Dear Nurse Susan,
Help, I need some sleep! Can cannabis help me sleep?
Bone Tired
Dear Bone Tired,
I am glad you reached out for help with sleep. You aren’t the only one with this problem. This is one of the most common uses for cannabis. In fact, 70% of Americans suffer from sleep problems: 40% of men and 30% of women suffer from insomnia. Sleep deprivation results in:
- 20% increase in driving accidents; approximately 1 million crashes occur due to drowsy driving each year in the US
- 30% higher risk of obesity
- 15% increase in cardiovascular risks
- 45% increase in depression symptoms
Sleep deprivation is closely related to diabetes and hypertension. Sleep apnea effects 18,000,000 adults and narcolepsy effects 200,000 people.
How can cannabis help? There are a few cannabinoids in cannabis that are helpful for sleeping. The best ones are CBN and CBD. Today I’m going to talk about CBN.
CBN is a cannabinoid that has sedative effects. CBN is produced by the breakdown of THC through aging or exposure to sunlight. This short video provides a good introduction to CBN.
What are the effects of CBN in addition to promoting sleep?
- Anti-convulsant
- Anti-bacterial, including MRSA
- Promotes bone growth (good for osteoporosis)
- Anti-inflammatory; good for arthritis, fibromyalgia
- Inhibits skin cell formation (good for psoriasis)
- Anti-nausea/vomiting
- Anti-cancer: breast cancer, certain lung cancers
- Promotes healing of burns
- Relieves pain
- Anti-depressant
- Anti-anxiety
- Muscle relaxant
- Anti-spasmodic
- Anti-asthma
Ambien doesn’t give you all those benefits! Plus you can avoid all the side effects! So, Bone Tired, the next time you are in a dispensary, ask for products with CBN.
Here’s to a good night’s sleep! ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Nurse Susan
For more information on CBN check out these additional resources:
https://,ww.massroots.com/learn/cannabinol-cbn-cannabinoid/- Basic CBN information
https://www.steephill.com/blogs/34/Cannabinol-(CBD):-A-Sleeping-Synergy– A little bit of CBN science
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tREh1eYdwuA– A lot of CBN science with Dr. Bonni Goldstein and a researcher from SC Testing Lab
(Susan Marks RN, BSN, PHN writes for CityWatch and is a medical cannabis educator and consultant based in Los Angeles. You can contact her at hello@dearnursesusan.com)
-cw
