Can Cannabis Improve Sleep?

Cannabis Quickly Becoming an OTC Sleep Aid in the US – LPC

Cannabis is quickly becoming an OTC sleep aid in the US. But can cannabis improve sleep? According to this Forbes article, the answer is definitely yes – and in many ways. (Please see link below.)

The report states that about 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. That’s almost 1 in 5 Americans – and it’s a safe bet that the numbers are similar in Canada. COVID seems to be affecting these numbers as well, leading to a snowball effect of mental health issues.

“In a year filled with challenges, we saw a surge in consumers placing orders for cannabis products marketed to help with sleep issues,” said Zachary Pitts. He’s the CEO of Ganja Goddess, a cannabis delivery service in California. Pitts called it “one of the many health issues Americans are facing during the pandemic.”

And he has the numbers to back it up. Pitts said Ganja Goddess saw a 635% increase in revenue. He claims much of that increase is due to the belief that cannabis improves sleep. (Forbes didn’t appear to independently verify Pitts’ claims. There could be many reasons why delivery went up, much as why cannabis deliveries increased in Ontario – because people didn’t want to go out.)

Several Compounds in Cannabis Improve Sleep

The Forbes article outlines how several compounds in cannabis improve sleep:

• The calming effects of CBD
• The pain relief effects of CBD
• Terpenes
• CBN

“CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system to help it achieve balance and regulate its normal functions,” said Adam Grossman, founder of Papa and Barkley. “CBD has shown to be great for helping to reduce stress and discomfort from normal inflammation, two issues that make it difficult to fall asleep.”

He suggested taking CBD daily to help “regulate systemic bodily functions and biorhythms, including the sleep cycle”.

“It has a noticeable calming effect once it builds up in your system,” Grossman said.

Topicals work externally to ease pain. “Our CBD topicals can help improve sleep by reducing joint discomfort and muscle soreness.” He noted that these are conditions that most often affect sleep in athletes and older people.

How Terpenes and CBN in Cannabis Improve Sleep

Bethany Stiles, the founder and CEO of Empress Teas, said the terpenes in several plants including cannabis improve sleep. In fact, terpenes turn up in several wellness products including essential oils in aromatherapy and chamomile tea.

“Chamomile and cannabis have both been used for medical and spiritual purposes for thousands and thousands of years,” Stiles said. “Cannabis has been used since 500 B.C… helping everything from asthma and anxiety to cleansing rituals and spiritual healing.”

Another compound, cannabinol (CBN), also helps promote sleepiness, but in different ways.

“CBN is a natural metabolite of THC, the principal intoxicating component of cannabis,” said Ari Mackler, the chief scientific officer Plus Products in California. “Research suggests it is associated with cannabis’ sedating effects. CBN appears to interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which in turn can affect the function of many hormones and neurotransmitters that are involved with mood, energy, and sleep. Some research has suggested that CBN’s sleep-associated effects are amplified when consumed in combination with THC.”

Of course, as with anything, more research is needed to confirm how various compounds in cannabis improve sleep. But cannabis research, especially in the US, is hard to come by. That doesn’t stop people from trying cannabis recreationally to improve sleep. Research in Colorado found that many people used recreational cannabis to treat insomnia.

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Click here to view full story at www.forbes.com

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