Millions of people in the U.S. turn to marijuana products when they have trouble sleeping, but new research suggests the drug may not deliver the restful sleep many users expect.
The study found that people with a history of marijuana use tended to show poorer sleep quality when their sleep was measured objectively. The same pattern appeared among those who had used marijuana more recently. Yet, when participants were asked how well they slept, most did not report experiencing significant problems.
Researchers followed participants for almost 35 years as part of the CARDIA study, which started in 1985/86. The project tracks white and Black adults in the U.S. and has collected information on health and lifestyle factors over several decades.
For the latest analysis, 1,266 participants were evaluated during middle age. Each person wore a wristband monitoring device for seven days to record sleep patterns and also completed questionnaires about their perceived sleep quality. This allowed researchers to compare what the monitoring technology detected with how participants believed they were sleeping.
The results showed that people with greater lifetime exposure to marijuana had several indicators of disrupted sleep. They spent a smaller proportion of the night actually asleep and remained awake for longer periods once they started sleeping.
Recent users displayed a similar pattern. Compared with individuals who had never used marijuana, they were likely to have reduced sleep efficiency, fragmented rest, and extended periods of nighttime wakefulness.
Despite those differences, participants generally did not say cannabis had harmed their sleep. Researchers said the mismatch raises the possibility that some cannabis-related sleep disturbances may occur without users realizing it.
In the meantime, sleep specialists recommend established habits such as maintaining a consistent bedtime and keeping the bedroom quiet, dark and cool. Limiting phone and screen use before bed and following a relaxing nighttime routine may also help. People who continue to struggle with sleep or who snore heavily should speak with a health professional to check for possible sleep disorders.
The study does not establish that marijuana causes poor sleep. However, researchers said the findings add to evidence questioning the assumption that regular marijuana use and improved sleep naturally go together.
The researchers also accounted for several factors that can influence sleep, including sex, age, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, depression, physical activity, and chronic illnesses. Marijuana use continued to be linked with poorer sleep after these differences were accounted for.
The study did not examine whether different forms of cannabis, such as smoking or edibles, produced different effects. Since the participating adults were followed for decades, their patterns of use may also have changed considerably over time.
Researchers said more work is needed to understand those differences and determine whether cannabis has a direct effect on sleep. Until more definitive scientific information becomes available on this subject, people may still need to talk to professionals at cannabis firms like TerrAscend Corp. (TSX: TSND) (OTCQX: TSNDF) for recommendations on the best products to help with their symptoms.
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