asleep, or even awaken us in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. Cannabis calms the fretful brain, allowing one to fall to sleep calmly and stay asleep.
The correct strain of cannabis relaxes and calms us while also inducing sleep. However, what we need is a long-term effect that lasts through most or all of the night. Smoking or vaping cannabis has the benefit of an almost immediate effect. However, it doesn’ t remain active in our system for more than a few hours. Ingesting cannabis orally results in long-lasting effects, often remaining active throughout the night. Many will find edibles and tinctures to fit the bill perfectly.
Like alcohol, cannabis is biphasic. It’ s important not to over-consume as it could interfere with sleep. Overconsuming edibles in particular is a bad idea because of the time it takes the liver to process the excess. You may find yourself waking up impaired and unable to function effectively the next morning. Start with a low dose and gradually increase to achieve the desired effect.
The correct cannabis strain is important for restful sleep. Generally speaking, Sativa-dominant strains tend to be elevating and are more appropriate for daytime use. Indica-dominant strains, such as“ Purples” and“ Kushes,” tend to be relaxing and induce sleep.( Note: cannabis strains offered in Missouri are mostly Hybrid strains. Be sure to ask your budtender for help finding the best strain for your needs.) A strain’ s terpenes can also have an impact on sleep. Strains high in linalool are relaxing and sleep-inducing. Extremely high THC strains should be avoided, as too much THC and too little CBD can interfere with sound sleep.
Cannabis isn’ t a cure-all for all sleep disorders. If you’ re not already practicing good sleep hygiene, cannabis may be only marginally beneficial. Common sense dictates one not consume a Monster drink before bedtime. Rather than watching a horror film or listening to Screamo music, one might read a relaxing book while listening to classical music before retiring. If after implementing good sleep hygiene practices, you find you’ re still suffering from insomnia, chances are excellent that including cannabis in your sleep hygiene regimen will produce excellent results.
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Peter Kershaw is a medical cannabis consultant. Contact him at pkershaw. email @ gmail. com As with all writers within these pages, if you’ ve benefited from Peter’ s articles, please let him and all writers know. They appreciate your thoughts.
Notice: The information contained herein is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, but rather a sharing of knowledge and information based on research, experience and the opinion of the writer. The content is for general informational purposes only. As always, check with your doctor first.
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