Can Medical Marijuana Help Sleep Disorders
Statistics reveal that numerous sleep disorders affect residents in the United States and across the globe. The American Sleep Association(ASA) shows more than 100 distinct sleep disorders affecting approximately 50 - 70 million residents in America. These sleep disorders come in various forms, where some can involve movements like restless legs, sleepwalking, teeth grinding, etc.
Furthermore, when having sleeping disorders, you may have difficulties falling asleep, waking up, or staying asleep for longer. Some individuals with sleep disorders may also have various paralysis, mainly upon falling asleep or waking up from sleep. Most times, the paralysis may come with hallucinations.
Sleep disorders come in various forms and cause a wide range of symptoms. With the numerous sleep disorders and related symptoms, experts find it hard to classify marijuana as a potential treatment or general therapy for the disorders. Despite not being a general treatment alternative to alleviate sleeping disorders, marijuana may be vital in helping alleviate certain sleep disorders. In addition, marijuana can provide relief to specific symptoms resulting from these disorders.
Some medical experts prescribe medical marijuana to help patients alleviate or treat various sleep disorders and related symptoms. While there are limited studies or research on the use of medical cannabis to alleviate other health issues or symptoms, there is substantial evidence to prove the effectiveness of medical marijuana in helping patients with sleep disorders.
Medical Cannabis Use and Sleep Disorder Symptoms
With the disturbing nature of sleep disorders and the related symptoms, it'll be vital to seek appropriate treatment alternatives. Despite the numerous treatment alternatives available to alleviate sleep disorders, medical marijuana is the best and most effective. The best way to effectively treat sleep disorders using medical marijuana is to understand the different symptoms.
After understanding these symptoms or disorders, it'll be wise to isolate and get the symptoms that the medical marijuana pot can treat or alleviate. Remember, each sleep disorder is unique, with different causal agents, ways of manifestation, and underlying causes (if they've got underlying causes). With these differences, it'll be wise to separate the symptoms to choose the one that medical marijuana can alleviate.
Studies show that you can use medical cannabis for sleep disorders to help you manage stress-related issues or symptoms. The Canadian Forces Health Services Operational Trauma and Stress Support Center (Ottawa) conducted a certain outpatient study on the association between sleep disorders and medical marijuana treatment.
The findings indicated that medical marijuana was effective in alleviating stress-related sleep disorders, especially nightmares, in patients with post-traumatic Stress Disorder. More so, the findings suggested that medical cannabis can help treat or alleviate stress-related sleep disorders. Nevertheless, there is a need for more research on the matter to prove the safety and effectiveness of using medical marijuana for these disorders.
Besides using medical marijuana to alleviate sleep disorders, this herb can be essential to provide mental health symptoms relief. The herb can help you treat a wide range of mental health symptoms, especially the ones causing nightmares and interfering with the quality of your sleep. Most patients have reported positive results for using medical cannabis for various mental health issues that can lead to bad dreams and affect or lower your quality of sleep. These disorders include PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues or disorders affecting sleep quality.
Many patients are switching from prescription anxiety medication to natural and safe options, such as marijuana. Studies show that patients may experience reduced levels of anxiety after replacing anxiety medications (that result in nightmares) with a safe and effective medical cannabis treatment. Besides being effective in alleviating anxiety without causing nightmares, this treatment alternative doesn't cause any adverse effects.
Sleep Disorders and Marijuana: Going Back to Sleep
Individuals have been using medical marijuana to treat insomnia for many years. Since the 19th century, medical marijuana has been an effective alternative to treating insomnia and other sleep disorders. Several reports show that the use of marijuana to treat insomnia dates back a long time in ancient days.
Despite the numerous therapeutic benefits of marijuana, medical cannabis use isn't popular among the medical community. The federal government's prohibition and controversies surrounding medical marijuana use have curtailed the spread and use of medical marijuana. Research shows that sleepiness is one of the major side effects of using marijuana.
The sleepiness effects of medical marijuana support the idea that using this herb can help individuals with severe insomnia to have quality sleep or get back to sleep after waking up in the middle of their sleep. The effectiveness of marijuana in making users sleep or get back to sleep has been evident in numerous studies or research.
In a certain study, patients who took medical cannabis products to alleviate their sleeping disorders, including insomnia, agreed that the therapy worked. While sedatives can work to alleviate these issues, they have numerous side effects. These adverse effects range from making you feel groggy all day to causing addiction. Many patients taking medical marijuana to alleviate the condition reports that the herb works better than sedatives to treat the disorder and make them feel better for a long time.
The federal government still regards marijuana products as illegal and prohibited substances. The illegal nature of marijuana at the federal level makes it challenging for researchers to perform clinical and medical trials on medical cannabis use. Thus, it's rare to find a clinical study or trial for marijuana use to alleviate non-lethal conditions like sleep apnea. The limited research and evidence show that cannabis doesn't offer a direct effect on an individual's sleep apnea. Nevertheless, using marijuana can help you improve your sleep quality while trying to solve or treat other disturbing symptoms.
Cannabis and Narcolepsy Sleep Disorders
With the federal government restrictions, there is limited treatment research on medical marijuana for restless leg syndrome, somnambulism (sleepwalking), and narcolepsy. The limited research means there is no evidence to show that using marijuana can help alleviate these conditions or related symptoms. Remember, the effects of using marijuana don't last more than eight hours, which is the average time an individual should spend relaxing or sleeping.
Unless you take your medical marijuana as a slow-release capsule or pill, the effects are less likely to help you alleviate these symptoms during the night. Despite the changes marijuana compounds make in your body, it'll be hard for medical marijuana effects to help you out. Thus, using self-medicated cannabis to alleviate these conditions or symptoms might be futile.
Experts reveal that the best way to get great and long-lasting effects when using marijuana to alleviate these symptoms is taking them under the close supervision of a qualified medical marijuana professional. Besides checking the safety, the physician will help you gauge the treatment's efficacy.
Medical Cannabis Use and Sleep Disorder Research
Studies show marijuana is one of the most ancient and popular therapies for sleep disorders. With marijuana being one of the ancient medications, there is enough evidence of its therapeutic benefits many years before the federal government started prohibiting marijuana use in the country. Some medical marijuana use studies and research findings show that individuals have used this herb to treat pain for a long time. Besides treating pain, these users have reported having a quality sleep while using medical marijuana to alleviate pain.
Thus, using marijuana might help to alleviate sleep disorders indirectly by treating underlying causes like illness, chronic pain, etc. Taking cannabis might help improve your sleep quality when it provides promising results on the underlying symptom or condition. In a particular clinical study, it's evident that THC in cannabis helps to improve your sleep quality. Besides THC helping patients to sleep for a long time, the studies back it to reduce the duration the patient may take to fall asleep. This property makes it essential for promoting relaxation or deep sleep.
Besides THC, marijuana has other cannabinoids that help improve sleep quality. Alongside THC, CBD is the other popular and most studied cannabinoid that has sleep benefits. CBD has various properties that enhance alertness rather than making you sleepy. These properties are vital in managing drowsiness the lack of sleep may cause during the day or when having a particular activity. While some research suggests that CBD can help you fall asleep, the cannabinoid is best suiting for keeping you awake for a long time.
A Different View of Cannabis on Sleep Disorders
Despite the benefits of marijuana in alleviating sleep disorders, some experts warn patients to be cautious when medicating this alternative. In certain studies, the researchers found that both THC and CBD inhabited REM sleep. REM sleep is one of the common forms of quality and deep sleep. Like other marijuana studies, this study doesn't have enough information and evidence to justify or confirm this effect.
Experts advise that the research or study you conduct before trying the products is essential when opting for medical marijuana. It'll be wise to research and check all the critical details and information on the symptoms or conditions you want to alleviate before pursuing the specific type of medical cannabis treatment. These studies offer the best bet to get the appropriate treatment for your conditions or treatment. You also consider checking articles and websites reviewing medical marijuana's effects from different viewpoints.
When you doubt whether the research is conclusive or includes all important areas, it'll be good to seek advice from a reliable marijuana dispensary staff or marijuana-informed physician. Choosing the people you trust and who are knowledgeable is a crucial step in your marijuana medication journey.
Best Medical Cannabis Strains for Sleeping Disorders
Medical marijuana varieties usually vary based on your needs or preferences. Depending on your preferred strains, consuming marijuana produces different feelings and effects.
We've got three main types of marijuana strains, Sativa, Indica, and hybrids. While Indica strains help to promote calmness and sleepiness, Sativa offers more energy and alertness. The effects of hybrid marijuana strains may vary with the cross-breeding of various strains.
Additionally, each marijuana strain has its advantages and drawbacks for the user. A physician will offer you a wide range of marijuana strains alternatives when recommending the appropriate treatment to suit your needs. Your physician may not endorse hybrid, Indica, or Sativa strains, as they may not reflect the complexity and needs of your condition.
Below are some of the medical marijuana strains that can help you promote sleepiness;
● G-13 Haze (hybrid)
● One to One (hybrid)
● Crimea Blue (hybrid)
● Atomic Northern Lights (hybrid)
Let's look at the top strains to help you counteract fatigue and sleep disorders during the day.
● Strawberry Cough (Sativa)
● Dr Grinspoon (Sativa)
● Bruce Banner (hybrid)
● Green Crack ( Sativa)
● Blue Dream (hybrid
Despite anxiety and stress not being direct symptoms or causes of many sleep disorders, they're some of the contributing factors. You can consider the below strains to help you alleviate them:
● OG Kush (hybrid)
● Blue Dream (hybrid)
● Bruce Banner (hybrid)
● Girl Scout Cookies (hybrid)
● Atomic Northern Lights (hybrid)
● One to One (hybrid)
● Crimea Blue (hybrid)
● G-13 Haze (hybrid)
● Strawberry Cough (Sativa)
● Jamaican Lion (Sativa)
● Super Sour Diesel (Sativa)
● Dr Grinspoon (Sativa)
● Harlequin (Sativa)
Besides helping with depression, studies reveal that most of the above strains also alleviate chronic pain. Chronic pain is a factor or condition that usually interferes with your sleeping pattern or relaxation.
You shouldn't worry if you don't see these strains at the local medical marijuana dispensary. Talk to the budtender to help you make an informed choice or decision on the appropriate alternative to help treat your issue or condition.
When choosing the appropriate choice, it's good to understand that strains having a high THC than CBD levels are effective in enhancing sleep, while high-CBD marijuana strains promote alertness and keep you awake. Importantly, you can get most of this information, including the products' chemical content, from most dispensaries. This information helps you choose the appropriate strains to suit your conditions.
Furthermore, every dispensary has knowledgeable budtenders to guide you through the entire shopping experience. You can explain your desired outcome to them to help you get the right and safe medication for your needs.
What are the Best Medical Marijuana Methods to Treat Sleep Disorders?
The common method most individuals consider for consuming marijuana is smoking via a pipe or blunt. Besides smoking, we’ve got numerous alternative ways to consume marijuana and get greater or unique results. Like choosing the appropriate strain, your consumption method will influence the medication's effectiveness and safety. Below are the main consumption methods you can consider;
Smoking and vaping
Most individuals vape or smoke marijuana to get quick effects and benefits. Nevertheless, these benefits or effects don't last for long. You can choose these methods when you’re having problems staying awake at dawn or issues falling asleep. Experts recommend that you vape the weed to avoid the dangerous effects and toxins of smoking.
Dabbing
Dabbing marijuana enhances a stronger medication option. Studies show that it's the most advanced method of consuming marijuana. Thus, it'll be vital to be very careful when using this marijuana consumption method.
Eating cannabis-infused edible
Eating marijuana edibles causes long-term effects, which may take time to start. Edibles could be the best options when looking for the right marijuana to keep you awake or asleep. Nevertheless, no marijuana product produces effects for more than eight hours, making it hard to depend on edibles to keep you asleep all night.
Tincture and topicals
Topicals involve applying the medication (patches, lotions, etc.) to the affected area. You can also place the tinctures sublingually to enhance faster and more rapid absorption.
Remember, the right marijuana consumption method will vary with your specific needs. The different manifestations of the disorders and your preferences will determine the right consumption method. Consulting experts and trying different consumption methods will help you choose the best one for your needs.
Side Effects of Using Medical Marijuana for Sleep Disorders
Despite some individuals using medical cannabis to supplement prescription medication to alleviate these adverse effects, marijuana can also have some side effects. When taking your first dose, it'll be wise to monitor the effects and report to your physician any developments. The common side effects of using medical marijuana include the following:
● Hunger - marijuana use could lead to good old munchies. If the medications make you hungry, it'll be good to eat healthy meals and snacks.
● Short-term memory loss - increased forgetfulness is common in some patients after taking marijuana. You can counter this side effect by changing the time you consume marijuana to prevent it from happening during the day. Managing your memory issue problem by writing down important things will be a better alternative if the first solution doesn't work.
● Drowsiness - while drowsiness is a good thing to make you fall asleep, but too much drowsiness might be unhealthy. You can consult your physician about the appropriate dosages and time of consumption if you feel tired more frequently during the day.
● Thirst & dry mouth - you can consider drinking water or a sugar-free drink to counteract this side effect. Alternatively, chew xylitol-infused gum to stimulate the salivary glands.
● Insomnia - this condition can be quite disturbing if you're seeking help to fall asleep. Talk to your physician to help you choose a different strain or lower dose.
● Red eyes - red eyes are one of the side effects of using marijuana that may cause a lot of stigma in society. Consider over-the-counter eye drops to clear the eyes.
● Respiratory complications - inhaling marijuana smoke leads to various respiratory issues. Switch to your prescription medication in case of these issues.
● Giddiness - the patient's happiness is the goal of each physician. However, you may find it hard to do your routine activities or work when having the goofy marijuana feeling. You can change your dosage time to prevent the goofy feeling from affecting your schedule.
● Anxiety or uneasiness - despite marijuana having anti-anxiety, it can also trigger uneasiness or anxiety. You can talk to your physician and have a new medication strategy or dosage.
The Process of Starting Medical Marijuana Use
It'll be wise to start the process by understanding if your state allows medical marijuana use. You can check your area on the list of States with legal medical marijuana programs and allowing the use of this herb for medical purposes. With the dynamic and constant changes in the marijuana field, it'll be good to keep checking for updates to check the new developments in your state.
Before visiting your physician or applying for a medical marijuana card, it'll be wise to have comprehensive research on this treatment alternative. You can check our page or website to find a wide range of useful and updated medical marijuana resources. Besides learning about the drug, you can also check for more details on current events, legal issues, related conditions, and the application process. Despite each state having unique medical marijuana laws, most jurisdictions with legal medical marijuana use have the same legal state procedures.
You'll have to book a date with a state-approved MMJ physician to evaluate and confirm your eligibility. Some states require you to choose a specially trained and licensed medical marijuana doctor, while others allow you to get an appointment with any qualified physician. This physician will assess your condition and provide a recommendation, which you can use to sign with the state MMJ program and start purchasing or accessing your preferred medical marijuana products.
While most states require registering with a specific registry, others( especially those allowing recreational marijuana use) don't have the state registry. Studies show that these states with no registration offer their patients voluntary registration to help them enjoy tax reductions.
After your physician approves your paperwork, you can purchase your preferred products from a nearby medical marijuana dispensary. These dispensaries have knowledgeable staff to advise you on the appropriate strain. Regardless of the MMJ program rules, getting a good physician and dispensary for your needs will be good.
Get relief from your disturbing sleep disorder today using medical marijuana. HappyMD can help you get the right medication and enjoy relief or a night free from disturbances. This telehealth platform has a wide network of state-approved physicians to help you get a recommendation and medical marijuana card online. Getting the card allows you access to the best marijuana strains and dosages to alleviate sleep disorders and other debilitating health conditions.
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