Some people use marijuana to help them to relax and to promote sleep at night. It can calm a racing mind and make it easier to fall asleep. But is it right for everyone with a sleep disorder like insomnia?
There seems to be very little current information as most studies seem to be from the 70’s and they were tests on rats and cats. There was one test run on two people. Two? Out of the millions of marijuana smokers these scientists could only find two people. This makes any of their finding statistically pointless.
A study in Italy found that THC would dramatically increase the levels of melatonin in a subject which may help them fall asleep faster.
Benefits of Marijuana as a Sleep Aid
1. It works
You get to go to bed with your mind and body calm and relaxed. There’s no more tossing and turning for hours on end, just peaceful slumber.
Many OTC sleep aids are unsafe, expensive and often just plain don’t work. Any sleeping pills that are effective require a doctor’s prescription, whereas you can grow your own sleep aid if you care to or mix several varieties to create a personal blend, especially if a pain control component is also needed.
2. No side effects
You can get up in the morning feeling wide a wake and refreshed. With sleeping pills you can often still feel sluggish with a brain fog that can last most of the morning.
3. Safe
It’s not addictive and no one has ever overdosed on marijuana whereas sleeping pills are addictive and kill many people every year. And if someone in your household becomes suicidal, do you want them to find a joint or a bottle of sleeping pills?
If you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, you are not drowsy. You can safely and easily navigate around furniture and hit the target. Sleeping pills will leave you feeling disoriented which is a major cause of trips, falls and wet floors.
If you are awakened because of an emergency, you are clear headed so you can respond. Sleeping pills have warnings that you should not take them while alone because you will be unable to think clearly in an emergency.
Since there are thousands of different strains, check with a herbalist for a recommendation as to which strain would work best for you.
I find it works best to smoke early in the evening, then go to bed on the tail end of the buzz. If you smoke right before going to bed you’ll probably be kept awake tripping for several hours.
Have you tried mariuana to get to sleep? Share your views below.
Amazon Resources
Start off right with a stainless steel, 4-piece grinder: http://amzn.to/Pjies2
Sorry for the broken links. Amazon constantly removes products from their site. It’s a pain in the tits to keep up with their BS.
Follow the link above and search for vaporizers, etc.
Yes it works like a charm. I hate the fact that when I graduate I’ll have to find another sleep aid (that probably won’t work, and will most likely have undesirable side effects) so that I don’t fail a drug test. Look in to the benefits of hemp; I can guarantee the paper and cotton industry know its better than their products and want it to remain illegal. Stop sending peaceful people to prison for this!
My moron Prime Minister’s new drug law will put people in prison for growing as few as 6 plants. Apparently, if you grow 6 plants you’re part of organized crime. This loon refuses to listen to US authorities who have proved the War on Drugs to be a colossal waste of money and is completely ineffective.
Since the US only makes bullets, bombs and bankers and the war in the Middle East is winding down, they have to keep the munitions manufacturers happy (they give politicians lots of money) by selling to law enforcement, so President Barack Obama had the feds go after compassion clubs and stores selling medical marijuana to keep the so-called war on drugs going. It’s all about money and the government is just the biggest gang on the block.
People using medical marijuana to fight pain or other medical issues are finding it very difficult to find an employer who will support them because its use conflicts with their current company’s drug policy.
It works wonderful for insomnia, but it cuts into the pharmaceutical industry’s profits. The industry whined about natural health products years ago that they were dangerous and they tried to ban them, but then realized there are gobs of money to be made, so they embraced it at full bore.
What’s needed now is an industry (pharmaceutical/tobacco?) to undertake industrial production of marijuana. Use abandoned warehouses for 100 million SOG operations and they could put an OZ of MJ on the market for they price of a 24 of beer. The industry would make tons of money, government tax revenues would sky-rocket, prisons would empty out and a lot of organized crime members would have to find a nine to five.
Billions of dollars are wasted because of the effects of alcohol. How many people after smoking a joint feel like starting a fight or robbing a liquor store? And we put people in jail because after they cut the lawn on a Saturday afternoon, they sat in their own back yard and had a joint. WTF?
“My moron Prime Minister’s new drug law will put people in prison for growing as few as 6 plants. Apparently, if you grow 6 plants you’re part of organized crime. This loon refuses to listen to US authorities who have proved the War on Drugs to be a colossal waste of money and is completely ineffective.”
You’re lucky, growing here gets you nailed for “intent to distribute” which is a felony. One plant, or even seeds, is all you need to get put down for that.
Didn’t say where you were from, but it’s mightly harsh for growing a weed.
I am a 73 yr. Old insomniac who has been hooked on a benzodiazepine drug now called Clorazepate,formerly named Tranxzene.This has been the worst thing that has ever happened to me and I wonder how much testing some of the drugs receive before they are considered ‘safe’for the general population.I continue to take the drug at half dose merely to stave off the horrors of not taking it at all.I have tried 6 times over the years to get off the Clorazepate but have now given up.I have received almost no useful advice from my doctor who admits to having received about 1 1/2 hours of instruction on the treatment of insomnia while at med.school.I have told him that I kind marijuana helps me get back to sleep and also helps me go to sleep.I smoke less than a full joint each evening and have done so for about 8 years now.The problem now is that if I want to travel I can’t sleep unless I take the chance to score some pot and in the US I am not keen to do so.even though I note that in San Francisco one may have an ounce and receive only a $100 fine.As a Cdn.though I would likely be told to leave and not come back.This goes for most places that I might like to go to for part of our shitty winters so I feel that I am being held hostage because I am stuck on a legal drug that I can only treat with an illegal one.While my doctor has not condemned my use of pot neither has he offerred to sign the forms to qualify me as a med. user.You can imagine my feelings about this.At present I do not know what else to do but eventually I will just say ‘to he’ll with it ‘ and pick up some weed wherever I decide to go; it’ s not like it is hard to find and I frustrated at the Gov’t. Which continually demonizes this ‘weed’ and yet here is debating whether or not to start selling wine and spirits in grocery stores.Ther is so much hypocricy surrounding this relatively benign drug and I just don’t get it,In the area in which I live the town council was asked to vote re:decriminalization for small amounts for personal use.The vote was 4-1 in favor but this will go nowhere with our current autocratic Conservative Gov’t.in Canada.Ther is the usual blather about it being a gateway drug yet we want to sell alcohol in grocery stores.Personally I don’t care about OT ther people’s weaknesses.They are their problems.that sounds harsh but I don’t see why I have to be told what I can and can’t do because someone else may become a junkie down the road.I drink,but I never became an alcoholic….but I could have.I do not advocate pot use by 13 ,14,15 year olds so pass a law.That will stop it.Right?A recent poll found that one in fifteen high school students admitted to smoking pot once a day.Future meth-heads?Who knows?
Anyway,I see no way out of this dilemma and I am amazed at the odd-sightedness of our and other gov’ts.over this issue.I use pot not to get high but to greatly alleviate the problems I have which were caused by a legal drug given to me when I complained of waking up at all hours of the night.Be warned…don’t accept prescriptions lightly!
It’s a sad state of affairs that someone who uses a natural product to help with their medical condition and to improve their health and well being is branded a criminal. And then to convince a person to use addictive drugs instead.
Lack of sleep reduces a person’s enjoyment of life, decreases their life span, and causes weight gain, increases irritability as well as many other problems. How much road rage could be avoided if that driver had just gotten a good night sleep? And the other driver was more awake and refreshed and checked the lane before moving over?
As a Canadian you never want to try going through US Customs carrying any drugs stronger than aspirin or items sharper than a toothpick. Border Nazis, opps guards, are judge, jury and executioner. They can even put you on their watch list just because they don’t like the way to talked to them. You can then also be screwed if you wanted to fly to Mexico because you pass over the US.
The pharmaceutical industry has also been covering up drug side effects for years so they could continue to make billions of dollars.
This industry now is like the auto industry used to be. They knew their car exploded in flames if hit from the rear but the fix cost a buck and a half, multiplied by all the cars to recall, so accountants figured it was cheaper to kill people and fight legal claims then to do a recall and fix the problem. This only changed when it was brought to light and they were forced to change.
It’s better for the pharmaceutical industry’s bottom line kill people, so they do and no one stops them.
Politicians only listen to people who give them money. The more money you give them, the more they listen. If you don’t give them any money, they couldn’t give a damn about you. This is why almost all grass roots protests fail; you’re not giving them anything. It doesn’t matter what country you’re in anywhere in the world because everything boils down to money and bull-shit.
And the real gateway drugs are cigarettes and alcohol, but law enforcement won’t admit to it because they are just unionized civil servants out to protect their jobs and line their pockets. The war on drugs does both. Ever see any cops in the unemployment line?
What marijuana advocates should do is not spend their time and limited resources lobbying politicians because since you’re not giving them any money, they won’t take the time to listen to you.
What you should do is get in front of an executive from the pharmaceutical or tobacco industry and explain to them that industrial scale marijuana production would have zero R&D costs since it’s a proven product – production and sales wise. Have a wonderbar PowerPoint presentation with a cost/benefit analysis and show them how economies of scale can product an ounce of bud for under a $1. With low production costs and a massive profit margin they’ll be making hundreds of millions the first year out with revenue climbing into the hundreds of billions in ten years time.
Point out that their year end bonuses and stock options are going to go through the roof and that the scene from the movie Scarface where they’re heading into the bank with a half dozen duffle bags full of cash can happen for them every minute, 7/24/365.
Why try to change the government with a bunch of pea shooters when you can have a few canons. The pharmaceutical and tobacco industries already have boat loads of highly paid lobbyists, so let them make your case, which is in their best interest – profit.
Politician often don’t pass legislation because it’s good or the right thing to do, they do it because some bagman dropped a few million dollars into their campaign fund, or flew them and their families to some “meeting” in the Bahamas for a couple of weeks, all expenses paid.
If you think this seems like a plan, then spread this idea around. Copy and paste what you want, send it to whoever you like and link to this post if you want.
Let’s free Marc Emery, let’s free people from their pain and suffering, let’s use the twisted system against itself.
The only down side would be a bunch of laid off cops, oh poo.
Lack of sleep also causes bloggers to ramble. And I have to go to work today, so all the crazoids on the road better stay the crap out of my way.
For the last 6/7 years, I’ve been a regular smoker of MJ. But I dont take that much, no more than twice a day: once in the evening after office (in very little amount), and once before going to sleep. Over the years, I’ve found that if I take MJ before going to bed, I wake up totally refreshed in the morning after 4/5 hours of sleep. But due to any reason if I’m unable to smoke one night, to achieve the same level of freshness I have to sleep about 2 hours longer than my MJ nights.
I could just be that smoking marijuana for sleep results in you getting a deeper sleep and hence get a better nights sleep than without.
what about if you get paranoia from weed or anxiety?
You can try going to a compassion club and ask about a different strain then the one you are smoking.
If a change in strain doesn’t help it’s best that you don’t use marijuana as a sleep aid. There’s no point trading one problem for another.
It’s the only time I find that I can sleep through the night without waking up every couple of hours.
As for the smoke you can try a vaporizer or put some weed in a coffee grinder and bake it into a no-name brownie mix. Chop up the brownies when cool, put them into a container and pop it into the freezer. Take one out as needed.
smoke every night 2 hours before bed… works like a charm. I have been insomnia free for a year
Great to hear it. Marijuana is safe and effective with no drowsiness the next day.
I am a 20 year old female with chronic insomnia. It has been a burden for many years. I’ve been on very heavy doses of pharmaceutical drugs (ambien, benzodiazapines) and I was addicted as a result. It was terrible. Finally I was cleared for medical use of marijuana and I am so much happier! No more feeling constantly drugged. This has been my natural lifesaver. Thank God for the medicinal law in my state, and hopefully soon the legal.
Great to hear you found a natural product that works.
In Canada, they have to blast you with every possible pharmaceutical first, then you pretty much have to be on the verge of death. Insomnia isn’t covered. Too bad as marijuana works the best.
It’s not all good news. As someone who has smoked for the majority of their life I’ve found it hinders my sleep(as has been shown in studies), but that’s not the worst of it- it is somewhat addictive and can cause lots of anxiety and memory problems. I still smoke but am currently trying for just once a week. It has lots of pluses but ofcouse some minuses. One issue that bothers me is how ive built relationships with some people and not others. Ok not a big deal really but what is is the nagging desire to smoke while doing things that should be enjoyable unadulterated. Fun drug free is better and that’s hard to argue with.
Using marijuana as a sleep aid should be similar to using sleeping pills in that it should be used as needed, not necessarily every day. You should also not be going throuugh everyday life high from Wake&Bake onward.
Hi, This thread looks more current so posting again. I’ve had CFS for 20 years and past 12 years major sleep problems from it: non restorative and fragmented sleep. Have recently tried Grandaddy Purple and for two nights best sleep in years but it left me with an all day hangover the next day. I’ve been researching indica strains and the choices are overwhelming. Is it purely trial and error ($$$) or does anyone know a strain that has the effect of the one I tried but less likely to be hungover? I’m also on three meds for sleep, one a benzo and two are sedating anti Depressants, but other than they now put me to sleep reliably getting good quality sleep is beyond the drugs (and I’d love to get off of them).
People use medical marijuana as a sleep aid precisely because there are no residual effects the next day as you would get from prescription drugs.
If you have suffered from chronic insomnia and you find a sleep aid that works, it will take a good 3-5 days of solid sleep before you may feel refreshed the next day. This is because of the massive sleep debt you have accumulated over the years.
You mention that you are taking 3 other medications for sleep. Talk to your health care provider and mention that you are taking marijuana to help you sleep and discuss weaning you off the other medications. When you are taking several drugs at the same time they may interact with one another.
You may also want to talk to someone at a compassion club or medical marijuana dispensary and get some recommendations as to what other strains may be better for you. Medical marijuana can be purchased for $8-$12 per gram, so sampling several (one at a time) is cost effective before committing to a larger amount. Do some homework ahead of time as they will be likely to just recommend whatever they have to sell which may or may not be best for you.
An indica strain is what you are looking for. Granddaddy Purple is recommended for stress more than insomnia (Leafly.com). Usually an indica will provide more of a couch lock and is better for insomnia than an alert high like a sativa strain. Hybrid strains may also not be as effective for sleep as a pure indica strain. I personally can recommend Purple Kush.
You will also want to consume the medical marijuana a few hours before bed. If right before bed, you may feel too buzzed to get to sleep. everyone is different, so try a few differnet times. It may be smoked, vaporized or consumed as an after dinner brownie or as a tincture.
If you have coffee at the same time every morning, then for whatever reason you sleep in a little late, you may experience caffeine withdrawal. If I’m a half hour later having coffee in the morning I’ll have a headache all day, even after having a coffee.
I’m frankly amazed at how well marijuana works as a sleep aid. I’m a young dad with an extremely stressful job, and my insomnia really stems more from ruminating about work and paying the bills more than anything else. Pot seems to calm me down enough to stop that endless merry-go-round of negative thoughts, and even helps me enjoy things that often times I’m too stressed out to appreciate. My wife actually encourages me to smoke when I’ve had a particularly tough day. I’m concerned about side effects down the road, but after a year really can’t point to any specifically, besides the fact that I’m a little dependent on pot for a good nights’ sleep. But after 30 years of tossing and turning, that’s not really a bad trade off. It’s actually cut down substantially on my drinking, too. So I basically feel as though the health benefits of a good night’s sleep and a cleaner liver justify smoking.
Glads you found something that works for you.
A vaporizer cuts down on the amount of smoke quite a bit. Brownies or cookies are also a tasty alternative to smoking.
What about recent studies showing decreased REM with marijuana users that can last up to 10 days after?
Just fear mongering from Reefer Madness types. Some extremely heavy users can have reduced REM sleep, but it would never last 10 days after quiting.
If you consume marijuana right before bed, you could take several hours to actually get to sleep because your too buzzed. Go to sleep on the down side and you’ll sleep through the night.
I suffered with extreme insomnia for 30 years. I would go to sleep fine but wake up after three hours and not be able to fall back asleep. It cost me several jobs and quality of life. I lived in a fog of torturous fatigue. I tried everything: herbs, ERT, neurotherapy, OTC meds, Ambien; ALL of it. Pot baked into cookies is the only thing I’ve found in all these years (and I only discovered it a year ago) that works to keep me asleep, with the possible exception of certain amino acids that I alternate with the cookies. Any detrimental effects of marijuana can’t possibly be greater than what chronic sleep deprivation does to a person.
I’m glad you found something that works for you. Chronic sleep deprevation is common and prescription medicine isn’t the only solution.
Marijuana as a sleep aid is safe, effective and costs a lot less than OTC or prescribed pills the real drug pushers (doctors) promote. And so one ever over-dosed on marijuana or had adverse drug interactions with other medication.
I’m a 63 year old female who has been struggling with insomnia for years. At first, I was unable to fall asleep and started taking otc meds which seemed to be effective. After several years I felt I needed something strong and I found Ambien. I couldn’t believe what a wonder drug it was! It removed all the fear and anxiety about not being able to fall asleep. To make a long story short, I have tried to stop taking Ambien a number of times but unfortunately keep returning to it since it is the only drug that helps me fall asleep. The side effects are brutal: irritability, lack of comprehension, poor memory, severe anxiety and withdrawal from friends and family. In conjunction with the Ambien at night I take Xanax and Dioxapen. Life with superficial sleep is awful.
The last time I smoked MJ was in the 90s. I live part time in Florida and New Jersey. Do you have any suggestions as to how go about getting my doctor to prescribe medical MJ? I thank you in advance.
First, discuss your plan with your doctor. You should go on a program to wean yourself off Ambian to avoid/lessen withdrawal symptoms.
Medical marijuana is not available in Florida. Possibly in 2014.
As for New Jersey check out: http://new-jersey.medicalmarijuana.net/
You can contact them for help in finding a doctor in your area.
I made myself some oil infusion with cannabis to help me sleep. It’s so potent that just a tea spoon will get me high, so I cut back on the quantity. I really don’t enjoying getting high anymore. I search for the medicinal value of MJ. Now, whenever I have a chronic insomnia attack, I just have a couple of drops of my own oil to sleep. It’s amazing how you can then function the next day without that feeling of grogginess that other meds cause. I truly fear MJ’s effect on the brain and overall mood, but I have discovered that small quantities work best. The key is to have very small doses of the plant, then you function really well the next day.
You’re right. There is usually no need to get totally blasted to get to sleep. Small amounts can be all you reallly need to get to sleep.
25 year old single mum of three here. I have suffered from insomnia for many years now and have used small ammounts of MJ to help me sleep for almost as long as i have been suffering (after trying a few prescription drugs). I turned off the scripts when i found myself unable to perform my motherly duties of a morning, often sleeping in far too late or just plain unable to function. Living here in aus makes it difficult for anyone to get medicinal MJ and i am fearful to keep anything to do with it in my home because of the area i am in (police like to pick on people). I guess all im really trying to say is that there should be a lot more studies done at least on the effects, both good and bad, before they rule it out completely likr they have. Im all for legalization but with some restrictions (something like what they have with alcohol) i.e you shouldnt drive if you have had too much or whatever. Why should people like me be fearful of getting a record because we want sleep?