Sleep.
I know, you may have just groaned reading that word. Sleep is essential for overall health and integral to managing chronic conditions, yet so many of us struggle with getting just a single quality night’s sleep.
Insomnia comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Some struggle to fall asleep, some wake up throughout the night for various reasons, and others struggle with both. For patients suffering from debilitating conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, and PTSD; sleep difficulties are far too common. Many of these conditions have symptoms that may persist throughout the night, making it difficult for patients to get restful sleep at night.
Fortunately, cannabis can be highly beneficial for sleep, and in this post, we are breaking down some of the top Florida Medical Cannabis products for getting a good night’s rest.
1. CBN ‘Feel Dreamy’ Oil (Rise Florida)
CBN is a lesser-known cannabinoid believed to provide sedative effects when paired with THC. Sold exclusively by Rise Florida, this CBN tincture oil, ‘Feel Dreamy,’ deserves an honorable mention for being a 1:1 formula that combines CBN with THC rather than CBD (which is common). With research on CBN and other cannabinoids expanding, we may find other valuable uses for CBN. If you don’t have a Rise location near you, you can find CBN in old cannabis flower. That’s right, CBN is created as THC ages and degrades. If you’ve ever smoked old cannabis flower and felt like you were walking through mud, that just might be the effects of CBN with THC.
2. Edibles
Cannabis-infused foods, called edibles, are an excellent choice for patients looking for long-lasting sleep relief. While edibles can take some time to onset - 30 minutes to 2+ hours, they typically last for 6-8 hours and have a full-bodied sedating effect. For many patients, edibles are also much easier to dose than tincture or sticky concentrated oils. Florida edibles are sold in 10mg max serving sizes, with 200mg max THC per package. Edibles are even available in 1:1 and CBD options which can be more tolerable for those new to cannabis. While edibles bring convenience, they do come at a cost beyond financial - calories. Most are junk food-based cookies and candies, making them a bit counterproductive for medical patients. You can find edibles at a variety of Florida dispensaries, including Muv, Surterra, Vidacann, Trulieve, and Curaleaf.
3. Oral Oils or Tinctures
Oral oils provide long-lasting relief, making them a great choice for full night sleep relief. They also have the benefit of dropper-style dosing - allowing you to get down to the milligram instead of being stuck with pre-determined amounts. Some dispensaries, like Surterra, offer sleep-specific oral oil blends that include terpenes that promote sleep. Most patients prefer THC dominant products for their sedating quality. Please note that oral oils and tinctures are often mislabeled in Florida, with oral oils being marked as tincture. True cannabis tincture is alcohol-based, which helps with absorption through the mucous membranes of the mouth. While THC alcohol-based tincture like that available from Muv can also benefit sleep, it might not last quite as long as oils. The upside of alcohol tincture - it typically kicks in much quicker, allowing relief for falling and staying asleep.
4. RSO
Syringe containing RSO, or Rick Simpson Oil
Most often called RSO or Rick Simpson Oil, Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO) is a special kind of sleep sauce. A thick dark oil, it’s known for its potent psychoactive and full-bodied effects. RSO is a long-lasting sleep option, capable of providing relief all night long. RSO is a full spectrum product that retains multiple plant compounds, differing it from distillate and most commercially available edibles. For this reason, many patients find RSO to be a more effective option. RSO is not for beginners, however. It’s incredibly concentrated, and a little bit goes a long way. If you don’t want to attempt dosing the sticky concentrated oil, Muv Florida sells an RSO oral tincture oil and RSO capsules that provide easier dosing.
At the time of this post, RSO is available at Muv, Trulieve, Vidacann, Columbia Care, Curaleaf, Grow Healthy, Surterra, and Liberty Health Sciences dispensaries. Some companies offer discounts on bulk (10+) RSO purchases.
5. Cannabis ‘Indica’ Flower
You may have noticed that all of the above options included eating or otherwise swallowing your medicine. This is purely due to the long-lasting nature of oral dosing. Any time we eat or process cannabis through our digestive system, we can expect long-lasting effects of 6-8 hours. This is perfect for staying asleep, but what about falling asleep?
Cannabis flower.
A great option to use in correlation with another on this list, certain strains of cannabis flower offer the “couch lock” and sedating effects cannabis is commonly known for. When smoked or vaporized, effects are felt almost immediately. This makes it a great method for getting to sleep. The draw back - it doesn’t last more than a few hours. Fortunately, when paired with an oral cannabis option, inhalation can help you fall asleep, while the oral option can help you stay asleep. Flower wins over vape carts and pens, as flower provides the full spectrum of cannabinoids and plant compounds.
While we understand that strain effects are more intricate than the Sativa vs Indica label, if you’re in a dispensary and a strain is labelled ‘Indica’ there is a good chance it might put you ‘in da couch’ and on your way to a restful sleep. You can use resources like Leafly.com to identify strains and common terpene profiles (the true indicator of strain effects) that may promote sleep. If you find a strain that works particularly well, look up it’s profile on Leafly and see if you can find other options with a similar profile.
Some popular Florida flower strains for sleep include Guru, 9lb hammer, Grand Daddy Purple, London Pound Cake, Bubba Kush, and Afghani.
Cannabis Sleep Tips
Inhalation to fall asleep, oral dosing to stay asleep. Don’t be afraid to layer products.
CBD in low to moderate doses can be stimulating and not sedating, but some find that it helps relieve anxiety or other symptoms that interfere with sleep.
Don’t overlook ratio products that include CBD. Promoting sleep isn’t all about the THC.
Cannabis is best paired with other positive sleep habits, like reducing screen time, setting a routine, and proper room temperature.
POST WRITTEN BY: Josh Kerrigan, Patient Educator, KRISTINA RISOLA, MA, CRC, NBC-HWC
