Medical marijuana treatment is improving the lives of millions of MMJ patients across the United States. Medical marijuana alleviates the symptoms of a wide range of physical and mental health conditions. It can have a positive impact on conditions that hamper sleep, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and chronic pain. Tons of people use MMJ or CBD for sleep these days, as it’s proven effective for many patients.
Below we’ll talk about using MMJ to help you sleep, including some specific medical marijuana strains to help sleep management.
Medical Marijuana And Sleep
Several studies suggest that medical marijuana helps to induce sleep onset. This means that MMJ can be very helpful for people who find it difficult to drift off. People who suffer from insomnia, as well as various chronic pain conditions, often struggle to fall asleep. This difficulty can exacerbate their medical condition, causing a negative feedback loop. Medical marijuana can be a very effective treatment for these patients.
Why Is It Important To Get A Good Night’s Sleep?
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for many reasons, including:
- Improved immune system function
- Hormone regulation
- Reduced weight gain
- Improved mood and feeling of wellbeing
- Heart and cardiovascular system health
- Improved productivity and focus
- Reduced likelihood of developing diseases such as cancer and diabetes
- Improved memory
What Is The Most Effective Natural Sleep Aid?
Some of the most effective natural sleep aids are:
- Medical marijuana
- Melatonin
- Chamomile
- Magnesium
- Valerian root
- Exercise
Lifestyle Habits That Improve Sleep
There are several lifestyle habits you can implement to give yourself a better chance of having a good night’s sleep. These include:
- Dosing appropriately with medical marijuana before bed
- Exercising regularly
- Avoiding caffeine
- Avoiding napping during the day
- Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule
- Using your bed for sleep and sex only
- Having a pre-bedtime routine that helps you relax
- Making sure your room is dark and quiet
- Reading a fiction book before sleep
- Avoiding bright screens in the hours before sleep
- Avoiding eating in the three hours before sleep
- Avoiding alcohol too close to bedtime
- Keeping your room cool (a temperature of roughly 65 degrees Fahrenheit seems to be best for good sleep)
Indica Or Sativa For Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea sufferers experience pauses in their breathing or shallow breathing while asleep. This medical condition can seriously hamper a person’s ability to get good quality sleep. Studies suggest medical marijuana can stabilize breathing during sleep. Indica-dominant hybrid strains, such as OGKush and Black Grape, are best for sleep apnea (read more about these below!).
How To Use Medical Marijuana To Aid Sleep
Medical marijuana can sometimes reduce the quality of sleep by reducing the amount of REM sleep that takes place, but MMJ is very effective at helping people to get to sleep. For these reasons, it’s best to dose with MMJ only lightly before bedtime. The perfect dose should help you to fall asleep but not last too long throughout the night, when it will hamper your sleep quality.
Here are three marijuana strains to help sleep management.
1. Critical Kush
What is the best Indica strain for sleep? It has to be Critical Kush. This is an Indica-dominant, high-THC strain that is very effective at inducing deep relaxation and initiating sleep.
2. God’s Gift
Another heavy-hitting Indica-dominant strain with a high THC content, God’s Gift provides a deep, full body high and is excellent for inducing sleep.
3. Black Grape
Black Grape is an Indica-dominant strain with a relatively high THC content of 17.9%. It is recommended for evening use because it is very relaxing and great at treating insomnia.
How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card
You can get a medical marijuana card by going to the MMJRecs online clinic and arranging a telemedicine consultation with a medical marijuana doctor in your state. Once the doctor has verified your suitability for MMJ treatment, they will email you an MMJ letter of recommendation, which you can include in your application to your local medical marijuana program. You can usually submit your application online. It is a quick and straightforward process.
What Are The Qualifying Conditions For A Medical Marijuana Card?
As well as sleep disorders, medical marijuana is effective at treating several other medical conditions. The following medical conditions qualify you for MMJ treatment in most states:
- AIDS
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cancer pain
- Chronic pain
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- Crohn’s disease
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Insomnia
- Intractable pain
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Seizure disorders
- Sickle cell anemia
- Spinal cord disease or injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Tourette syndrome
- Ulcerative colitis
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