Debunking Myths About Cannabis and Sleep

If you have heard anything about cannabis, you have also probably heard extreme exaggerations about it’s effects or benefits in ways that make absolutely no sense. CBD fans are the worst when it comes to this - I’ve seen countless articles about CBD where people basically say that it cures anything. While I don’t dismiss the fact that CBD and other cannabidiol products have numerous and plentiful benefits, exaggerating these claims usually does more harm than good, especially with how controversial the topic of cannabis can be in the United States at the moment.

These false claims can also harm doctors and other medical professionals who can actually influence people with truth about treatment and use of cannabis. To start off this article, I want to speak some facts into your mind. Per recent studies done by scientific sources, cannabis has been proven to help people sleep 30 minutes faster on average with less disruptions, and is more effective and helps people feel well-rested. Now that marijuana is legal in 35 of 50 states, it is much easier for people to legally get their hands on cannabis when they want it. In fact, the legal market increased by 67% in the year 2020. This makes sense in regards to how many people were forced into stressful and depressing lives due to quaranting. Anyways, today I want to talk about the myths that have been circulating in the media about cannabis, and address why they are simply not true.

The first myth that I want to address is that there are no risks involved when using cannabis for sleep. Since marijuana is a natural drug that comes from a legally grown plant, people seem to assume that there could be no drawbacks to using cannabis night after night to aid with sleep. In reality, cannabis is a drug and, like any other type of medication, there are side effects and even drawbacks to continued use over time. One of these drawbacks is that THC can be a factor in sleep hangovers if it is consumed in a high dose.

This can create some sleeping problems for people who wake up during the night, and lead to some very tired mornings. Most doctors and medical professionals will prescribe smaller doses of cannabis at first in order to allow the patient to get used to the dose before increasing it. There are also some long-term risks associated with regular marijuana use as well, such as the disruption of REM sleep cycles. REM stands for rapid eye movement, and is the deepest and most energizing part of our sleep cycles. Disrupting the REM cycle is not a good thing, and can lead to not getting enough sleep even if you slept for a long time. 

Another Myth that I want to address is that marijuana is all the same and can all do the same things. Worldwide, there are over 700 different strains of cannabis. If you are expecting each strain of cannabis to have the same effects and behaviours, then you are completely off base. Not only do these strains range from indica to sativa to hybrid, but each strain of cannabis under those umbrellas serves a different purpose as well. It is important to know that you should not rush into consuming marjiuana. Since each strain is different, it is imperative that you do research on which strains are good for sleep versus energy, anxiety, stress, and so on. Make sure that you choose the cannabis strain that is right for you, especially because our brains and minds work differently as well!

Finding The Right Dose of Marijuana For You

As human beings we are all just a little bit different. Our bodies and minds respond differently to all sorts of stimuli based on numerous and uncountable factors, so it is super important to keep this in mind when it comes to consuming marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. It can take some time to find the dose of marijuana that is just right for you; however, finding the right amount of cannabis to consume will allow you to enjoy the experience more and create a more positive outcome for you and your medical needs.

Doctors have their hands full when it comes to prescribing medical marijuana, mostly because cannabis is different from a lot of other prescriptions. Like I said before, each person's body responds to marijuana a little bit differently than others. This means that marijuana dosing is unique and should not be prescribed like other prescription medication. So how can you know what amount of cannabis is right for you? Well, the good news for you is that I am writing this article to help you out. I hope that you can learn some valuable information about marijuana consumption and how much is right for you.

To start, I want to say that all good marijuana and cannabis dosing starts with some solid planning. What do I mean by that? Well, it’s no secret that marijuana can have it’s risks when consumed. Like all other prescriptions, marijuana can have some adverse effects that not everyone loves to experience. One of the more common symptoms is dizziness, which many people report feeling after they have had a bit too much marijuana. However, other symptoms include sleepiness, dry mouth, dry eyes, anxiousness (from consuming too much or having marijuana with too high of a THC dose), and balance/coordination problems.

However, marijuana is actually a very safe thing to consume if you do it responsibility and with proper planning. The first thing to learn is how much marijuana you can tolerate, as well as the method that you are planning to consume the plant. This is because the side effects and benefits of cannabis can vary a bit depending on how you consume it. For example, you could consume it orally, sublingually, or even through a vape. 

Either way, all doctors and medical professionals recommend that you start consuming marijuana at a very low dose if it is your first time. It just so happens that many new users do not feel any effect from the first few times they use it. While this may sound disappointing to some, it is much better to not necessarily feel any effects of the marijuana rather than take too much and deal with unhealthy side effects. Just know that, if you are using marijuana for the first time, it can be completely normal to not even feel anything; and that’s okay! To start off with, I highly suggest planning about a week for the sensitization period (and this does not change depending on the consumption method you choose). Some experts even recommend that you partake in CBD consumption to get your body and mind more used to the effects of marijuana. CBD that has less than 0.3% THC is preferred.

After you have gotten used to consuming marijuana, it is important to find the dose that is therapeutic for you. In this stage, the method of consumption does have an impact on how long or how short you experience the effects for. It is also important to note that some methods will cause you to feel the effects in a few minutes, while others can take hours.

When to harvest an autoflower cannabis

Harvesting is a big part of cannabis consumption, but when you have auto-flowering strains, it can be hard to figure out whether or not you should harvest it.  If you harvest this too late or too early, it can impact the cannabinoids and terpenes, so that’s why, it’s important to make sure that you do this effectively. 

How to tell 

There are a few signs that’ll tell you whether or not it’s time for you to harvest it.  The first, is the trichome, pistil color, the eaves, and how long each of these have been in the ground. On average, the life cycle does vary in most cases. But knowing this is important since if you do wait too long, it can impact the flowers and harvest. You should look at the sheet that comes with the seeds to find this. Most of the time, the cultivar can be harvested around 8-9 weeks after germination. Keeping this in mind will help you with getting the best and most optimal time for harvest. 

Trichomes matter 

The color of the trichomes is one of the biggest indicators of this. The trichomes are tiny little glands that are mushroom-shaped and glistening. The structures that are made come with the terpenes and cannabinoids. Trichomes do become translucent during the stage of flowering, but the do eventually get clear and a bit amber, and it’s something that indicates not just the time to harvest, but also the changes within the trichomes as well. You can use a microscope or even a loupe jewelers use to help you figure this out. 

If the trichomes are clear, let them grow, since they’re not ready yet. If they’re cloudy or milky, this is a sign that there is a lot of THC in this, so it might be time to get them if you want something that’s high in THC. Amber is when it’s time for you to have less THC, but then also higher CBN, which is great for offering a strain that’s more stoning for you. 

The Pistils 

Another part of this, is the pistils, as they’re the reproductive organs for female plants. They usually seem white on flowers that are immature, but once they become a dark orange or red as they grow, you’ll definitely want to consider this. If you want to harvest them, you should wait for about 60-70% of them to turn for high THC strains, and then a bit more for those that are higher in CBN. 

Leaves 

Then there are the leaves. Leaves tell you a whole lot, as they can help you see the plant, along with the cultivar, helping you as well recognize those deficiencies n plants, and also any other problems, including high stress and deficiencies of nutrients and the like. 

If you notice that they’re a vibrant color, you’re definitely still good to go. They tend to get a bit yellow when it’s time to harvest. As long as they’ve stayed green during all of this, since most of the time, they’re just getting the nutrients for the flowers directly more than anything else. 

Smell 

This is another thing that’s important to look at. If they start to get more pungent, they tend to be ready to harvest. The smell that goes through the air does depend on the provider of terpenes, and strain choice, so be prepared for smelly buds, and you’ll definitely want to get those right away. These are the telltale signs, so make sur that you’re familiar with all of these before you begin planting too.

Cannabis and Libido

When you’re looking for ways to improve attraction along with sex, libido is something that a lot of people don’t discuss. Some believe that only personality, appearances, and the like are the only influences. However, lots of people suffer from low sex drive without even actively realizing this. A lot of people are worried about this, and while there are prescription enhancements, those can be expensive. One of the ways that it can be fixed for some people though, is THC and CBD lube for their libido. 

Cannabinoids and the Sex Drive 

Sex drive is something that is not super easy. There are tons of factors, and different elements including depression, sleep, diet, the pain yore feeling, even anxiety can also alter the ability for someone to actively perform well. Marijuana can help with this, but the way this is desired depends on a few factors. The correct amounts can help in some cases, but the wrong one can play a part. 

Remember as well that CBD and THC can help with this by interacting with the receptors that work to regulate the brain and body, including sexual drive and the reproductive aspects. Marijuana also has different compounds that influence the responses and performances and it can actively interact with the female reproductive hormones and the sex organs. 

For men, the ECS is al over, and it can influence this.  It does play a good role in the development and muscle growth, and sex hormones also can impact the performance. Health issues and the way that the lifestyle occurs does mean less sex hormone manufacturing, and this can impact the libido. Cannabis, when taking this in moderate amounts, can help with the reproductive health and homeostasis, so it can provide some benefits to this. 

As for women, the cannabinoids can actually regulate almost every part of your ovarian cycle, ovarian endocrine secretions, the decidualization of the uterine area, foclliculogenesis, and also placentation, so it does get affected. CBD is on to the better ones for female sex hormones and the system, and it also balances the androgen and the estrogen production, so it can help with the sex drive that women have. 

So can cannabis help/ 

It can. 

If you have performance anxiety or are worried about something, cannabis comes in here and it can help with the proper regulation of this. It can also help with stress, by naturally calming down and helping the body relax. 

Marijuana is known to help enhance the mood too, with multiple studies that display that THC, one of the most psychoactive aspects of this, does impact the mood, and also reduces the negative feelings and thoughts that do occur. It also can dampen the libido in women and men, and it does impact the responses that are needed for the sexual performance in some cases. 

It also can help with a lot of anxiety disorders, and it can also help to manage the concerns that a person may have in terms of their anxiety, and there are ton so studies that actively look at this. 

When you’re looking at the studies and their results, both of these do offer therapeutic benefits that do make the pain a lot les obvious, reducing the inflammatory properties of this, especially when you apply this topically, or if you take it via smoking and vaping. 

So if it can help, it may help with calming down the body. while it isn’t a cure-all for many people and it shouldn’t be touted as such, this is something that can provide a lot of benefits for people who ae dealing with stress.