Can Medical Cannabis Really Help People with Insomnia?

Human beings have been using the cannabis plant as a sleep aid for hundreds of years.
In modern times, researchers have studied the plant and found that cannabis has the
ability to induce relaxing and sedative effects. Sleep is vital for maintaining optimal
mental and physical health, but it eludes many people. Millions of people display symptoms of insomnia, so if you’re having some trouble getting shut-eye every night, you are not alone. Fortunately, a sleep disorder can be effectively treated under the care of a medical cannabis specialist in Santa Monica, CA.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder marked by either difficulty with falling asleep or trouble
staying asleep. The lack of sleep results in daytime drowsiness, irritability, tiredness,
depressed mood, and a negative attitude. It can bring devastating effects on your
physical and mental health, performance at work or school, and overall quality of life.
Insomnia may result from stress, a traumatic experience, other medical conditions (e.g.,
chronic pain), some medications, or excessive intake of drugs or alcohol.
One of the treatment techniques for insomnia is to practice healthy sleep habits that
incorporate regular exercise, frequent sun exposure, and consistent sleep routine. In
addition, your bedroom should be clean, airy, quiet and dark. Prescription medications
are also used in the treatment of insomnia, but they pose the risk of serious side effects
and being addictive to patients.

Types of Insomnia

Insomnia comes in several different types, including:

• Sleep-Onset Insomnia: The inability to sleep at the start of the night
• Maintenance Insomnia: Difficulty staying asleep
• Acute Insomnia: An abrupt episode of trouble sleeping
• Comorbid Insomnia: Sleeplessness that happens with another medical
  condition
• Chronic Insomnia: A persistent pattern of having trouble with fallingasleep or remaining asleep for more than three nights a week for at least
  three months

How Does Medical Cannabis Help with Insomnia?

For centuries, people have been using cannabis as a medicinal herb to help with
difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep and to make rest more refreshing.
In recent times, scientific research has shown that most people use cannabis for
insomnia, pain, anxiety or depression. A certain 2019 study showed that among
cannabis partakers, who claimed to take cannabis for sleep issues, 84% reported that it
was “very” or “extremely” useful. Among the participants who had been using over-the-
counter sleep drugs, 83% said they were able to decrease or stop the use of those
medications after incorporating cannabis.

Other studies were done in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s that also indicate that cannabis can
have a large impact on sleep habits, including reducing the time taken to fall asleep.

Medical cannabis helps to curb insomnia through the soothing effects of some of its
cannabinoids, particularly CBD (Cannabidiol). It can help you fall asleep easier and
quicker and maintain your sleep all night long. For many patients, when the cannabis
works effectively, they are able to reduce, and sometimes even discontinue the use of
other pharmaceutical products.

The traditional sleep medications used for insomnia may bring harmful side effects that
affect your quality of life over time. The side effects may include weight gain, nausea,
vomiting, depression and panic attacks. With medical cannabis, you can avoid such
side effects while maintaining control over your insomnia.