weed. good or bad for insomnia??

[custard]

i've suffered from insomnia for years. it's particularly bad currently, in part due to a muscular shoulder and neck injury that gets exacerbated when i sleep poorly. i'm doing everything i can to maintain proper sleep hygiene, ie. keeping a regular schedule, getting enough exercise.. there are many factors to consider but if smoking before bed is adding to the problem then i will stop immediately because i feel desperate and all i want is to sleep through the night.

for the past 1-2 months i've been smoking a bowl before bed. it's a nice way to relax before bed and it definitely helps me fall asleep, but it does not help me stay asleep. (i wake up a lot throughout the night.) there's a lot of articles out there about cannabis being both an aid and a hinderance to a good night's sleep. apparently it increases deep sleep and reduces REM sleep. is this true? good? bad? neither? i'm curious if any experts have some scientific information to offer on the subject.

 

[oXyboss14]

Depends on weed.. if u can not sleep go with indica indica is way more stronger and more of a couch lock feeling.. Sleepy affect compared to the energetic sativa..

 

[oXyboss14]

Happy toking !

 

[pentouch]

dont smoke right away before bed,maybe? have time prior to having sleepy time ,eat snacks(cheese is great,gets you calm too) . lets see how it will change the setting,oh also waking up trough the night could be a habbit,dont get freaked out if it persists for some time

 

[JackARoe]

I do not have insomnia, but I can attest to the fact that weed helps me sleep. I can toke about a half hour before bed, then lay in bed reviewing my day, then sleep very soundly. Actually my routine for years was to meditate for 15 minutes, take two tokes, read for a half hour then lay in the dark. I am usually asleep in 5 minutes. It is probably the only drug I can take for sleep. Anything prescription or even over the counter mushes my brain and ruins any clarity I may need the next day.

 

[Mafioso]

custard, based on personal experience and what I've seen in my friends, smoking can help but only to a certain degree. It is no cure all, and in large amounts it will actually hinder you from getting a good nights sleep. Some people say weed has no hang over, but I disagree. On the mornings after I smoke a lot I definitely wake up feeling very groggy, unrested, and unmotivated. Also, it can be hard to stop my mind from running if I sit there and chain smoke joints for hours. I've noticed I get more naturally tired and sleep better if I smoke 1-3 hours before bed and go to sleep as the high is wearing off, after I got a meal/snack.

I know a lot of stoners who have had similar experiences, it isn't uncommon for some stoners to be able to stay up all night smoking weed and playing video games or whatever. I don't know all the science behind it(nobody really does yet) but I know for myself weed can be fairly stimulating and uplifting at first followed by the sedation. Smoking weed is also related with elevated heart rate and anxiety/paranoia which is my guess as to why smoking right before bed isn't a good idea.

As far as waking up in the middle of the night- if it is from pain/discomfort you could try taking a very low dose and see if that wont help you fall back asleep. I get nightmares fairly often and sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night in a panic. A few rips for me makes it easy to forget and relax. May not be the best habit but it is better than not sleeping imo.

 

[VitamaN]

totally depends on who you are. I can't sleep on THC, but I sleep like a baby on stuff that keeps normal people awake like tramadol and caffeine . Subjective

 

[Zeeman]

I used to smoke weed almost daily before bed to help me sleep. It worked really well, but the rebound insomnia was horrible! Stopping after a period of daily use, I could sometimes be too exhausted to even move yet still be awake all night long. I've always had some trouble sleeping, but my insomnia was at its worst during my heavy marijuana use period on the night I didn't smoke up. I'm now a very occasional user of marijuana. I find it helps me relax and sleep better after using stimulants at a party, but I don't smoke often enough to have rebound insomnia.

I've never used sleeping pills, but I've read that the same effect occurs with them as well. They make you sleep, but the rebound insomnia is always worse than the original insomnia. Regular use of any substance for sleep is probably a bad idea.

 

[boo-radley]

overall i would say it is good for sleep. i've been smoking everyday for many years now. trying to switch to vaping and edibles only because that hot smoke has many of the same carcinogens as cigarettes. it may not be that bad for you, but it is in no way good for you. i notice since being an everyday user i get sick much easier like colds and such. it's like my immune system isnt what it used to be. everytime i go to the doctors tho my physical health comes back near flawless. weed helps me sleep much better most of the time at night. indica or sativa for me it doesnt matter, they both work. personally i like sativas because they seem stronger but not as sedating so i can work or do other things better under the influence. they both help me sleep tho. especially in short term use. on the negative side though longer term use it will not work nearly as good as if you were to just do it once in a while. i do still occasionally have nights of insomnia where i can smoke either indica or sativa until my throat is sore and i wont sleep. i also notice i get insomnia worse when i stop smoking. it's much harder to sleep for a few days for me after i quit. i also get appetite loss. it is physically addictive for some people but more at a minor level. not nearly like heroin or some of those pills out there. a friend of mine just started using medically for sleep and says he sleep much better since using. safer alternative to alcohol. pills work a lot better for me but they're also a lot more dangerous in the long run.
yes it does reduce REM sleep. but if your body is lacking REM sleep bad enough, it will automatically go into REM after being deprived for so long. THC has a long half life. people who use long term may begin to feel more fatigue or run down upon waking up. i notice it seems like my thinking is more clear when i stop using for about a week or so. otherwise i use all night. where i am you can legally grow your own for medical use with proper documentation.

a friend of mine 'self medicates' his insomnia with alcohol every night. he couldnt be more of a toolshed. he has become so delusional he believes his own bullshit. he lost half his weight yet thinks he's in shape and doesnt work out. he looks like a starving jew. thinks he's good looking but most days he looks like a bum. he always smells like alcohol and occasional like BO like he lost interest in showering due to laziness. has about 3 pairs of pants and 3 shirts he wears many days in a row and they all except 1 look like shit. im not one to normally judge on those issues but used clothing stores have items that look great for dirt cheap. they can spend all their money on booze, weed, cigs, and video games but cant spend about $20 to replace their entire wardrobe. says he cant stay at his parents because they nag on him but it's for his own good. he started taking OTC sleeping pills and says they work but has to drink with them LOL. people tell him of his issues and he just says yeah i know bud like it's in 1 ear out the other. all this being said, yeah hes retarded, probably literally, but one of those friends that you feel sorry for. i compare him to other alcoholics i know and see many similarities. i look at all my friends that smoke weed everyday and none of them are like that. in fact most are normal people that work 9-5 jobs. i would say the weed should not give you many problems. if you don't like it you can always just quit. one nice thing is if you only smoke once in a while you get so much more high. dont smoke at all and do large doses of edibles say once or twice a month and you will feel like you're tripping followed by severe sedation. dont drive or do anything dangerous and you're safe.

I used to smoke weed almost daily before bed to help me sleep. It worked really well, but the rebound insomnia was horrible! Stopping after a period of daily use, I could sometimes be too exhausted to even move yet still be awake all night long. I've always had some trouble sleeping, but my insomnia was at its worst during my heavy marijuana use period on the night I didn't smoke up. I'm now a very occasional user of marijuana. I find it helps me relax and sleep better after using stimulants at a party, but I don't smoke often enough to have rebound insomnia.

I've never used sleeping pills, but I've read that the same effect occurs with them as well. They make you sleep, but the rebound insomnia is always worse than the original insomnia. Regular use of any substance for sleep is probably a bad idea.

as far as myself, i couldnt agree more. i've used pills too(xanax and other benzos) and yes, rebound insomnia is much worse. there is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem.

 

[custard]

thankyou for the info everyone. sorry to not respond sooner - times have been stressful due to insomnia/chronic pain