Papa & Barkley’s bedroom suite

I would be remiss if I didn’t start this review with the story of how I first loved cannabis. In 2010, when California law only allowed weed to be used for medicinal purposes, I was a freshly baked adult struggling with anxiety and insomnia. I’ve tried breathing exercises, aromatherapy, over-the-counter sleep aids, and prescription medications only to find that each option fits right at one extreme of a wild spectrum. Everything I tried was either useless or way too effective, leaving me feeling sleepy and confused the next day. I wasn’t expecting much when my older brother gave me my very first White Widow plant, but it literally grew like a weed and a few months later, my mom and I used the harvested buds to make infused gingerbread.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that these ginger buns changed my life. I still remember the first night I tried one and fell asleep on the most restful night I’d had in months. I woke up feeling calm and charged. It was as if I had experienced a small miracle.

Ten years later, the legalization of adult cannabis in California and other states has led to an explosion of cannabis products specifically designed for sleep. Compared to the products available to us today, my home grown weed and homemade edibles look primitive, but they exposed me to the effectiveness of cannabis as a sleep aid.

Few brands are as prepared to provide a high quality cannabis sleep aid as Papa & Barkley, a trusted leader in cannabis wellness products. I’ve been a long-time fan of Papa & Barkley’s High-CBD Releaf Balm, so I was excited to try the brand’s new line of sleep-specific products. The range of products includes a CBN forward suite of edibles, capsules, and a tincture – all with a 2: 4: 1 ratio of CBD: THC: CBN. I put three of these products to the test to see if they could compete with my iconic Weedy Gingersnaps.

Papa & Barkley Sleep Dark Chocolate with pomegranate

Power: 4 mg THC, 2 mg CBD, 1 mg CBN per wedge

Taste: Can’t say I totally picked up on the pomegranate in this candy bar, but it’s delicious nonetheless. The smooth texture and subtle flavors remind me of Garden Society’s artisanal grass chocolates. In terms of taste, Papa & Barkley’s Sleep Chocolate is comparable to other high-end weed chocolates, as you cannot perceive any noticeable grassy aromas. If anything, all of the herbal notes add to the chocolate’s complexity.

My only gripe is that it is difficult to break off a triangular piece as the candy bar is relatively thick and small. This should not be a problem for consumers with higher tolerances and lower error tolerances in dosing. But for someone like me, who is sensitive to a milligram difference in THC, precision is everything.

Effectiveness: Despite some reservations about the dosage situation, I found this chocolate delicious. The high set in very slowly, and by the time I was ready for bed I almost forgot that I had eaten something fortified with weed. It’s one of the main reasons I love sleeping edibles. Sometimes, if you have the timing right, you can fool yourself into being a naturally talented sleeper, which is great for my circadian rhythm and self-esteem. My only wish is that Papa & Barkley make individually wrapped sleeping chocolates so I can leave one on my pillow and pretend I’m in a fancy hotel that only wants the best for me.

Papa & Barkley Sleep Blackberry Elderberry Gums

Power: 4 mg THC, 2 mg CBD, 1 mg CBN per gummy bear

Taste: In all honesty, I’m not a fan of sugar-dusted gummy bears. Gummy bears are already sweet, so why throw in more sugar? I let it slide this time, because the taste of these sleep gums is perfectly tart and punchy. However, the ideal balance between sweet and sour flavors always makes me wish I had a bag of untreated gums to snack on without fear of my mind melting. Until that happens, we just can’t have it all.

Effectiveness: When I stayed aboard the Honesty Train, my journey did not go quite as intended. Since I knew that my tolerance is extremely low these days, I ate half of a nickel-sized gummy bear to be on the safe side. I ate it 30 minutes before bed – as suggested in the package instructions – and was really excited when my body started getting heavy and sinking into a pillow-like cloud state when I was about to fall asleep. My high took a turn when a dry mouth set in and my mind got a little too active to be comfortable. I found myself in the limbo state that sometimes happens when you eat edibles before bed: my body was perfectly locked in to rest while my mind sprinted on a hamster wheel. It was less than ideal.

Determined to lift that body up and curb my troubled mind, I tried these gummies again another night, this time taking half a gummy bear a few hours before bed. That little tweak made all the difference. By giving myself more catwalk, I was able to shift gears from sober to stoned and go to bed without the slightest hint of paranoia. I recommend this approach to anyone who, like me, has more trouble falling asleep than staying asleep.

Papa & Barkley sleeping tincture

Power: 4 mg THC, 2 mg CBD, 1 mg CBN per serving

Taste: Compared to other Papa & Barkley tinctures, which tend to be intensely herbal, this tincture was light and extremely tasty. Tinctures can be deceptively simple. With so few ingredients, it seems like every brand should get it right, and yet so many brands get it so wrong. For my part, I would prefer a deep green, herbaceous tincture to an artificially flavored, perfumed tincture. The sleeping tincture from Papa & Barkley is none of those things, but rather offers a fine balance between strongly herbaceous and refined. I’m rarely excited about tinctures, but this one hits the right note for me.

Effectiveness: I took half the recommended dose – 0.25 milliliters – about an hour and a half before bed. I appreciate the fact that this sleeping tincture isn’t too concentrated, as it allowed me to dose the right dose for myself without worrying that a single drop more would throw me off course. Within an hour of dropping the tincture under my tongue, I felt noticeably more relaxed. Within another half an hour, I wasn’t sleepy, but had to turn off the light. I usually worry that I won’t be able to turn my brain off and that it will take more than an hour to actually fall asleep, but I was able to fall asleep without hiccups.

This product might not be as fun as a chocolate or a gummy bear, but the simple effectiveness of this sleeping tincture has made it my favorite. I thought if I replaced my beloved gingerbread with something better, this would be it.

Bottom line

If you are new to cannabis edibles or, like me, are hypersensitive to THC these days, you may want to exercise caution with these products. I would recommend cannabis newbies to start with Papa & Barkley’s sleeping tincture as it allows the greatest flexibility and precision in dosing. I can imagine that consumers with a moderate THC tolerance will find the entire range to be of high quality and pleasant. Still, some experimentation is required for anyone refining their bedtime rituals.

I found that taking these products a few hours before bed gave me the time I needed to sort through any paranoid gear changes and rest my mind. This timing enabled me to settle into my body and mind and fall asleep into my descent without surprising dry mouth or anxious thoughts. If staying asleep is more of your problem, I would recommend trying the reverse approach and taking a dose when you are about to fall asleep. That way, when you’re most likely to jump out of bed prematurely, you have a better chance of these cannabinoids working hard. Ultimately, however, I would recommend treating the Papa & Barkley Sleep Suite like any other new edible you test. Take it slow and slow – and sleep off if you can.

Selected image courtesy Papa & Barkley