MARIJUANA AND SLEEP
Nowadays, cannabis and medical marijuana are a hot topic worldwide, with an increasing trend of legislation to approve it as a form of therapy to a range of ailments. But is there a role of cannabis marijuana in sleep? Existing research seems to indicate higher risk of sleep disturbances in marijuana users both during and after cessation of use.
In a study conducted by Boston University, researchers Deirdre et al observed that daily marijuana users scored higher on the Insomnia Severity Index and on sleep-disturbance measures than those who did not use marijuana daily.
Similar investigations have observed a positive relationship between marijuana use and rates of anxiety and insomnia.
Marijuana use is seen to reduce duration and frequency of REM sleep, corresponding with a correlation in reduced recollection of dreaming by users.
In a study done by Bolla et al. recently abstinent but formerly heavy marijuana users showed differences in polysomnographic (PSG) measures compared with a drug-free control group; lower total sleep times, and less slow wave sleep than the control group, as well as worse sleep efficiency, longer sleep onset and shorter REM latency, respectively.
References
- Boston University. (2016, October 17). Does weed help you sleep? Probably not.ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 14, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161017155004.htm
- Bolla, K. I., Lesage, S. R., Gamaldo, C. E., Neubauer, D. N., Funderburk, F. R., Cadet, J. L., … & Benbrook, A. R. (2008). Sleep disturbance in heavy marijuana users.SLEEP-NEW YORK THEN WESTCHESTER-, 31(6), 901.
