Adults who use marijuana to fall asleep wake up more frequently throughout the night and spend less time in deep sleep, according to a 35-year Northwestern University study published in JAMA Network Open.
As reported by The Washington Post, a growing body of scientific research indicates that cannabis may actually impair rest, even though countless Americans depend on it to help them fall asleep at night. Researchers tracked roughly 1,300 adults over three decades using wrist-actigraphy sleep monitors to record nighttime movement.
Long-Term Tracking Reveals Hidden Disruptions
Data collected from the tracking devices revealed that regular marijuana users experienced disrupted sleep cycles characterized by frequent nocturnal awakenings. Participants spent less total time in deep sleep.
Curiously, study participants did not report feeling poorly rested. The primary researchers pointed out that nighttime micro-arousals frequently transpire with such speed that people fail to realize their rest has been fragmented.
Objective Tracking Devices Reveal Physiological Costs Despite Subjective Rest
Objective data uncovers distinct physiological costs:
- Micro-Arousals: Brief awakenings throughout the night can happen so quickly that individuals remain unaware of their broken sleep.
- Deep Sleep Reduction: Regular consumption cuts down the total time spent in deep sleep.
- Subjective vs. Objective Rest: Participants did not report feeling poorly rested, yet objective tracking devices revealed frequent nighttime awakenings.
Weighing Medical Cannabis Efficacy
A separate systematic review analyzing nine earlier clinical trials reached similar conclusions. It found that medical cannabis offered little to no measurable benefit for individuals suffering from chronic sleep disorders, according to evidence summarized by Cochrane.
Health experts emphasize a crucial distinction. Although these observational studies show a powerful link between routine cannabis use and disrupted sleep patterns, they fall short of establishing definitive cause and effect.
Alternative Interventions
Medical professionals advise that practicing good sleep hygiene—such as adhering to a regular bedtime routine, eliminating pre-sleep device usage in favor of calming wind-down activities, and keeping the sleeping environment dark, quiet, and cool—can enhance rest naturally.
