Sleep is something that the human body needs in order to be able to function at maximum capacity. Without sleep, you are going to feel tired, moody, irritable, and it can also have some adverse impacts on your health. Solely, if you are struggling to sleep, then it’s time that you started to do something about it. There are a number of different sleep aids that you can choose from, but in this article, we’re going to be focusing on melatonin and cannabis. We are going to look at whether one is better than the other for sleep, and how effective they are as sleep aids. Keep reading if you want to find out more.
Cannabis To Aid Sleep
Cannabis is used in multiple ways for a multitude of reasons, one of which is as a sleep aid. There is a range of types of cannabis, and where some are more energizing, others are known for having a more calming effect on the body. If you use a strain that has calming properties, then it is more likely to help you fall asleep. There are two different cannabinoids found in cannabis, one of which is CBD, and one is THC. CBD is non-psychoactive and has a range of health benefits, where THC is psychoactive and is what is responsible for the high feeling experienced. THC is also known for inducing sleep, which is why you’re going to want a strain that contains more THC than CBD if falling asleep is your goal, which has been backed up by a clinical trial.
As such, cannabis could be helpful when it comes to falling asleep. It depends on what kind of strain you get, and even then, there is no guarantee that it will help you to fall asleep when you need to. Not everyone has the same experience with cannabis, so you need to keep this in mind when you are looking at it as a potential sleep aid.
Are There Problems Using Cannabis?
The use of cannabis is still illegal in a few states, so make sure you check the rules and regulations in your area first. As well as this, smoking in any form is known as a health risk, so it’s highly recommended that you think carefully before you decide to try this out. However, there are alternatives to smoking cannabis such as edibles, so this problem can be avoided quite easily.
If you are under the age of 25, it is not recommended that you use cannabis in any form because of the impacts it can have on your brain. For example, if you are continuously using this product, then there have been some long-term side effects due to the change in the gray matter of the brain. There is a higher risk of permanent damage in teenagers, which is why you should look into alternatives if you are under 25.
It’s also important to note that THC is known to reduce REM (rapid eye movement), which means that you probably won’t experience any dreams and you will probably still feel sleepy the next day.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is the naturally occurring hormone in your body that is responsible for controlling your sleeping pattern. It is usually used to treat short term sleeping problems such as insomnia for people who are over the age of 55. Even though this is the case, sometimes it is used to sleep problems in children and help to sort out a more consistent sleeping pattern. Most patients will take melatonin for between one and four weeks as it is not meant to be a long-term solution to the issue. Taking this hormone means that you are more likely to get to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night, which is why it is offered to some people as a supplement even though it is a naturally occurring hormone.
Melatonin To Aid Sleep
When you take a melatonin supplement, it copies the effects of the natural hormone, making sleep easier to achieve for some people. One of the best things about taking melatonin is that unlike many other medicines that are prescribed for sleeping problems, you are unlikely to become dependent on it, making it safe for use. Another benefit of this is that it is unlikely for you to experience a diminished response to melatonin after taking an extra dose to what is produced in your body.
Melatonin can help sleep cycles for certain conditions and for certain patients, but it is observed by Dr. Breus that it is not a very effective treatment for something like insomnia. Delayed sleep phase seems to be what melatonin is most effective at treating things like jet lag and insomnia.
However, there are also some potential side effects of melatonin that you need to be aware of. These include nausea, drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, and a couple of other less common ones such as short feelings of depression, confusion, and low blood pressure. If you experience something that is less common, you should speak to your doctor sooner rather than later.
Cannabis Or Melatonin?
In the end, though, it seems that it comes down to personal preference. While there are benefits to both, melatonin helps with actually falling asleep, but cannabis may do this with lasting effects. Melatonin isn’t going to leave you feeling fatigued in the morning, which is a definite bonus, whereas you might end up with what’s known as a ‘cannabis hangover’ when using cannabis. It depends on what kind of sleep you want to experience, and this will determine which product is best for you. If you simply want to fall asleep, all the evidence says that both of these sleep aids will do just that for you. But, remember that there is nothing definitive in this and people react differently to everything, so while these things may be able to help, it’s difficult to know for sure.
Looking for a natural sleep aid? Review our menu to find the best option for you, and consider our 24-hour cannabis delivery service and curbside pickup options.
