Hey there! Welcome to Life Noggin! Oh there's a fog rolling in! Wait a minute! [Blocko Sniffs] That's not fog! People have been using cannabis as a sleep
aid for decades, mainly due to the feeling of relaxation and calm it’s commonly associated
with. And many believe that it can even help with
sleep disorders. Studies evaluating the effect of cannabis
on sleep go back to the 70’s, but, because marijuana use has been illegal in the United
States since the 30s, research in this field has been largely restricted, and we are still
lacking verifiable evidence of its effects on health. But scientists have been studying its main
chemical components for the treatment of many medical issues, like the nausea caused by
cancer treatments, seizures in children, pain and different sleep disorders. Before we get into how it affects your sleep,
we should probably talk about how it all works. What we call weed, pot, or marijuana is actually
a mixture of the dried flowers of the Cannabis sativa plant. It can be smoked, vaped, brewed in teas, made
into foods, or concentrated into resins and oils. No matter how you take it, the chemicals in
the plant will make their way into your bloodstream, travel throughout your body, and end up in
your brain. How fast you feel the effects and how strong
they are depends on the method of ingestion. And your experiences can range from relaxation
and euphoria, to anxiety, fear and panic depending on how much you take and the potency
of the drug’s active chemicals., Some who have taken large doses have even experienced
a temporary psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions. So it’s really, really important to be careful
with how much you’re taking and how. And cannabis use has been associated with
harmful side effects on brain development and the lungs, and can even result in addiction. The main chemical in cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
- but you can call it THC. THC is a psychoactive chemical, which means
that it can alter your mind. It does this by attaching to neurons in your
brain and activating them. This disrupts normal mental and physical functions,
causing the sensations typically associated a “high”. Cannabis also contains another chemical that
is not psychoactive, called cannabidiol, or CBD. Older studies looking at the effect of the
whole cannabis plant on sleep had mixed findings, with some indicating that it can help you
fall asleep faster and stay asleep, and others showing it can decrease REM sleep,, - which
is thought to be involved with storing memories, learning, and regulating your mood. More recent studies focus on these major chemicals
in cannabis, THC and CBD. They found that THC may only have a short-term
benefit, with continuous use causing a habit or dependency, as withdrawal from the drug
can cause difficulties sleeping.,, Studies also found that THC caused daytime
sleepiness and bad moods, increased the time to fall asleep, and reduced the body’s circadian
rhythm - which is needed to regulate your sleep/wake cycle. However, medicines made from it could help
with certain sleep disorders like nightmares associated with post-traumatic stress disorder
and obstructive sleep apnea. It’s clear that more research needs to be
done before any definitive conclusions can be made. But, until then, it may be better to stick
to natural sleep methods like avoiding caffeine, exercising, and keeping a regular sleep schedule.
Great video!