First, does marijuana make you sleepy?
Extreme sleep patterns are linked to marijuana use; those who use the drug either sleep too much or too little, and heavy users will experience more intense cycles.
Please read on for more information, which is provided in more detail in the sections that follow.
Table of Contents
Why Does Marijuana Make You Sleepy?
According to earlier studies, daily marijuana users are more likely than occasional or non-users to report more sleep issues. This finding was supported by the results of the new study. But experts say that a variety of factors, including the quantity and kind of marijuana consumed, can affect whether there are any aftereffects and how you feel. The drug contains a variety of sedative-like substances like THC, while other substances like CBD can “promote alertness at lower doses and sleepiness at higher doses,” according to the Sleep Foundation. The regularity of marijuana use can affect how well a person sleeps. According to research, brief use increases the amount of time spent in deep sleep, which makes people feel more awake. “The Sleep Foundation notes that THC shortens the period of REM sleep, which is when you spend most of your time dreaming, processing emotions, and enacting new memories. As an alternative to drugs like opioids, which have high risks of addiction and abuse, some people use marijuana to help them fall asleep. “In order to get marijuana to help with sleep, patients are currently spending money, time, and resources, according to Ladha, who spoke to CNN. “I believe the medical profession must exert every effort to ensure that our patients are given the tools necessary to make the best choices for their health.”
Does Marijuana Make You Sleepy The Day After?
Yes, marijuana can make you sleepy the next day, to put it bluntly. Feeling a little sleepy the day after consuming marijuana is a common occurrence known as a “marijuana hangover” in some cultures. This is particularly true if you ate the plant before bed or if you used the herb too vigorously the day before. The psychoactive plant may lengthen your time in deep sleep, which is the stage of sleep necessary for muscle recovery and long-term memory consolidation, according to studies done in the middle of the 1970s.
The herb also reduces the amount of time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the last stage of sleep, according to numerous studies. Before waking up, during the time when brain waves are starting to rise and dreams are happening, is when REM sleep typically happens. You are more likely to wake up before your body is ready to wake up by reducing the amount of REM sleep you get. For instance, if your alarm goes off and you happen to wake up in this deep sleep stage, you might find it especially challenging to get out of bed. When a person is in the middle of slow-wave deep sleep, it is most difficult to wake them.
For the body to repair itself and get ready for the next day, both sleep stages are necessary. When these regular sleep cycles are broken, there is a higher likelihood of getting poorer-quality sleep or being more sleepy the next day. It’s also possible that there may still be some THC circulating in your blood and lymphatic system if you smoked a significant amount of marijuana the day before. You can anticipate feeling drained and lethargic after a long night of smoking.
Why Does Sleep Duration Matter?
“Calvin Diep, the study’s lead author and a resident in the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Toronto, stated that extensive population-based studies have demonstrated that both short and long sleep are linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as the long-term progression of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and any of the major cardiovascular diseases.
“It appears that there is a certain amount of sleep that is “just right”—a sort of “Goldilocks phenomenon,” according to Diep.
According to the CDC, one in three Americans doesn’t get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep can be ruined by the 50 million to 70 million Americans who suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome.
The CDC refers to this as a “public health problem” because sleep disruption is linked to a higher risk of illnesses like diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, dementia, high blood pressure, weakened immune function, weight gain, a lack of libido, mood swings, paranoia, and depression.
Avoid Getting Tired After Smoking marijuana
There are a few simple treatments that could be helpful if you’re feeling worn out and lethargic. To help you get back in working order, consider the following advice:
Exercise
Exercise increases the amount of oxygen that the heart and lungs receive, which is a natural energy booster. According to a 2008 Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Journal study, regular exercise can boost someone’s energy levels by 20% and reduce fatigue by up to 65%.
Regular exercise may also help you sleep better, which will improve the quality of your sleep, which will increase the energy you have when you wake up. Many claim that exercising while intoxicated not only prolongs the high for longer, but has also been shown to have advantageous effects on muscle fatigue, muscle strain, and inflammation.
Consume Smaller Doses Of Marijuana
It’s a given that you don’t need to be high to enjoy all of marijuana’ therapeutic properties. Overdosing on marijuana can make you feel anxious and render you incapable of functioning, in addition to giving you couchlock.
More and more research indicates that the smallest therapeutic dose of marijuana you can take, the more effectively it works. Therefore, it might be wise to take a break from using the plant or gradually reduce your consumption if you regularly use it.
Switch To Cbd
In low to moderate doses, CBD can have alerting effects, as was previously mentioned. A few of the negative effects of THC’s side effects can also be reduced by CBD. According to research so far, the non-intoxicating substance may be able to reduce THC’s psychoactivity. It might also lessen the psychoactive’s effects on your ability to remember visuospatial details, which could cause you to forget where you put your keys or where you parked your car, among other things. Furthermore, CBD appears to offset some of THC’s appetite-stimulating effects.
Drink Coffee
If marijuana is making you feel fatigued, drinking coffee or green tea can give you a quick boost of energy, unless you are prone to anxiety or panic disorder. Many people, correctly, believe that combining caffeine and marijuana confuses the body because one is a stimulant and the other is a depressant. This practice is sometimes referred to as “a poor man’s speed-ball.”
A 2011 experimental study, however, discovered that caffeine increased the memory-impairing effects of THC in animals and cell cultures. Actually, caffeine and THC appeared to work in unison so that less THC was required to produce the same effects as the initial dose of THC alone.
Even though the research hasn’t been tested on people, what a fantastic way to give yourself a little pick-me-up if you can get the same effects with less THC when caffeine is involved! Finding ways to reduce your THC intake is typically a good idea if you’re trying to avoid dozing off.
Improve Sleep & Provide Relief From Insomnia
Numerous Americans suffer from insomnia: about 30% of U.S. adults, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Up to 70 million Americans, or roughly 22% of the country’s population, are thought to experience insomnia and other sleep disorders, according to the CDC, which is only marginally more conservative. Sadly, more of us will undoubtedly join their ranks in the years to come as a result of our iPhone-fueled, stressful lifestyles. Some people are already at a higher risk than others, including:
- those who have been given a depression diagnosis.
- individuals whose jobs require them to travel across time zones, such as pilots and truck drivers.
- those who suffer from sleep-disturbing medical conditions like anxiety, restless legs syndrome, arthritis, and asthma, as well as those with chronic pain and respiratory issues.
- those who are menopausal women.
While a few people do report increased feelings of anxiety or increased alertness while using marijuana is a risk you should discuss with your doctor. The majority of people find that marijuana induces relaxation and promotes sleep, making it a treatment option worth considering if pharmaceutical sleep aids have previously produced ineffective or inconsistent results for you. Numerous studies have shown that marijuana can aid in sleep, with the following few studies serving as examples:
- Journal – Clinical Neuropharmacology
- Published – 2014
- Findings: Significant improvement in pain and sleep scores. There were no obvious side effects of the medication.”
- Journal – Neurology
- Published – 2014
- Results: Of the 127 patients who received the survey, 102 completed it (93% response rate). In all, 21% of respondents said they had used medical marijuana in the past or present to treat their ALS symptoms. Of those 21%, a sizable majority thought it was very effective at promoting sleep (65%).”
- Journal – Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
- Published – 2007
- Findings: “Effects of marijuana and dronabinol were comparable, but only marijuana (3.9% THC) improved ratings of sleep.””
Of course, at the end of the day, there is no surefire way to foretell how marijuana will affect each individual. However, what I can tell you with certainty – and what’s reflected in the studies above – is that many of my patients, after struggling for months or years with largely useless prescriptions and over-the-counter sleep aids, report finally being able to achieve restful, peaceful sleep when using marijuana. For the majority of users, marijuana acts as a mild, calming sedative with few, brief side effects (usually limited to dry mouth and increased appetite).
Summary
The article centered on whether marijuana causes sleepiness. Please leave a comment if you have any questions about whether marijuana makes you sleepy. As soon as I identify the issue, I will respond right away. Many thanks for reading.