What Happens When You Sleep While High?

If you’re like me, winding down at the end of the day can be a tall task. Following a long day with a steady stream of Netflix and endlessly scrolling social media is an easy trap to fall into, and before you know it 9:00 or 10:00 pm quickly turns to midnight or later. Finding a safe, relaxing way to ease the transition into sleep is a worthwhile goal. You may have found yourself wondering if cannabinoids can help you sleep, but if you’ve never gotten high before you’re likely to have a few questions. What does it feel like to get high? Will it help me fall asleep? Is it going to affect me while I sleep? Getting high is a great way to unwind before you climb into bed, but being armed with the right knowledge can make all the difference. So, let’s get to the bottom of what happens when you sleep while high. 

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What Does Being High Feel Like?

If you have never used cannabis or another psychoactive hemp-based cannabinoid, you may be wondering what being high feels like. The truth is, there is no one way to describe what being high feels like and there are numerous reasons why. Some of the variables that can affect how a cannabis high is experienced include:

• Individual physiology – Each person has a unique physical makeup, and this will affect how a high is experienced. Physiological factors include age, weight, gender, and biochemistry.
• Dosage and potency – Cannabinoid products come in a variety of strengths. The potency and the amount used can impact how you feel when high.
• Strain specific effects – Different types of cannabis have different combinations of both cannabinoids and terpenes, and these combinations can create unique experiences in terms of getting high.
• Amount of usage – The amount of a cannabinoid you use and the frequency with which you use it will affect what you feel like when getting high.
• Presence of other chemicals – If you have other chemicals in your system, particularly alcohol, you are likely to have different sensations when high than you would if those chemicals were not present.

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Although each person is going to have an individualized experience when using cannabis, there are some commonly reported effects associated with being high. These include:

• Euphoria
• Elevated moods
• Pain relief
• Relaxation
• Sedation
• Hunger
• Creativity

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These are just some of the positive effects of a good high and there are many more. Unfortunately, there can sometimes be negative experiences as well. This can include confusion, anxiety, paranoia, or nausea. These negative experiences often come from taking too large of a dose or exposing yourself to unfamiliar and uncomfortable circumstances while high. This is why it’s important to start with a small dose and give the product time to reach its full effect before upping the dose. If you’ve never been high before, you probably have more questions than just what we’ll cover here. Luckily, the Green Dragon has a wealth of articles on our blog for newcomers, so you can learn things like how long being high lasts and what to do if you get too high.

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Can Getting High Help You Sleep?

Having trouble sleeping is all too common among adults. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), 30 to 35% of adults have experienced symptoms of insomnia and 10% of adults suffer from chronic insomnia symptoms. Some of the effects of a cannabis high sound like they might be just what the insomniac ordered, including relaxation, sedation, and pain relief. But can getting high help you fall asleep? Many cannabis users think so. The Sleep Foundation conducted a survey in which 70% of casual users of cannabis reported they sometimes use it to help them sleep, and 85% of users of medical marijuana for pain relief report that it improves the quality of their sleep. 

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While self-reports in a survey are indicative of how users feel about cannabis as a sleep aid, they can be biased and flawed. Luckily, we also have some scientific and medical studies we can turn to. One study done in 2004 found that THC was helpful in inducing sleep in young adults, which is helpful for those who have a hard time falling asleep. Another review of clinical trials conducted in 2019 found that cannabinoids could improve sleep quality, decrease sleep disturbances, and decrease sleep onset latency. 

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So yes, there is both anecdotal and scientific evidence that getting high can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. But remember those strain-specific effects we talked about earlier? If a better night’s sleep is the goal, picking out the right product is going to be key.

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Best Strains for Aiding Sleep

As we talked about earlier, different strains of cannabis or hemp are going to have different combinations of both cannabinoids and terpenes, and these specific profiles can create unique effects. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds that bind to the receptors in your endocannabinoid system (ECS) and terpenes are the essential oils that give different strains their unique smell and taste. The three types of strain we most often see in terms of recreational and medicinal use are indica, sativa, and hybrid. You can find an in-depth article on picking the right strain for the right situation here, but right now we’ll go over the basics.

• Indica – These strains are characterized by what is known as a “body high”, with effects that tend to be sedative, relaxing, and pain relieving.
• Sativa – These strains are known to give the user a “head high”, which is a stimulating and motivational experience known to jumpstart creativity.
• Hybrid – A crossbreed of indica and sativa, hybrid strains aim to have a balanced combination of the properties of both strains.

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As you’ve probably gathered, when it comes to picking a product to help you sleep, you’re likely going to want to go with an indica strain, or maybe a hybrid. Because they can be energizing and thought provoking, using a sativa product could keep you up pondering the intricacies of whatever project you’re working on. On the other hand, the soporific effects of sativa products can help settle both body and mind before going to bed. 

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There is also evidence that strains high in the terpene called myrcene can help the user sleep, while strains with the terpene called limonene are more likely to be stimulating. You can often find terpene profiles on the product’s certificate of analysis (COA). You should always make sure that any product you buy has a COA so that you know it has been tested by a third-party to confirm that it’s high quality and safe.

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Will Being High Affect My Sleep Quality?

We’ve seen evidence that, with the help of the right strain, getting high can help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but you might still be worried about the quality of that sleep. It’s important to note that because cannabis and cannabinoids were not legally available until recently, there’s still a lot of research that needs to be done before we get a clear picture on its impact. 

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That does not mean that we do not have research to pull conclusions from when it comes to the quality of sleep you will get while high. For example, a study conducted in 2008 found that THC can increase what is known as Delta Non-REM, or Stage 3 sleep. This is the deepest stage of sleep and is when tissue growth, tissue repair, and cell regeneration occur. By increasing the amount of deep sleep you get, you may wake up feeling more rested and restored. This can also help to reorganize your sleep architecture if you already have an abnormal or inconsistent sleep pattern.

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That same study also found that using THC reduces the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. This is the stage of sleep when your internal physiology is most active. Your breathing, heart rate, and brain activity all increase during REM sleep, and this is also the stage where most of your dreaming occurs. It is because of this that the use of THC has been particularly helpful in improving the sleep of those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those suffering from PTSD often have their sleep disturbed by nightmares, and the reduction of REM stage sleep helps to alleviate this problem. If you’re interested in learning more about how cannabinoids can help with PTSD, you can find our article here.

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Can CBD Help Me Sleep Without Getting Me High?

If getting high just isn’t for you, you may still be able to find a better night of rest with CBD. CBD is not psychoactive, but it does still help to supplement your body’s ECS to provide a lot of therapeutic benefits. One of those benefits is that it has been shown to lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that prepares the body for action, so having too much can make sleeping difficult. CBD can also be paired with melatonin, which is a hormone your body produces in response to darkness to prepare your body for sleep. Read our article on CBD and melatonin for a more thorough look at how they work together and the products available with both.

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Tucking In for The Night

Getting high is fun, but it can also be therapeutic, and one of the ways it can help us improve our lives is by improving how easily and how well we sleep at night. The right strain can help us to shed our stress and relax our way into a good night’s sleep. Not only do cannabis users report that getting high helps them to sleep, but we also have clinical evidence that it can help us fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer, and awake more rested. Whether you have trouble sleeping or just want to take your slumber to the next level, cannabinoids can be a great addition to your nighttime routine. If getting high doesn’t interest you, CBD products with melatonin can help improve your rest without the mind-altering effects. If you’re ready to give it a try, please browse our many product options, just remember to keep your eyes on indica or hybrid strains. Not sure where to start? Drop us a line in the comments or reach out through our contact page, and one of our helpful and educated associates will help you find exactly what you’re looking for. After that, all that’s left to do is close your eyes and catch some Z’s.