Smoking Weed at Night: How It Affects Your Sleep and the Next Day

Smoking weed at night can help you fall asleep, but a big dose can leave you foggy the next morning.

Plenty of people use weed to fall asleep, both recreational smokers and medical cannabis patients, and occasional use may help with insomnia. The catch: high doses of THC at night can cause next-day grogginess and memory hiccups (a "weed hangover"), and heavy long-term use can wreck your sleep quality. For context, around 70% of young adults who use weed casually say they do it to help them sleep. Among long-term users (people who've been using for 10 years or more), about half use it to sleep better. And among people who use cannabis for medical reasons, like pain relief, up to 85% say it improves their sleep.

Research on whether cannabis actually helps you sleep is still developing. Weed may help ease insomnia when used occasionally, but researchers still aren't sure whether long-term use ends up helping or hurting sleep quality.

Weed does seem to improve sleep in certain cases. For people with some conditions, like chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and multiple sclerosis, it may help them fall asleep faster, wake up less during the night and get better sleep overall.

Lots of people use weed to self-treat insomnia, anxiety and pain. Among them, the results for sleep are more mixed, although one study of people with insomnia found that many participants reported relief from their symptoms when they used cannabis.

Cannabinoids' sleep-promoting effects are thought to come from how they interact with cannabinoid receptors in the brain. When cannabinoids bind to these receptors, they send signals that raise levels of adenosine, a sleep-promoting compound, and dial down the brain's arousal system. Together, these effects can leave cannabis users feeling sedated or sleepy.

Weed has several different active compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC usually acts as a sedative, but it can be stimulating for some people, especially newer users or anyone taking higher doses. In those cases, smoking before bed can actually make it take longer to fall asleep. CBD seems to promote alertness at lower doses and drowsiness at higher ones. How the two work together can depend on the dose and the timing.

Both CBD and THC may also help with chronic conditions that get in the way of sleep. For example, synthetic forms of THC have shown potential for treating obstructive sleep apnea, reducing PTSD-related nightmares and improving sleep for people living with chronic pain. CBD, on the other hand, may reduce symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness.

When you use weed as a sleep aid, what you feel can depend on the type of cannabis. Marijuana has higher concentrations of THC, the main psychoactive compound. Hemp plants have higher levels of CBD.

Studies suggest that people who use weed as a long-term sleep aid tend to build up a tolerance to its sedating effects and may need more to get the same results. Heavy use can have consequences for sleep, especially over the long run, including less sleep overall, less deep sleep, taking longer to fall asleep and waking up more often.

One study found that high doses of THC at night can cause unwanted side effects the next day, like memory problems and drowsiness. Quitting weed can also cause sleep-related withdrawal symptoms, like weird, vivid dreams, trouble falling asleep and less deep sleep.

What are the effects of indica weed?

Indica, one of the main types of cannabis alongside sativa, is known for its relaxing, sedating effects. It can bring on a sense of calm in both body and mind, which is why so many people reach for it to unwind and de-stress after a long day. Patients also report that indica helps with pain, whether chronic, muscular or migraine-related. Another big draw is sleep: many users find indica helps them fall asleep more easily and rest better. It may also ease muscle tension and spasms, which can help people with muscle disorders. And some people find it takes the edge off anxiety, leaving them deeply relaxed. In short, indica is mostly associated with relaxation, pain relief, better sleep and less anxiety, though the effect of any given strain depends more on its cannabinoids and terpenes than on the label.

What are the effects of sativa weed?

Sativa is known for more stimulating, energizing effects than indica. It can give you a burst of energy and a sense of euphoria. Some people use sativa to lift their mood and get the creative juices flowing.

Weed has been used to manage anxiety for some people, but keep in mind that effects vary from person to person. Some people feel their anxiety ease with sativa, while others find it ramps anxiety up. So be careful, and talk to a healthcare professional before using cannabis for an anxiety disorder.

When it comes to sativa for sleep, its stimulating effect can make it harder for some people to drift off. Still, everyone reacts differently, so some people may find it helps them sleep. Pay attention to your own preferences and how your body responds to it.

As for weight loss, there's no conclusive scientific evidence that weed, sativa or indica, directly causes you to lose weight. Some studies suggest the CBD in cannabis could help regulate appetite and metabolism, but more research is needed to understand those effects and how they relate to body weight.

And on the difference between hash and weed: hash is made from the cannabis plant's resin, while weed is the dried, broken-up flower itself. Hash usually has a higher THC concentration than weed, which can mean stronger, longer-lasting effects.

In short, sativa tends to be stimulating and energizing, and it may lift your mood and boost creativity. But effects vary from person to person, so keep your own preferences and any possible contraindications in mind.

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