"I have difficulty falling and staying asleep."
Cannabis is a very diverse plant that grows all over the world. Two broad categories exist; Indica and Sativa. Indica is best remember as "in da couch" and it is well suited to treat sleep, pain, and aid in relaxation. It is best to try many different strains and products and decide what works best for you!
andrewvanmd
Some may say that it is the level of THC that will induce great sleep. That said, most people divide the strains into either Sativa, Indica or a hybrid of the two. The popular stereotype is that Sativa dominant strains will promote a more energetic & creative feeling; some might say euphoric. On the other side, Indica dominant strains will induce a much more predictable sleepy sensation. This is often when people feel ‘couch-locked.
Another thing to consider is the presence of cannabinol or CBN, which is a lesser-known cannabinoid also known for promoting sleep. Unfortunately, it is hard to know how much CBN is in the strain you may have purchased without a lab test.
I’ll focus on a few popular Indica-based strains:
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Purple Kush: Pure Indica and is popular for creating physical relaxation
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Bubba Kush: This is an Indica strain known for creating a sleep effect, easing muscles and a happy mood
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Blueberry: A pure Indica known for helping to alleviate the pain it also induces a nice sleep
One outlier that is minimally psychoactive is Cannatonic. This cannabidiol (CBD) based strain is not an Indica and contains less THC than many other strains. It is great for medical patients seeking pain relief and the need for sleep.
I feel the need for help with sleep, and generally, I do not smoke. There are many different ways to ingest cannabis that can deliver sleep-inducing effects. I prefer a sublingual THC spray by Absolute Extracts (available in CA) called ‘Sleepytime’. For me, one spray is enough to put me out, but I am very sensitive. A lot of people prefer edibles as the dosage is so reliable. One friend of mine swears by Auntie Dolores (available in CA) caramel corn; she eats one piece of caramel corn before bed every night.
As with anything, always start slowly. Depending on how you react, a small amount may be enough to get you to sleep whereas too much could have the opposite effect. I hope this helps!
Paula H.
If you are having difficulty falling asleep, smoking or vaporizing cannabis can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep tremendously. I know that there are some traditional heavy Indicas that put people to sleep, but my personal selections for sleep are Skywalker OG, Pennywise (1:1 CBD strain), and Royal Kush. Absolute Xtracts actually makes a great Royal Kush CO2 cartridge for a vape pen, which can be nice to use before bed as it is much simpler than smoking and does not make that telltale cannabis smell if you would rather keep your MJ to yourself.
Now smoking or vaporizing is great for the onset of sleep, but this effect normally wears off within a few hours and can still result in you waking at 3 or 4am. I know that you are asking about which strain would be the best for insomnia, however, I think there is another option that may help you stay asleep longer.
Edibles traditionally last longer than smoking or vaporizing and I find that they can keep me sleeping much longer into the morning. You do not usually find strain-specific edibles for sale, however, there are a few brands that sell sleep specific edibles. I’ve tried Sensi Chew’s Insomnia that actually comes with a few mg of melatonin with each dose and I had no issues falling asleep as long as that pack lasted. As pretty much everyone will tell you here – Start low and work your way up with the dosing. You can always take more you can’t take less.
ryan
The strains that work best for me, where sleep is concerned, are Deep Sleep OG and Granddaddy Purple. These two always seem to knock me out. Of course different strains hit different people differently. With that in mind, any straight Indica should do wonders in the sleep department.
darkestjack
Indicas work best for me! I have problems finding products that will NOT put me to sleep, because then I oversleep & get terrible headaches.
Indica is 1st to put me away! Good luck on that
dream15x
This is an individual choice. Each person’s unique internal chemistry responds to cannabis strains differently, however; Indica strains have traditionally been the most common "go-to" products for inducing relaxation and sleep. Several Kush varieties were mentioned in the comments below. They are good places to start.
Some individuals do not tolerate indica strains and find that using sativa strains or hybrids actually provide more relaxation but, I recommend stopping use of them about 60-90 min before your actual bedtime to allow for natural sleep induction.
I also recommend you look at edibles for sleep if you can consistently be in bed for 6+ hours.
I have found Sensi-chews to be helpful but, pay attention to the dosing. Most people only need 5-8mg of TCH to fall asleep and most dosing is higher than that for packaging purposes. I recommend people cut these products in small portions to find the lowest effective dose which is all you need and much more economical.
Best wishes for relaxing and renewing sleep.
drgerhart
Usually sleep disturbance issues begin during the day as we build up stress or anxiety, and then our brain does not want to let go at night. If you find there is chronic brain chatter when you’re trying to sleep, be sure to put those thoughts down on paper if there are things that you need to accomplish the next day and that we’ll get those thoughts out of your mind but the rest of the chatter you want to shut up with CBD Cannabis.
I usually encourage patients to do an Indica they like for sleep but to keep oral spray of a high CBD, non-alcoholic tincture in the refrigerator so if brain chatter continues please put one spray of the CBD tincture under your tongue so you can sleep. The best sleep seems to be at a CBD:THC = 1:1 so that means if you have done Sativa in PM you need a significant amount of CBD to balance the THC so you can quiet your brain.
Since stress oftentimes starts during today and keeps us awake at night you may want to do some very low dose CBD during the day that is also available as a spray in the mouth or in a vape pen (like AC/DC) for immediate relief of anxiety and pain.
I suspect you will start sleeping if you try this but also remember to stop all blue light exposure a couple hours before bed or at least have a blue light filter if you must do computer or phone work close to bedtime.
Sleep is important so do continue in your pursuit of a good night’s sleep without pharmaceutical drugs that will suppress your restorative sleep.
drolson
Cannabis has been shown to promote sleep, both falling asleep and maintaining sleep. Typically the THC in cannabis has a sedative effect, especially in the indica varieties. I would avoid sativa varieties for insomnia because they can have a stimulating effect. This being said, the majority of cases of sleep dysfunction are caused by poor sleep hygiene. What this means is that we have developed habits that do not promote a good night’s sleep. I recommend changing these habits first, before taking any medicines.
Some examples: Turning off the screens in your life (television, computer, phones, etc) 1-2 hours before bedtime, no caffeine or other stimulants after mid-afternoon, exercise 30-60 minutes preferably earlier in the day, turn off bright lights at sunset, use more candles and low lighting, take a warm bath or shower before bed, have a cup of herbal tea or warm non-caffeine beverage before bedtime, make a to-do list for the next day to get them out of your thoughts, and read some of a novel before sleeping. There’s more, of course, but this is just a list to get you started. Good luck!
drjacquelynlew
Yes, cannabis does help with insomnia. For the best sleep, look for cannabis with the ratio of CBD:THC of 1:1. For more information, visit the "insomnia" discussion board on our website.
rachelnp
This is probably one of the toughest questions and most likely anyone you ask will have a different answer. I do not believe there is one best strain of cannabis for insomnia. I personally think you must account for any Cannabis you have used during the day, especially if you have used a highTHC strain. If you already have hi THC in your system, say you use a Sativa during the day, you would want to bring in more CBD in the evening. The best sleep seems to be when your THC and CBD’s are close to equal inside your body but if you have too much THC you will have a party going on in your head and you will find you can shut the party down by adding more CBD’s. If you only intend to use cannabis first sleep you may want to try a 1:1 Vaporizing oil, tincture, tablet or spraying the mouth. Please, remember to always start low and increase the dosage slowly until you have obtained the optimal results.
drolson
Studies have shown that cannabis can improve the quality and duration of sleep and help treat various sleeping disorders.
wendynp
Many people experience insomnia from time to time. Medical marijuana for insomnia can be a safe and an effective alternative for good sleep but either way, prolonged insomnia needs to be addressed. Cannabis can aid sleep without getting you addicted. Like prescription pills, it doesn’t even have side effects such as anxiety, depression and fatigue. Here are few medical marijuana strains that are effective to treat insomnia-
Super Glue (Hybrid)
Skywalker
Northern Lights
Granddaddy Purple
potvalet
Granddaddy Purple
Skywalker OG
Super Skunk
White Widow
White Rhino
Purple Urkle
Blueberry
potvalet
