Did you know that approximately 70 million Americans suffer from insomnia? It is a serious health problem and one that relates to productivity and overall quality of life.
Since each person is unique, treating insomnia is difficult. Medications can work, but many of them come with side effects, like drowsiness the following day.
For this reason, increasingly, insomnia sufferers are turning to medical marijuana as a sleep aid. Most people know that marijuana makes you sleepy. Whether it can improve your sleep is another question altogether.
The information below will tell you everything you need to know about using medical marijuana for sleeping. Keep reading to find out if it is something that could help you.
If you are in a state that requires a medical card don’t worry. Just head over to Arizona medical card online to see how easy getting your card is.
History of Medical Marijuana
Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for millennia. The first known mention is from 2800 BCE, when the plant is listed in a Chinese emperor’s medical treatment regimen. It is also prevalent in texts of ancient Hindus, Assyrians, Romans, and Greeks.
For most of America’s history, marijuana has been illegal to possess or consume in any amount. That began to change in 1996 when California legalized medical marijuana. Today, all but a handful of states allow medical marijuana, and at least 18 have legalized it for recreational purposes.
Today, cannabis is used to treat everything from asthma and arthritis to inflammation, depression, and lack of appetite. You can even order it online from retailers like this one here.
Medical Marijuana for Sleep
There is promising evidence to consider cannabis as a sleep aid. A recent study showed that about 84 percent of respondents felt that medical marijuana for sleeping was “very” or “extremely” helpful.
But such information is inconclusive, given that people’s perceptions about a medicine’s helpfulness may not capture every aspect of its effects. For instance, we know that alcohol can help people fall asleep but that it also adversely affects their quality of sleep.
This gets at one of the major challenges. Cannabis scientific research has been limited due to federal laws and its illegality in many states.
One negative consequence we do know is that you can build up a tolerance to cannabis. So, it may not be a good long-term solution to sleep issues, especially if you’re someone who needs it every night.
Another thing to keep in mind regarding medical marijuana for sleep is that there are many different types of cannabis. Each produces distinct responses and side effects. The best thing to do is to consult your physician to determine what strain and strength is best for you.
Learn More About the Benefits of Medical Marijuana for Sleep
Now that you have an idea of how people use medical marijuana for sleep, you can decide if it’s worth a try. The good news is that medical professionals can prescribe a strain that is specific to your unique sleep challenges so that you can reap all the benefits while avoiding many of the drawbacks of cannabis use.
We hope you found this information on medical marijuana helpful. If so, be sure to take a look at some of our other health and beauty posts, as well as those on home improvement, gardening, money management, pets, and many others.
