Cannabis and dreams

[Foreigner]

Just a heads up that I already did a bluelight search for similar threads, and although there are others talking about quitting cannabis and the dreams that follow, none really address the mechanism.

I did a google search and was not really able to find much either, aside from some vague suggestions that it's a result of the dopamine system remodulating in the absence of cannabinoids.

Anyone with advanced drug knowledge here who has read up on why dreams become so vivid following the cesssation of cannabis use? I have these dreams even just a few days after my last toke. They aren't unpleasant dreams, they're just extremely vivid and alternate-reality like!

 

[endotropic]

I can't offer anything scientific but I can share my experience. If I've been smoking I don't dream, period. 2-3 after my last smoke I start dreaming like normal again. So I guess I have a similar question for someone more knowledgeable, why are dreams suppressed so strongly by cannabis use?

 

[Epsilon Alpha]

It has a lot to do with acetlycholine levels, acutely cannabis increases acetylcholine levels but chronically it reduces it's synthesis and possibly release. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonism has been associated with vivid dreams due to its effect on sleep structure.

There are probably more processes at work, but that's the main one I know of.

 

[fleea]

Almost feels like your catching up on the dreams you haven't been having.
What are dreams for?
I call those vivid no weed dreams the creeps, worth taking a break for just to have them

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I am in the process of cutting down/quitting cannabis and have had vivid dreams; I can;t quite remember them but they did have a very in-your-face, strange quality, an awareness that had qualities of nicotine intoxication in my experience.

chronically it reduces it's synthesis and possibly release.

Off topic but this also justifies the cognitive fog surrounding many stoners.

 

[Tussmann]

Weed's got some bad cites for REM and SW sleep, he studies are old, but they're there.

 

[sekio]

Off the top of my head:
THC induces melatonin release (and I think it also causes long term downregulation of MT production... not sure)
THC increases the amount of 'deep' slow-wave sleep
As EA said, THC alters the synthesis of ACh, which is linked to dreaming

I want to say CBD's activity as a 5-ht1 agonist probably plays a role too but I would be talking out my ass.