For some people with sleep challenges, the issue isn’t falling asleep—it’s staying asleep. If you find yourself with too many wakeful periods each night, cannabis may be able to help.
The average person rouses from sleep three to four times a night, in the course of normal slumber. These wakeful periods are so short that you don’t remember them—you just go back to sleep. Or at least that’s the hope. But this isn’t the case for everyone. Some people have no trouble dozing off but they wake up too often, or they wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep.
If this sounds like you, you’re actually experiencing a type of insomnia.
When people think of insomnia, they often think of nights tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling and watching the clock. But for some people, falling asleep isn’t the problem. Staying asleep is.
Read on to learn more.
What You Can Do for Insomnia
Everyone has nights when they can’t sleep. This is called acute insomnia, and it lasts for one night to a few weeks. Chronic insomnia is defined as the inability to fall or stay asleep at least three nights a week, for three months or more.
There are lots of things you can do to treat insomnia naturally. Things like massage therapy, meditation and acupuncture can be beneficial, as well as having a regimented bedtime routine and schedule. You can also take a look at your sleep hygiene and environment—make sure your room is cool and dark, and avoid the use of any electronic devices at least an hour before you plan to hit the hay.
Cannabis May Be Able to Help with Staying Asleep
Cannabis can help with insomnia in a few ways:
- THC has strong sedative properties, which can help your body to relax and get ready for snoozing
- CBD can help to suppress stress hormones, which can in turn help to pull your body’s natural rhythm into alignment
- CBN, a lesser known cannabinoid, works to relieve pain and inflammation, which may be getting in the way of quality sleep
What You May Want to Try for Staying Asleep
Different ratios of THC, CBD and CBN can help to address sleep issues, including staying asleep. Evidence suggests that a gummy that combines CBN or CBD with a small amount of THC may help in the pursuit of longer, deeper sleep.
How helloMD Can Help
If you suffer from insomnia and want to learn more about how cannabis can help, reach out to us. You can speak to a cannabis expert free of charge, to get guidance that’s tailored to you.
