Best Cannabis Strains for Dealing With Insomnia

Did you know that 1 in every 3 Americans do not get enough sleep each night? There are multiple reasons for why someone might struggle to fall asleep each night, but it is safe to say that we have all experienced some sleepless nights in our days. Maybe we are up late working on a project or studying for an exam, or perhaps we are kept up by worries and anxieties that we deal with from day to day.

Either way, not getting enough sleep can be a huge problem that manifests itself in very real physical and mental side effects. Between our busy lives, so many screens battling for our time, and mild to severe caffeine addictions, it’s no wonder why we struggle to get the recommended amount of sleep (which is 7-9 hours) per night. I always try to shoot for about 8 to 8 and a half hours of sleep per night, but sometimes this is just not feasible.

What is even worse is something called insomnia, which is a chronic condition that can keep people from being able to fall asleep. While some people struggle to fall asleep from time to time, people with insomnia have a chronic problem of not getting enough sleep for nights on end. Overtime, this can create some very serious health conditions and can even contribute to larger and more life threatening problems. Cannabis has always been a source of sleep remedy for those of us who struggle to fall asleep at night. It is widely known as a very prominent relaxation method that not only comes to the mind but can also calm the body. Today, I wanted to talk about certain strains of marijuana that are perfect for people dealing with insomnia or having mild sleeping problems.

One of the more popular strains of cannabis to help you sleep truly lives up to its name: it’s called the 9 Pound Hammer. This strain is great for knocking out pretty much anyone who struggles to sleep, even people with severe insomnia and chronic pain. Oftentimes, people with chronic pain conditions note that their pain seems to get even worse at night, causing them to not be able to sleep. The great thing about using medical marijuana to help one sleep is that it also helps to relieve pain symptoms by reducing inflammation on a cellular level. 9 Pound Hammer is an indica strain, meaning that it not only makes you feel very sleepy but also helps your body to relax and sink into your couch or bed. Honestly, it’s perfect for anyone who is dealing with sleeping issues and just wants to count on some weed that will help them drift off to sleep. The effects of these strains are also strong and long lasting, meaning that it will help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Another popular strain for people who are treating their insomnia is called Afghan Kush. This strain originates from the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan, and is a popular and prominent strain within the recreational and medical weed communities. The most important thing about Afghan Kush is that it will truly make you feel sleepy and relaxed when it matters the most. If you are coming home from a long day of work and feeling stressed, do not fear! Just take some hits of this indica dominant strain and you will be relaxing in the best way possible. It is worth mentioning that there are so many other strains out there that you can try, but I just don’t have time to talk about all of them today.

 

Edible Dosing for Newbies

Edibles are a great way for cannabis enjoyers to have cannabis. They do offer THC, CBD, or sometimes both. They can come in baked goods, soft chews, and other forms. They’re convenient and are great for new users. It’s important though to know the correct ways to dose them, since it’s important to understand this. There are a few things you should know about edibles too, including what’s in them, the dosages, and also any other concerns that may be there too. 

Edibles Don’t hit Quickly 

When you have an edible, you’re always going to have to wait a bit for it to work. That's because they must go directly into your digestive area, and then are further absorbed into the brain, and finally the endocannabinoid system. You’ll then feel the effects in the way that the THC interacts directly with your receptors.  

Throughout this, the body does slowly break down THC in order to activate it. In contrast, cannabis vapes and smoking take about 30 minutes to get in, but edibles can take about double that time, sometimes hours before it works. 

The High Is Long Lasting 

Edibles are much more potent with their highs, and they last longer too. The duration is based on the THC within, and how your body manages to metabolize this. It will last minimally an hour for most people, but if you do have a metabolism that's slower, it can take hours before you come down. It’s best if you keep a few hours to yourself to enjoy an edible, since it can last longer than expected. 

What you Consume beforehand does affect the experience 

The food that you have does affect this in a lot of cases. Cannabis oils are usually absorbed better if you have high fat foods with this. If you take an edible with a meal for example, especially one that’s fatty, you’ll feel strong effects. Many experience larger effects though when they don’t have food before too, so pay attention to the body’s responses. 

The dosing Guide 

Here are a few things for you to consider when dosing edibles. First, you’ve got the edibles that are up to 5 mg. these are the ones that are usually at dispensaries, and they are something that's often times called the microdose. They are usually achieved through breaking these down. 

However, pre-measured gives you a more enhanced, exact performance. Some people can handle 5 mg easily, with feelings of anxiety relief, and also improving their life. However, some do get anxious off 5 mg, so be careful. If you’re someone that wants something a bit stronger, then the 5-15 mg range is better for you to use.  You can use this if you’ve struggled with it not being strong for you in the past. It can be hard to get this one right, and you usually should go in small increments, and wait a bit for the results. 

15-30 mg is for those who have a bit higher tolerance. If you’re someone who has never had edibles before, don’t do this, because it’s way too potent. As you start to get past the 15 mg area, and up to larger doses, these can last a lot longer. This is recommended for those who have chronic pain, inflammation, or who just want relief. Finally, there are edibles that are over 30 mg but usually go up to 50 mg THC. 

These are recommended for people who have super high tolerances. For a lot of newbie users, a 50 mg edible is really bad, and it can make you feel anxious too.

Best Cannabis Strains for Dealing with Pain

Medical marijuana is quickly becoming more and more popular all across the United States of America. There are currently 36 out of the 50 states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana, and 14 of those that have legalized the use of cannabis for all adults over the age of 21, even without a medical card! This is great news for people that may be dealing with chronic pain. Sure, we have all experienced pain in our lives from time to time. Maybe we twisted our back while unloading the van yesterday and are taking it easy, or perhaps you’ve experienced a sprained ankle in your younger years that kept you off your feet for a couple days.

Chronic pain is something completely different, and it is often hard to actually imagine what dealing with this sort of pain is like unless you or someone close to you has experienced it for themselves. People with chronic pain often are diagnosed with some sort of disease or condition that makes it very hard for them to function from day to day, and are often kept awake at night by their pain that only seems to worsen during that time. One of the biggest problems facing these patients is that their treatment options are very limited.

When it comes to painkillers and prescription medications, it seems that there are not healthy alternatives to using things like opioids, which are actually very harmful themselves. That is why many people with chronic pain conditions end up with crippling opioid and alcohol addictions. They simply need more and more to be able to control their pain and can no longer function without it. Hopefully, people with chronic pain can use medical marijuana as a natural and more risk free alternative to manage their symptoms.

Today we are going to talk about some of the best marijuana strains for dealing with chronic pain. Not only does cannabis provide a nice relaxing high for your body and mind, but marijuana also reduces levels of inflammation and irritation on a cellular level, making it much easier to escape from chronic pain symptoms during the day and at night. To start off the list, we are going to be talking about the all-time classic - Sour Diesel. Sour Diesel is one of the more popular and well-liked marijuana strains that is out on the market right now. This strain is great for smoking or consuming during the day due to the fact that it is a Sativa cannabis strain.

Not only will you find some pain relief, but you will also feel more energized and uplifted in order to do things during the day that your pain normally keeps you from. This makes it perfect for people who want relief from their symptoms but still have stuff to do. Another strain is called White Widow, which is generally not for beginners because of it’s very potent THC content. White Widow is an indica dominant hybrid strain, meaning that it will help to reduce your aches and pains while it also helps you drift off to sleep at night.

This is perfect for medical marijuana patients who struggle to sleep at night due to the amount of pain that they are experiencing. By using White Widow an hour or so before you plan on going to bed, you can be sure that you’ll feel nice and tired when the time comes to slip into bed. You will also find surprising relief from your pain and will feel wholesome and uplifted as you drift off to sleep.

 

Cannabis and Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is one of the most common mental degradation conditions for those over the age of 65 or so, and it can be something that one in every six people over the age of 80 deals with. While not fully understood, it’s something that does have certain risk factors to it. They include: 

• A family history 

• Getting older 

• Lifestyles and conditions that are related to heart disease 

• Untreated depression and other mental health issues. 

Alzheimer’s is basically the disease that contributes to dementia, but dementia is definitely a term that results in your mental and cognitive abilities dramatically declining, impacting your life quality. It can also be related to other conditions or even injuries that impact your brain, leading to the decline as it gets steady. The cause of this is simply because you’re not having the proper flushing of the proteins within your brain cells, so the neurotransmitters can’t send signals, and scientists can definitely struggle with the effects of this as well. It causes your brain to shrink, and it is not easy to deal with. Can cannabis help though? 

Cannabis and your brain 

There is a possible link between cannabis and the treatment of Alzheimer’s, which does boil down to the effect of the herbs on the brain. This is because the cannabis that you intake works with your endocannabinoid receptors, which is basically receptors in the cell throughout your body and uses endogenous cannabinoids, which are naturally occurring to help with the functions in the body.

You’ve got two main receptors, the CB1 and the CB2 receptors, which are normally found within your brain and spinal cord, and also, you may also find this in the immune system. There is some studies which say that if you vape, smoke, or intake cannabis in some way, the cannabinoids will directly bind to your receptors, releasing this into the brain, and then changing the sharing of the information on the brain, which can help to create the impact of cannabis for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. 

 Cannabis and Alzheimer’s 

There is a lot to learn about what cannabis does to the brain, but there are a few clinical trials that have worked to ensure that the impact of these cannabinoids on your behavioral systems for those with dementia are studied, especially those involving agitation and aggression. They actually found that THC along with CBD may be more useful together than using them in isolation. 

According to a report from the Alzheimer’s drug discovery foundation, the synthetic THC that’s called Nabilone, is actually one of the best ways to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms. It actually found as well through different studies that it can be used to reduce the agitation that’s associated via Alzheimer’s. 

While the data does look promising, right now we don’t have a ton of studies, and it could be said that more are necessary before we can safely say that cannabis does have some potential to help with Alzheimer’s symptoms. so is THC good for this? right now, given that THC is considered a psychotropic type of drug, it can possibly be good for this. the dosing and how many times you take it plays a much larger part. 

there is also the fact that THC may also impact the brain, but right now we don’t have the comprehensive answer for this. As for CBD, there is a lot less research on this, but some have found that it’s kind of neuroprotective, which can be helpful for those who have Alzheimer’s to protect the rest of the body from breaking down as well.

The Most common Medical Cannabis Myths

 With more and more evidence coming up involving the different types of medical cannabis that’s out there, you may wonder what’s the truth, and what isn’t. Here are some common myths that are there, debunking them, and letting you understand them as you go along.

Medical Cannabis within the US 

Right now, it’s been kind of recent since medical cannabis was used. 

While it’s been found in different pharmacopeia as early as the 1800s, there was some legislation that criminalized the usage of this. There are those who did openly fight this, and they also tried to prove to them that cannabis didn’t create addiction.

But within the different decades of this, you’ll also note that there are those that have also advocated for using this.  There are those in the 1970s who advocated for decriminalizing the usage of marijuana. 

In the last century, it’s changed from being something that people fear, to something that people have regarded as useful, but even so, it’s still viewed as a Schedule I substance, and it’s one that’s caused a problem with the usage of experimentation. There are also some myths about this that are best debunked, which is what we’re gonna do. 

There Are no Medical Benefits 

This is something that people say because they think using cannabis is just some half-assed excuse to get high. But the truth is, there are anti-inflammatory benefits that come with this, and it’s been found to even help with depression and anxiety, reducing them. There are now drugs made from cannabis that actually help those with epilepsy, reducing their spasms. 

Another thing is that the cannabinoids are different within each strain, so that’s why some people are better with certain strains than others.  It’s something that people think is addicting too, but there is no evidence to prove this. There are some side effects that can happen, but it’s more useful than bad. 

Smoking this Causes Cancer 

Right now, there is no evidence that proves that marijuana, when smoked, will cause lung cancer.

However, if you do burn plant material, inhaling this, and then blowing it out, it may irritate the lungs and the throat, and it’s why some people have moved towards vaping that heats the trichomes, pushes the cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes out, and then you inhale this. There are some actual compounds within this too. Delta-8 along with CBD are also useful too.

It’s a Gateway Drug 

Another myth that people assume, because they think people are going to try other drugs. But for the most part, those who use cannabis aren’t really interested in trying any harder drugs for the most part.  There may be some interest, but that doesn’t mean every user is going to rush up and do anything harder. 

You’ll be lazy

This is due to the negative stereotypes that stoners have, but for the most part, it’s actually good for energy and motivation, and some also can help with boosting the motivation of others.

It Causes Mental Illness 

Finally, people think it causes mental illness, like schizophrenia, but that's a myth.  This is something that is not necessarily true. It can play a role in exacerbating this, but you have to be predisposed to it, and right now there is no evidence that proves that cannabis will cause these conditions. It’s important to work with doctors to discuss this, and then monitor these interactions, and make sure that you understand the biochemistry of this as well. 

These myths are common, but they’re worth debunking if you’re not sure about the state of cannabis, and its usage as well.