Sleep deprivation impacts our health in many ways: not only does our body have less time to repair itself, missed sleep wreaks havoc on our mood, throws off our metabolism and immune performance, and it’s the leading cause of reduced overall cognitive function. Good sleep is so important that people are willing to try all kinds of things to get it, including cannabis. With lots of different types of products available on the market, one thing consumers want to know is: can edibles help with sleep?

Stress creates most sleep disturbances

Almost a third of Canadian adults don’t get enough shuteye, leaving them feeling less than refreshed each morning. The pace of life never seems to slow down and the stress we create for ourselves during our quest for productivity can have a profound effect on our sleep cycles, and far-reaching consequences if it’s not mitigated.

Stress is usually one of the major reasons behind inconsistent sleep patterns, and stress levels and poor sleep create a chicken-egg effect, each of them exacerbating the other’s poor outcomes. They both impact our overall mental health, our ability to perform well at work or school, and our management of a healthy immune system.  When one of them is thrown out of balance, the other is usually not far behind. 

We’ve known for a long time that cannabis helps consumers relax their mind and body. With clinical research finally catching up to consumer experience, we are finding that certain combinations of CBD, THC, and CBN, as well as select terpenes, can aid in reducing stress and promoting feelings of relaxation and well-being. By encouraging stress relief, these cannabis compounds support a healthy and fulfilling sleep cycle. 

The endocannabinoid system (ECS)

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a system of receptors in the body that is responsible for helping us maintain homeostasis. Different compounds interact with these receptors to keep our body in balance.  Endogenous cannabinoids (made by our own body) such as Anandamide and phytocannabinoids (made by the cannabis plant) such as CBD both work on the ECS to keep our body functioning properly. 

The ECS regulates a broad array of functions in our body including memory, cognitive function, immune and metabolism functions, and the sleep-wake cycle, which is why cannabis is so effective in helping us deal with sleep disturbances.

Key cannabis compounds & how they can help you sleep better

CBD

CBD is a non-intoxicating component of cannabis, which means you won’t get “high” from consuming it. While studies on cannabis are still limited, CBD has been the most widely studied for medicinal purposes, and for its link helping with sleep regulation. While we’re still discovering more each day, researchers have concluded that CBD possesses many potential therapeutic benefits. Some of CBD’s major sleep-related properties are:

• Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory  Antioxidative means that CBD reduces the number of “Free radicals” in the body.  Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells, causing illness, disease, and aging. By reducing inflammation, the negative effects of inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are reduced as well.
• Anxiolytic CBD helps to reduce anxiety, one of the leading causes of stress and sleeplessness.
• Anti-hyperalgesic CBD helps reduce both chronic and acute pain in the body, which can help you both get more shut eye and better enjoy the sleep you do get.

CBD interacts with the receptors in your central nervous system in a unique way that increases its calming effects, dissolving feelings of anxiety and fear, which is especially helpful for soothing your racing mind at night. Consuming CBD in the form of an edible can help you stay asleep longer because it takes longer than smoke or vapor for your body to process it, leading to lasting effects.

Research has also shown that CBD can help to regulate your circadian rhythm and promote deeper sleep when taken in high enough doses. Over time, this can increase total sleep time and decrease the number of times you wake up during the night. But it’s important to know that at small and medium doses, CBD actually has mildly stimulating effects!  Proper dosing is important if you’re looking to activate CBD’s sleep-inducing potential, so be sure to look for something with a higher CBD content. 

THC

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the major psychoactive compound in cannabis, and it can definitely help with sleep when properly dosed. Studies on consumers with PTSD have shown that consuming THC edibles before bed helps reduce the likelihood of nightmares and bad dreams by reducing the length and intensity of REM sleep. And for consumers who are just looking for a full night’s sleep, edibles can help you stay asleep longer, since the effects can last for 8 to 12 hours. 

If your trouble isn’t with staying asleep, but with falling asleep, you might want to consider using more than just THC. On its own, THC is sedative once the high has worn off, but it’s not always the best way to help regulate an inconsistent sleep cycle. Consuming THC before bed will probably help you fall asleep, but it won’t necessarily help you deal with the root of your insomnia, and it might not help you stay asleep long term either. Not to mention that consuming THC-only edibles long-term will increase your tolerance to THC, forcing you to consume higher amounts to achieve the same effects.

Instead, you want to find a formulation that mimics the cannabinoid ratios found in the actual plant by combining THC with CBD. Cannabinoids are synergistic, so consuming them together will generally be more therapeutic than consuming a single cannabinoid alone. Everyone is different, but most people find that a combination of THC and CBD, and sometimes other cannabinoids like CBN or CBG, best capture the benefits of the entourage effect and are most effective for helping them fall and stay asleep

Terpenes

In addition to sleep-promoting cannabinoids, cannabis also produces aromatic molecules called terpenes. Terpenes are the primary components of essential oils, and they’re what makes everything from orange peels and pine trees to juniper berries and cannabis smell the way they do. And because they create a plant’s fragrance, terpenes also evoke emotions in us when we smell them. Think of the way smelling lavender oil helps you feel relaxed and calm, and you have an idea of the way the terpene “linalool” (which is found abundantly in lavender) works in the human body. 

In the same way that linalool helps us feel sleepy, certain terpenes in the cannabis plant promote calm and relaxation. Myrcene, the most predominant terpene found in cannabis, has a musky and earthy aroma, and can also be found in mangoes, basil, and hops. In large quantities, it encourages sedation and possesses anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties, both of which can help with falling asleep. Linalool is generally considered to be the most sedating terpene found in the cannabis plant, while beta-caryophyllene, beta-pinene, and terpinolene are other sedative terpenes common to cannabis. 

Some cannabis edibles, like gummies, are infused with effect-specific terpene blends. Other edible products, like cannabis oil, are infused with a variety of cannabinoid ratios and terpene profiles, each designed to elicit a specific outcome from the consumer. Because our bodies are unique, our experiences with terpenes will be too. Experiment with different dosages, blends, and ratios to find what works best for you.

So, can edibles help with sleep?

The answer is absolutely yes! Especially when they’re infused with a cannabinoid and terpene ratio that works for you.

Dosage, timing of eating, cannabinoid ratio, terpene profile, and method of consumption all need to be considered in order to figure out the optimal method.  To figure out what works best for you, experiment with different THC and CBD ratios, or try a different cannabinoid like CBN or CBG. Try out different terpenes in your edibles, or try a different consumption method, like an oil or beverage instead of a gummy. Experiment with taking it at different times–maybe an hour before bed, or right as you tuck in for the night. All of these factors can create different outcomes, and experimenting with different types of edibles will help you figure out what works best for you. Happy z’s!