Study shows marijuana helps people stop taking prescription sleep aids and allows them to wake up more focused and refreshed

A new survey of cannabis users with sleep problems found that most preferred using marijuana to other sleep aids to help them fall asleep, reporting better results the next morning and fewer side effects. Smoking joints or vapor products containing THC, CBD and the terpene myrcene were particularly popular.

Compared to using traditional sleep aids or no sleep aids at all, respondents reported that cannabis made them feel more refreshed, more focused, more productive the next morning, and had fewer headaches and nausea. But they also reported some side effects of marijuana use, including feeling sleepy, anxious and irritable when waking up.

The study, conducted by two psychology researchers at Washington State University (WSU), was published late last month in the journal Exploration of Medicine. The authors believe this is the first study to compare cannabis to prescription sleep aids (PSAs) and over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids.

“In general, the use of cannabis for sleep-related problems was perceived to be more beneficial than over-the-counter medications or prescription sleep aids,” Carrie Cuttler, a WSU professor and one of the study’s co-authors, said in a press release on Monday. “Unlike long-acting sedatives and alcohol, cannabis has not been associated with a ‘hangover’ effect, although individuals have reported some lasting effects such as drowsiness and mood swings.”

For the study, WSU researchers surveyed 1,216 people using the medical marijuana app Strainprint. Almost two-thirds (64.9 percent) of participants said they had suffered from sleep problems for at least five years, while almost 70 percent said they had used cannabis to help them sleep for at least a year. A large number of respondents (38 percent) said they had been using marijuana to sleep for one to three years.

Nearly 82 percent of cannabis users said they do not currently use prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids, although more than half said they have done so in the past, suggesting they believe marijuana is a better option.

More than half of those surveyed said they use cannabis every night to help them sleep. Most respondents reported either smoking joints (46.1 percent), smoking flower (42.6 percent) or consuming some form of cannabis oil (42.5 percent) before bed, although nearly a third reported edibles and/or use vape pens. Another 14.6 percent said they consumed cannabis in capsule form.

While inhaled forms of cannabis are generally more popular among most consumers, the authors said those with sleep problems may prefer smoking and vaping “due to the short inhalation latency and the high percentage of respondents who reported difficulty falling asleep.” ” They said they were surprised that edibles or capsules were not more popular “as these have a longer shelf life and therefore may be more beneficial for maintaining sleep.”

In terms of product composition, most respondents used high-THC products (60.0 percent), although 21.7 percent chose a balanced THC-CBD mix. When asked about cannabinoids used for sleep, 78.8 percent said they would choose THC, 47.1 percent would choose CBD, and 18.1 percent would choose CBN.

Of the terpenes, myrcene was the most popular (49.0 percent), followed by linalool (26.9 percent), limonene (24.7 percent) and beta-caryophyllene (19.1 percent).

“One of the findings that surprised me was the fact that people are looking for the terpene myrcene in cannabis to support sleep,” Cuttler said in the WSU news release. “There is some evidence in the scientific literature that myrcene can help promote sleep, so cannabis users seemed to have figured this out on their own.”

When asked how cannabis helps them sleep, respondents said it relaxes their body (81.0 percent) and mind (83.0 percent), prevents interrupted sleep (36.3 percent), and provides a deeper sleep (56.0 percent). .2 percent) and longer (41.6 percent) sleep. sleep.

Of the 526 people who reported using prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids in addition to marijuana, “significantly more reported feeling more refreshed, more focused, and more productive after taking cannabis in the morning than over-the-counter sleep aids, PSAs, or other medications.” . Participants also reported fewer headaches and less nausea the morning after.”

“Participants reported feeling more refreshed, more focused, more productive, with fewer headaches, and less nausea the morning after taking cannabis to sleep than after taking more conventional sleep aids or without any sleep medication.”

Among those who used all three types of sleep aids, the report further reported, “Significantly more participants reported experiencing nausea, anxiety, and heart palpitations when taking over-the-counter sleep aids or PSAs compared to cannabis.”

Some side effects reported by participants are no surprise. For example, cannabis caused dry mouth and red eyes more often than other sleeping pills. Other unintended consequences, however, were more notable. For example, “significantly more participants endorsed feeling more sleepy, anxious, and irritable the morning after consuming cannabis than other sleep medications or no sleep medications,” the study said.

These results are consistent with findings from previous research that marijuana use can lead to longer sleep durations and fewer middle-of-the-night wakings, but also more fatigue the next day.

Specifically, researchers found that more than 60 percent of study participants reported getting six to eight hours of sleep when consuming cannabis alone. However, fewer than 20 percent reported getting six to eight hours of sleep when they took a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid, regardless of whether it was taken in combination with marijuana.

“Overall, the literature suggests that cannabis may be beneficial for some aspects of sleep,” the authors wrote, “but additional objective research is needed to determine which aspects of sleep are positively and negatively affected by cannabis.”

Despite marijuana’s potential side effects, researchers said it may be more tolerable for participants than the side effects of other, more traditional sleep medications.

“These side effects may be less severe or debilitating than the side effects experienced with other sleep medications,” the study says, “and therefore contribute to the perception that cannabis is superior to more conventional sleep medications.”

The authors found that their survey had a strong selection bias toward people who already used cannabis because they find it helpful. “Not everyone will find that cannabis helps with sleep,” Cuttler said in a statement, “and future research needs to use more objective measures of sleep to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of cannabis on sleep.”

Other studies on marijuana’s potential benefits often discuss quality of sleep, and generally consumers say it improves their rest. For example, two recent studies—one in people with chronic health conditions and another in people diagnosed with neurological disorders—found that sleep quality improved with cannabis use.

A 2019 study, meanwhile, found that people tended to buy fewer over-the-counter sleep aids when they had legal access to marijuana. Specifically, the authors of this study noted, “Cannabis appears to be in competition with over-the-counter sleep aids, particularly those containing diphenhydramine and doxylamine, which account for 87.4% of the over-the-counter sleep aid market.”

This article originally appeared on Marijuana Moment.