Can The Use Of Cannabis Help Restore The Sleep Cycle?
Sleep is vital for the healthy functioning of the human body. As per the National Sleep Foundation, almost 70 million U.S. adults feel sleep disorder symptoms like insomnia during their lifetime. The lack of sleep can also lead to other serious health issues like anxiety, depression, and accidents. Many reasons cause this disorder, like weight gain, stress, chronic pain, and breathing problems. With an increase in sleep issues, people are turning towards natural ways of treating sleep disorders. One such method of treating sleep issues is through the controlled consumption of cannabis.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a plant known to have a range of health benefits. Many studies claim that cannabis can help treat a range of sleep issues like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome with negligible side effects. It contains two major components, namely cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC has psychoactive properties, whereas CBD does not. Both these cannabinoids work with the endocannabinoid system of your body to provide relief from sleeplessness. Now, let’s understand how the endocannabinoid system helps improve the quality of sleep.
The Endocannabinoid System and Sleep
The endocannabinoid system plays a vital role in maintaining certain body functions like mood, hunger, and sleep cycles. It contains a network of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in the brain and central nervous system. These receptors interact with the cells to positively affect the sleep/wake cycle. Cannabis also helps by diminishing specific symptoms that cause sleeplessness.
1. Can Reduce Insomnia
People with insomnia have difficulty falling or staying asleep. This leads to various problems like anxiety, mood disorders, irritability, obesity, and diabetes. People have insomnia either due to uncomfortable beds, responsibilities, jet lag, or even mental disorders like depression and bipolar disorders. A natural plant-based herb called cannabis could help treat insomnia.
According to a study, cannabis can lessen the time required to fall asleep in people with sleep troubles. As cannabis contains both THC and CBD, scientists recommend taking a strain with less than 20% THC. Consuming cannabis with high THC can cause dizziness the next morning. Another study showed that CBD provided therapeutic benefits that helped almost 65 percent of the adults with insomnia within the first month of usage. One of the best ways to search for high-quality cannabis is by searching online. You can buy weed online from any authorized shop nearby.
2. May Fight Depression
Depression is a mental disorder closely related to sleep. Lack of sleep can cause depression, and conversely, depression can lead to sleeplessness. An incapability to sleep for long hours is one of the main signs of depression. People can use cannabis as a remedy for depression.
As per a report, the scientists discovered that stress could reduce endocannabinoids’ production, leading to depression-like behavior. Consuming cannabis can help restore the normal levels of endocannabinoids, easing depression symptoms. This way, people with depression can sleep peacefully at night.
3. Can Alleviate Anxiety
Stress and anxiety can occur due to exposure to adverse life, genetics, and family history. People plagued with worry often have difficulty sleeping, and it keeps them awake at night. This lack of sleep can exacerbate the challenges posed by anxiety. One can alleviate anxiety symptoms by taking cannabis.
According to a 2017 survey conducted on more than 9000 Americans, almost 80 percent of users experienced positive health benefits from taking cannabis. Taking the supplement can increase calmness, improve relaxation, and help enhance sleep. Apart from this, people who consumed the supplement found a reduction in unbearable anxiety symptoms and a greater peace of mind.
4. May Relieve Pain
Pain in your nerves, joints, and muscles can also keep you up the night. As per the National Sleep Foundation, almost 20 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain. The severity of the pain can lead to light sleep and shortened REM. Cannabis contains compounds that can help diminish pain.
The components THC and CBD interact with the body’s receptors to produce therapeutic effects. THC combines with the brain receptor to create a “high,” whereas CBD interacts with the pain receptors to produce anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. As per a 2015 report, cannabis and cannabinoids can effectively treat chronic pain. The report indicated that people with migraine showed improvement in their condition after cannabis usage. With consistent cannabis treatment, they were able to replace traditional medication. Therefore, cannabis can be a potential treatment to reduce pain and have an uninterrupted sleep cycle throughout the night.
5. Can Decrease Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a critical sleep disorder in which breathing gets obstructed, characterized by loud snoring, gasping for air, irritability, and sleep disruptions. If you are suffering from sleep apnoea, you might find some hope in cannabis. Furthermore, cannabis can alleviate the indications of sleep apnoea. According to a 2020 report, the researchers observed that the usage of cannabis helped enhance the breathing patterns in rodents. They saw a 55 percent decrease in the sleep apnea episodes in the rodents.
6. May Improve Appetite
An upset stomach, nausea, or illness can cause loss of appetite, which leads to unsuccessful sleep, reducing metabolic functions, and causing muscle breakdown. This can eventually lead to insomnia and other sleep disorders. To achieve a balance between rest and hunger, snacking can be beneficial. Cannabis can be an effective remedy to treat hunger problems.
Cannabis helps manage hunger by interacting with the appetite circuits in the brain. It triggers a timely release of the hunger hormone called ghrelin that helps regulate appetite. People who consume cannabis usually take small frequent meals that are beneficial during cancer treatments when there is a loss in appetite. You know how hunger can disrupt sleep quality. Therefore, you can manage your hunger and help yourself get a peaceful night of sleep by consuming a controlled amount of cannabis.
Conclusion
In summary, cannabis shows great potential to enhance sleep quality and restore the sleep cycle. Ensure purchasing cannabis products from authentic online or offline outlets. You can consume cannabis in various ways like vaping, tinctures, creams, ointments, and edibles. Choose the ones that are most comfortable for you. Lastly, before starting cannabis treatment, consult a health professional to understand the right dosage as per your health condition.
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