Having difficulty sleeping at night? You’re not alone. According to the American Sleep Association, “50-70 million US adults have a sleep disorder,” with insomnia being the most common disorder (30% of adults). Everyone knows that 7 to 8 hours of sleep is optimal for their health, but they don’t all know how to stay asleep for that long. A lot of people consider themselves to be light sleepers and may wake up periodically throughout the night. Others simply can’t fall asleep to begin with. Luckily, medicinal cannabis can help either group if they qualify for a prescription.
Why Can’t I Sleep?
If you’re wondering why counting sheep and drinking warm milk doesn’t put you to bed like it once did, Harvard Medical School offers the top 4 reasons why you’re not sleeping through the night. Reason #4 states that you could have an underlying condition such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, or neuropathy. Enter medicinal cannabis – a safe alternative to pills that treats more than just sleep deprivation. This is especially true for chronic pain.
Will Medicinal Cannabis Help Me Sleep?
First off, it’s important to understand that there are a variety of strains when it comes to cannabis. Some will help calm your mind and body and a few will have the reverse effect – energizing you. Finding the right strain is easy when you work with a local dispensary, like North, that will guide you through the process of selecting the right product. The amounts of THC and CBD prescribed will depend on that conversation. One study from the National Library of Medicine shows that 15mg of THC “would appear to be sedative, while 15mg of CBD appears to have alerting properties.”
How Should I Use Medicinal Cannabis?
There’s more than one way to use cannabis when you want to get ready for bed. The quickest way would be inhaling. Once inhaled, cannabis (broken down into cannabinoids) is able to enter the bloodstream through the lungs and is then circulated throughout the body. Opposed to smoking or vaping? Cannabis can also be ingested through either food or drink. Edibles, specifically, are a highly preferred option for those with sleeping disorders. Since your body will have to digest the cannabis, it may take up to two hours before you feel it to the full extent.
Does It Treat Sleep Apnea?
There have not yet been enough studies done to know for certain that medicinal cannabis can be used to treat sleep apnea. For those who don’t know, sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where a person stops breathing multiple times while they are asleep. Common signs are loud snoring and feeling drowsy after a full night of sleep. If you’ve noticed this lately, or notice it in your partner, speak to a doctor about the best course of treatment.
How to Get Started with North
Ready to get back to sleep? North Dispensaries is looking forward to working with you in Jefferson County soon! For now, you can take an early look at one of our first locations on our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. There is one crucial step you should take before we open our doors, however. Sign up for your Missouri medical marijuana card.
The process is simple. Start by scheduling an appointment for physician certification with a Missouri-licensed physician, like Dr. Judd, and then register for an account on the Missouri Marijuana Portal. Here you can create your application for your card. Only patients with qualifying medical conditions will be approved, so make sure to check out the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services online for more information.
