Cannabis-related product for sleep?
April 10, 2023 12:51 PM Subscribe
Looking to try a THC or CBD product for insomnia, but I'm someone who gets very anxious and depressed with most of the THC products I've tried. I've tried an edible CBD tincture/oil (not sure which) but it didn't seem to do much. What would you recommend?
I'm not sure what I've tried in the past, but I've smoked and had edibles probably 15-20 times and always had a pretty bad reaction. Not sure if this was sativa or indica, but I've never felt sleepy.
I know it varies from state to state, but what products or kinds of products would you recommend? I would prefer not to buy flower but would entertain using a vape. I will either be buying locally in Missouri or online (I assume I can only buy CBD this way).
Any advice appreciated - thanks in advance!
I'm not sure what I've tried in the past, but I've smoked and had edibles probably 15-20 times and always had a pretty bad reaction. Not sure if this was sativa or indica, but I've never felt sleepy.
I know it varies from state to state, but what products or kinds of products would you recommend? I would prefer not to buy flower but would entertain using a vape. I will either be buying locally in Missouri or online (I assume I can only buy CBD this way).
Any advice appreciated - thanks in advance!
Okay, let's start at the beginning. What is the dosage you had for the edibles? Cannabis is a biphasic plant so more does not equal better, especially for sleep. What I usually recommend for clients is layering: an edible timed about 90-120 minutes before your bedtime (for duration), then a vape pen at the bedside should you wake up at any point during the night (one puff is all you need, repeat as needed). Again, better sleep will not be instantaneous, you will have to track and note what works and what doesn't.
More suggestions:
* Forget the sativa/indica labeling; it's really inaccurate but old school stoners/users still hold on to it. Terpenes will help you; they're essential oils that every plant has, and in the case of cannabis, they steer the ship of your experience. Myrcene and linalool are calming terpenes. Look for vape carts with these terps.
* CBN is one of the new hotnesses on the market these days; it's THC broken down essentially--it's why old weed, no matter if it's "indica" or etc will make you sleepy--and is known for having sedative properties. CBN is readily available in commercial edibles.
* If you want to stick to oils, look for full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD, or a 1:1 ratio, which is what I would recommend. Start with 2 mg of THC an hour before bedtime, slowly increase the response depending on your reaction.
* As I said before: track, track, track. Your ECS is not the same every day and some days you may need more or less. That's what makes weed so exciting! No one's ECS is alike and we all react different to it.
My most important suggestion is this: please make sure any product you buy has been lab tested by a third party as the US is very Wild West in its cannabis laws even where legal. You want to make sure you are getting the product you paid for. Stuff purchased off the shelf in places like CVS often routinely fails testing.
MeMail me if you have any questions. I literally have a certification in cannabis education and this is what I do for a living.
posted by Kitteh at 1:12 PM on April 10, 2023 [19 favorites]
More suggestions:
* Forget the sativa/indica labeling; it's really inaccurate but old school stoners/users still hold on to it. Terpenes will help you; they're essential oils that every plant has, and in the case of cannabis, they steer the ship of your experience. Myrcene and linalool are calming terpenes. Look for vape carts with these terps.
* CBN is one of the new hotnesses on the market these days; it's THC broken down essentially--it's why old weed, no matter if it's "indica" or etc will make you sleepy--and is known for having sedative properties. CBN is readily available in commercial edibles.
* If you want to stick to oils, look for full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD, or a 1:1 ratio, which is what I would recommend. Start with 2 mg of THC an hour before bedtime, slowly increase the response depending on your reaction.
* As I said before: track, track, track. Your ECS is not the same every day and some days you may need more or less. That's what makes weed so exciting! No one's ECS is alike and we all react different to it.
My most important suggestion is this: please make sure any product you buy has been lab tested by a third party as the US is very Wild West in its cannabis laws even where legal. You want to make sure you are getting the product you paid for. Stuff purchased off the shelf in places like CVS often routinely fails testing.
MeMail me if you have any questions. I literally have a certification in cannabis education and this is what I do for a living.
posted by Kitteh at 1:12 PM on April 10, 2023 [19 favorites]
Best answer: Specific to Missouri (with the caveat that stock is stretched extremely thin throughout the state at the moment) - I'm 95% a flower user, but was pretty impressed with the disposable vape I picked up from the Good Night line. I have a pretty high tolerance, but I didn't find it made me feel particularly stoned so much as pleasantly lulled me to sleep. I have not tried their gummies (edibles don't work particularly well for me), but if it's the same combination of THC + CBD + CBN I bet they're worth a shot.
They're owned by Proper, so you may have better luck at one of their branded dispensaries.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:32 PM on April 10, 2023
They're owned by Proper, so you may have better luck at one of their branded dispensaries.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:32 PM on April 10, 2023
I take edibles to sleep, but they do not make me sleepy which I think is where people get messed up trying to use weed to sleep. I do not want to get so high I just have to go to sleep, I don't want to get high at all really, I want to sleep well - but I have found that CBD alone isn't enough for that and I need a smidge of THC.
Right now my go-tos are 50:1 (that's CBD:THC)/500mg CBD & 10mg THC per-package/50mg CBD & 1mg THC gummies from Journeyman. I was in a lot of pain from a knee injury when I found these on the recommendation of store staff when I went in looking for my previous fave Wyld 20:1 Strawberry (in Oregon) and asked if they had anything with even moar cbd. They also recommended the 25:1 Mr Moxey's Mints, Zen edition, which don't get stuck in my teeth so I actually tend to use those more and save the 50s for pain nights.
I am an incredible lightweight, so if I do not go to bed after my 1mg THC I might end up inventing new kinds of nachos, but only periodically do I have a little round of "what's that noise??" level of paranoia, which I can deal with. The high-CBD combo otherwise generally makes my body extremely willing to go to sleep and stay asleep. I use a very mild sleep aid (Rx hydroxizine or half an OTC doxylamine succinate) for getting sleepy when I need it. If I'm already tired, I don't need anything extra.
Very very occasionally I decide I want a smidge extra THC, in which case I augment with half or even a quarter of a 1:1 1mg gummy.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:11 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Right now my go-tos are 50:1 (that's CBD:THC)/500mg CBD & 10mg THC per-package/50mg CBD & 1mg THC gummies from Journeyman. I was in a lot of pain from a knee injury when I found these on the recommendation of store staff when I went in looking for my previous fave Wyld 20:1 Strawberry (in Oregon) and asked if they had anything with even moar cbd. They also recommended the 25:1 Mr Moxey's Mints, Zen edition, which don't get stuck in my teeth so I actually tend to use those more and save the 50s for pain nights.
I am an incredible lightweight, so if I do not go to bed after my 1mg THC I might end up inventing new kinds of nachos, but only periodically do I have a little round of "what's that noise??" level of paranoia, which I can deal with. The high-CBD combo otherwise generally makes my body extremely willing to go to sleep and stay asleep. I use a very mild sleep aid (Rx hydroxizine or half an OTC doxylamine succinate) for getting sleepy when I need it. If I'm already tired, I don't need anything extra.
Very very occasionally I decide I want a smidge extra THC, in which case I augment with half or even a quarter of a 1:1 1mg gummy.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:11 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I've used some Zzzonked (https://getzzzonked.com/) and it doesn't necessarily make me sleepy, but if I use it infrequently (as I've heard is generally recommended), I find I do sleep better.
posted by ldthomps at 2:23 PM on April 10, 2023
posted by ldthomps at 2:23 PM on April 10, 2023
i find that delta 8 edibles, which are legal in a lot of the us at the moment, do not make me anxious the way normal cannabis does and are very effective at helping me get to sleep.
posted by dis_integration at 6:47 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by dis_integration at 6:47 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
THC or CBD are not going to make you sleep better. But those things can help you sleep better. Google "sleep hygiene" and practice good sleep hygiene along with the THC or CBD.
Think of THC/CBD as a tool, not an automatic solution to your sleep issues.
posted by SoberHighland at 4:30 AM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Think of THC/CBD as a tool, not an automatic solution to your sleep issues.
posted by SoberHighland at 4:30 AM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by another zebra at 1:05 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]