Cannabinoids are used to treat many conditions. For instance, you can use cannabis to treat insomnia and anxiety. Both THC and CBD are useful in the treatment of anxiety and insomnia as well as many other conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia as it is very effective as a pain reliever.

Insomnia causes distress and fatigue. Many people rely on substances that cause addiction and that can lead to overdoses. Therefore, more and more people are using cannabis as an alternative to substances that have potential negative impacts on our health. For example, opioids could be dangerous as patients need to increase doses over time to feel the effects of the drug. Consequently, many people have overdosed after using opioids. In the US, 2018 data shows that every day, 128 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. This is certainly a problem as many people used opioids to treat insomnia and other conditions (including anxiety).

Cannabis and its cannabinoids could be an alternative to opioids as it is highly tolerable, and no one has died of a cannabis overdose. Many patients can instead use cannabis to treat insomnia and avoid opioids that lead to addiction and potential overdoses.

What is Insomnia?

Even back in the XIX, cannabis was prescribed to treat many illnesses and conditions. It was use therapeutically to treat cases of insomnia, nervous exhaustion and as a sedative for people suffering from pain. You can use cannabis to treat insomnia as cannabis helps to relax and to sleep.

There are many conditions that cause insomnia. According to Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of insomnia are:

  • Difficulty falling asleep at night.
  • Waking up during the night.
  • Waking up too early.
  • Not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep.
  • Daytime tiredness or sleepiness.
  • Irritability, depression or anxiety.
  • Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks, or remembering.
  • Increased errors or accidents.
  • Ongoing worries about sleep.

Usually, insomnia is caused by stress, travel and work schedules, irregular bedtime schedules or even eating too much late in the evening.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder which means that you will have problems falling or staying asleep.

According to Webmd, we can classify insomnia in two categories: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia means that the sleep disorder is not linked to any other underlying condition. On the other hand, secondary insomnia means the insomnia is caused by other conditions such as pain, medication, cancer, asthma, and many other health conditions.

Insomnia can cause other risk factors such as sleepiness, fatigue and problems with concentration and memory.

There are other factors such as ageing, lack of physical activity and certain medications that can also cause insomnia.

Many people are currently using cannabis to treat insomnia as it helps to reduce anxiety and pain. Both anxiety and pain are two conditions that cause insomnia.

How can Cannabis Help to treat it?

Cannabis helps to relieve both pain and anxiety. In addition, both THC and CBD are useful in the treatment of pain and anxiety. However, their effects and efficacy vary depending on your conditions. For example, THC is useful to treat anxiety, but you need to control the doses as THC is psychoactive. In other words, high doses of THC can cause the opposite effect, i.e., more anxiety. On the other hand, CBD is not psychoactive, and it has been effective in the treatment of both pain and anxiety.

If you are looking for sedating effects, then THC-rich strains are more suitable for you. THC is sedative and it causes sleepiness. Moreover, the psychoactive effects of THC mean your brain consumes more glucose than normal. Nonetheless, you need to control the THC dose. For instance, a low THC dose will help you fall asleep, while higher doses can make you feel more nervous and anxious. In other words, you can use low THC cannabis to treat insomnia.

What about CBD? Is it Useful to treat Insomnia?

Yes, CBD is a cannabinoid that will help you deal with both anxiety and pain. Although its effects are not as obvious as THC ones, CBD is great in the treatment of many conditions, included both pain and anxiety. CBD will not cause you paranoia or anxiety in high doses.

Some patients prefer a combination of both THC and CBD strains as it will not cause a strong high. CBD-dominant strains can help you sleep by relieving pain, anxiety, stress, and other symptoms associated with insomnia.

While strains containing THC-rich strains are preferred for sleep, it might also cause anxiety in some people. In short, if that is your case, you can try CBD-rich strains or strains with a higher CBD:THC ratio.

Cannabis to Treat Insomnia: Conclusion

Cannabis is very easily assimilated in your system. In addition, it is impossible to die of a cannabis overdose. Consequently, it has been proposed as a substitute for opioids.

Both THC and CBD are useful in the treatment of insomnia. While THC is more efficient for sleep, it might also trigger anxiety in some people, especially if the THC content is very high.

You can use cannabis to treat insomnia as it will help you deal with comorbidities associated with this condition.