More and more seniors are turning to marijuana to help them sleep. Sleep is crucial, yet it alludes most elderly people. Pain, anxiety, depression, prescriptions, and a myriad of other issues prevent them getting sufficient sleep, which is crucial to a healthy body and mind. According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70 million adults cannot sleep in the United States, many of them the elderly.
With so many elderly unable to sleep, especially in Santa Barbara where they are increasingly using a weed delivery service, there has been a massive spike of interest in marijuana. The medical community is touting pot as an effective treatment for insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders, and without any of the harmful, even life-threatening side effects of prescription sedatives and tranquilizers.
Marijuana helps seniors sleep in a number of different ways, all of which help to rebalance sleeping patterns and maintain healthful sleep cycles. For example, cannabis is a powerful painkiller, but it also has anti-anxiety, antidepressant, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-everything properties which, together, provide a multi-pronged approach to effective relief from insomnia.
What Science Says
Cannabis contains over 100 different cannabinoids, all with their own unique properties. Cannabidiol, or CBD, and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, are the two most common and famous of them all. CBD offers many health benefits, but it is non-psychoactive and cannot make users “high.” THC, on the other hand, is psychoactive and responsible for that stoned feeling.
Both CBD and THC are effective sleep aids, but science shows THC the most effective at putting insomniacs to bed, regardless of age. For this reason, strains high in THC are ideal for improving sleep, but if you do not want to get “high,” then choose a high-CBD strain instead. With many senior citizens having their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, most are happy to relive those days with high-THC strains.
According to a study conducted in 2008 and published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, marijuana strains rich in THC reduce the quantity of R.E.M. sleep, the time of rapid eye movement. Cutting R.E.M. sleep short reduces dreamtime, which in turn prevents nightmares. This is especially helpful for seniors, since many suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Whether you have PTSD or not, this study proves, without doubt, that spending less time dreaming equals more time in a state of “deep sleep.” There is no dispute that the deep sleep state is the most restful, restorative cycle in the sleep pattern. Still, you do need some R.E.M. sleep for healthy immune and cognitive function, so if taken long-term, too much THC can start hindering sleep quality instead.
The trick is to find the right balance of THC and CBD for you. Strains that contain extremely high levels of THC may not be ideal for sleeping, but those with between 15 percent and 20 percent THC can be ideal. This is not true for everyone, however. Some studies find that frequent marijuana use can actually impair sleep, as well. For this reason, consume weed in moderate portions.
How to Use Weed for Sleep
Smoking is itself a known health hazard, so it may be wise to avoid smoking pot, especially for seniors at risk of respiratory issues, such as COPD, asthma, and others. Before starting cannabis therapy, discuss your sleep cycles with your doctor. There might be long-term consequences with regular interruption of R.E.M. sleep, since most immune restoration occurs in a deep sleep state.
Experts also warn against using any substance long-term as a sleep aid, since your body can learn how not to sleep without it. For this reason, it is imperative that you use marijuana very responsibly. If you want to smoke, go ahead, but there are other ways to consume cannabis too, including vaping if inhaling is necessary. You can also eat and drink it, which promises a much healthier method of administration.
If smoking pot, then effects are near immediate and you should spend no time tossing and turning. However, if you order edibles via a weed delivery service, then effects can take up to two hours to feel. In this circumstance, add your dosage to your dinner meal. This will give effects enough time to kick in before you eventually climb into bed.
Choosing the Right Strain
Marijuana comes in hundreds, if not thousands, of different strains. Choosing the right one is overwhelming for most. Much like choosing a blend of tea, you can opt for black, white, or a mix of both. Weed is the same. There are Sativa, Indica, and hybrid strains galore, but they all have very different effects, some of which will keep you awake instead of putting you to bed.
Sativa Strains
Stay away from Sativa strains if you want to get any sleep. Sativas are energizing and will keep you busy pottering around the house until morning. They are excellent for daytime use, but not advisable for insomniacs trying to get some shuteye. If you already have difficulty sleeping, Sativas will not help you.
Indica Strains
Indicas are ideal for nighttime use. For sleep, this is what you want. Indica strains relax the body, soothe the mind, and have natural sedative properties. The right Indica strain will put you to bed in a happy, content mood, and you will sleep the night through.
Hybrid Strains
Hybrid strains combine the genetics of both Sativas and Indicas. There are thousands of them, and they are the most common on store shelves. A Sativa-dominant hybrid will have Sativa-like effects that gradually fade into a heavy sleep. Indica-dominant hybrids will be just a little less tranquilizing.
Marijuana Delivery Santa Barbara
A weed delivery service can bring a number of different strains and products to your doorstep for you to try. Marijuana delivery Santa Barbara and surrounds takes less than 45 minutes. If you are nervous of consuming THC, then a pure CBD oil will combat the effects of THC if they overwhelm you. However, since THC is such an effective sleep aid in moderate doses, you might want to try it first.
Yeah! makes me sleepy and happy