Medical Marijuana and Insomnia

Medical Marijuana and Insomnia

Are you one of the millions of Americans that is suffering from sleeplessness or insomnia?  It is estimated that one-third of all adults have insomnia.  Some people have difficulty falling asleep, some have difficulty staying asleep, and some have both.  Not sleeping well makes you feel exhausted all the time, and this can have an adverse effect on how you work, exercise, eat, drive and interact with others.

Currently there are a number of prescription medications on the market that are used to promote sleep.  One of the more common medications is zolpidem tartrate (brand name Ambien).  Many patients are unhappy with the side effects of Ambien which can include: severe allergic reaction, sleep-driving or sleep-eating (meaning you drive or sleep with no memory of doing so), and excessive sleepiness the next day.  Ambien is meant for only short-term use because it can be habit-forming.  Some patients try Ambien and find that it works initially but then becomes ineffective.  Another common insomnia medication is eszopiclone (brand name Lunesta).  Side effects include unpleasant taste in mouth, dizziness, morning drowsiness, headaches, and symptoms of a cold.  Many patients cannot tolerate the continued drowsiness that is present the day after taking a sleeping pill as they are unable to function at work or at home taking care of children.  Other serious side effects listed for Lunesta include sleep-driving, sleep-eating, abnormal thoughts and behaviors, memory loss, anxiety, and severe allergic reaction.  All of this is quite a heavy burden when you are just looking for a good night’s sleep.

Medical marijuana patients usually find that sleep is a wonderful benefit of growing their marijuana. Many chronic pain patients experience insomnia due to their pain and find excellent relief and sleep when using marijuana.  Some patients find that smoking pot before bed keeps them awake but using a good Indica strain will combat this.  As many patients know, illness, pain, the ability to recover and to have a decent quality of life all improve with sleep.  If you suffer from lack of sleep and it is affecting your life negatively, you should talk with your regular physician to see if you suffer from insomnia.  If you want a natural treatment that has minimal to no side effects, you should consider using medical marijuana instead of prescription medications.  And remember, you do not have to smoke in order to get high – you can choose to use a vaporizer, the tinctures, or edibles.