, dangerous, and even lethal. Fortunately, science shows cannabis a safe and effective solution.
How Cannabis Aids Sleep
Cannabis plants contain an abundance of different cannabinoids, well over 100 of them. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is but one of them, but it has powerful medicinal properties. Research is revealing new uses for it at a rapid pace these days, and it works by interacting with the body’s own endocannabinoid system in a variety of ways to heal body and mind. Its sedative properties calm muscular issues, so strong it is.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is psychoactive, unlike other cannabinoids. It also has tranquilizing effects in large doses, especially when combined with a CBD-rich strain. Without altering your mental state, CBD works by relaxing the nervous system and acting as endocannabinoids, which regulate pain perception, appetite, mood, memory, and yes, even healthy sleep.
As phytocannabinoids, both CBD and THC mimic the actions of naturally occurring endocannabinoids in the human body, acting similarly and offering support where needed. When the endocannabinoid system malfunctions or produces too few endocannabinoids, sleep patterns go awry and other health issues develop. Cannabinoids heal the endocannabinoid system, in turn fixing insomnia. This is how:
Reduces Anxiety
Sleepless nights are usually to blame on stress and anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. The sleepy effects of cannabinoids are among its most scientifically proven benefits. Since insomnia is a leading symptom of anxiety, treating the anxiousness will instantly improve sleep, now and over the long-term. Stress activates the nervous system, even when it should be resting.
Ultimately, this means that stress and anxiety prevent the sleep needed to build new cells, detoxify the body, and heal. CBD is fast becoming the go-to, most effective solution for relieving anxiety and stress-related disorders. It works intimately with both the nervous and endocannabinoid systems to stimulate the production of specific hormones that regulate mood and create a sense of calm.
Science also shows CBD actively affecting cognitive function, and in a myriad of positive ways. It has the ability to relax the mind and stop overthinking, directly quelling any racing thoughts. Using CBD to manage anxiety, if applicable to you, can be the best sleeping aid, since it directly fights bouts of insomnia that prevent you from getting a full night’s rest.
Regulates Sleep Patterns
When it comes to the relationship between sleep and CBD itself, the ability of CBD to stabilize wayward sleeping cycles is an important one to remember. Since CBD supports and stimulates the optimal function of the endocannabinoid system, which is directly responsible for monitoring sleeping patterns, it is able to both regulate and stabilize your sleeping habits.
Research shows CBD capable of effectively lengthening periods of sleep. You are able to sleep uninterrupted for longer, which guarantees more energy and mental focus during the day. Research also suggests that CBD plays an active role in promoting REM sleep, one of the deeper sleeping cycles so crucial to getting the rest that you require.
Furthermore, evidence exists to suggest that CBD is able to, by inducing both emotional and physical calm, address symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea. Over time, regular doses of CBD can help to repair sleeping patterns and stabilize them over the long-term, significantly alleviating the life-changing, body-destroying effects of severe sleep disorders.
Relieves Severe Pain
Pain keeps millions of people up at night. Chronic pain prevents sleep in a very direct way and it is one of the primary causes of developing sleep disorders over time. People have been using CBD to treat pain for centuries already, albeit still in cannabis plants, even severe pain, such as neuralgia, arthritis, and muscle spasms. Now science proves why it is effective as a powerful painkiller.
Research proves that, by either silencing or stimulating endocannabinoid receptors or neurotransmitters, CBD has the direct ability to affect pain perception or directly intercept the transmission of pain signals. It can help you manage pain more effectively by changing the sensation of pain that you feel in your body. Additionally, it relaxes tense muscle fibers, calming all feelings of pain.
Treating Insomnia with Cannabis
There are many ways to consume cannabis. How you administer it and how much you take will significantly influence how it will affect you and how quickly you will feel results. The sooner it reaches your bloodstream, the faster it will work, but not necessarily the most effectively or efficiently. Here are some ways to use weed if you desperately need some shuteye:
Smoking cannabis is one of the most common ways to take it. Since it travels directly to your bloodstream from your lungs, effects are near immediate. People either vape CBD oil or dribble it onto their joints or cigarettes.
Ingesting edibles is another popular method of consumption. Effects can take as long as two hours to feel, though, since it must first travel through the digestive tract, into the liver, and finally to your bloodstream. Add CBD oil to food or drinks so it tastes better, and at least two hours before bed.
Sublingual administration of cannabis oil is a favorite way to take it for many. It is quick, easy, and convenient. Let a drop or two sit under your tongue for 30 seconds to a minute, so that the mucous membranes in your mouth can absorb it. Effects are also fast when taken this way.
Final Thoughts
There is no denying the ability of cannabis to put you into a deep and fitful sleep. Anyone who has ever tried it knows all about these “couchlock” effects. The tranquilizing properties of both THC and CBD, especially in large doses, are able to stop intense muscular spasms, spasticity, tremors, and more. However, if you choose to treat your insomnia with cannabis, discuss it with your doctor beforehand.
