What Happens When You Go to Sleep High? How THC Affects Sleep

Prefer to listen? Play the audio version below:

 

 

Cannabis (marijuana) is the most widely used federally illegal drug in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 52.5 million people, or about 19% of Americans, used the drug at least once in 2021.

People use marijuana for many reasons, from wanting to experiment with the high to smoking cannabis for medicinal purposes.

One common reason people cite is for promoting sleep. THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) can have sedative effects, helping you feel sleepy and fall asleep quicker. But what happens when you sleep high?

For many people, THC feels like a quick fix. After all, if you have trouble sleeping, smoking marijuana can help you unwind, feel drowsy, drift off a little easier, and get a full night of restful sleep. But as with anything that affects your brain and body, the relationship between cannabis and sleep is more complicated than it might seem at first.

Does marijuana actually help with sleep, or does it just knock you out temporarily? And what happens when you sleep high? Does it promote deep sleep and improve sleep quality, or does it just mask underlying sleep issues?

In this article, we’ll break down how THC affects your sleep cycle, when cannabis might be useful, what the potential downsides are, and how it compares to other natural sleep aids. You will learn:

• What happens to your brain when you sleep high
• How THC affects the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep
• When cannabis should and shouldn’t be used for sleep
• Tips for a healthy sleep cycle

Is THC a Good Sleep Aid?

Many people turn to THC for help falling asleep, especially if they’re dealing with stress, anxiety, or chronic pain. In fact, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that up to a quarter of Americans regularly or occasionally use marijuana for sleep.

At first thought, it makes sense. THC often has a calming or sedative effect that can make it easier to relax and drift off. In fact, some users say they fall asleep faster or sleep more soundly after marijuana use. But while there may be short-term benefits, relying on THC for sleep isn’t always the best long-term solution.

According to Dr. Andra Matsumura, a spokesperson for the AASM, “Research has actually shown that marijuana use is associated with impaired sleep quality.”

In small or moderate doses, smoking cannabis may help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, particularly for people who struggle with insomnia. Some also report that it helps quiet racing thoughts or anxiety that can keep them awake at night.

For people with chronic pain or other medical issues, THC might relieve discomfort enough to make sleep more manageable. That’s one reason it’s been studied and used for medical purposes, such as for sleep-related issues and other chronic conditions.

However, the relationship between THC and sleep is more complicated than it might seem.

Unfortunately, THC affects the stages of sleep in negative ways after some time. While it can help people fall asleep quicker, research shows that marijuana, especially high doses, reduces REM sleep, which is the stage where dreaming happens and where memory consolidation and emotional processing take place.

Over time, less REM sleep can have negative effects on the overall quality of rest, even if someone feels like they’re sleeping longer or deeper.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Sleep High?

While smoking marijuana might make it easier to nod off, the quality and structure of your sleep are affected in ways you might not notice right away if you go to sleep while high.

Sure, weed can make you sleepy, but over time, it can have a bigger impact on how rested, focused, or emotionally balanced you feel.

Side Effects of THC

Marijuana and other cannabis products contain both THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the psychoactive component responsible for the altered perception or “high” produced by marijuana.

The effects of THC can vary depending on the potency, dose taken, the person’s tolerance, and other factors. For some, it creates a sense of relaxation, euphoria, or heightened sensory perception. But for others, especially when consumed at high doses, cannabis use can lead to less pleasant side effects and an increased risk of mental health effects.

Short-term side effects of THC include:

• Dry mouth
• Red eyes
• Increased relaxation
• Increased heart rate
• Impaired coordination
• Short-term memory problems
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Panic
• Disorientation
• Trouble thinking clearly

With long-term or frequent use, THC can affect motivation, concentration, and emotional regulation. Heavy use has also been linked to issues like cannabis use disorder, withdrawal symptoms when quitting, worsened sleep problems, and an increased risk of mental health effects such as depression or anxiety.

Effects of THC on REM Sleep

One of the most well-known effects of THC on sleep is its impact on REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep where most dreaming happens. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is more than just dreaming, though. It’s a critical part of the sleep cycle that helps with emotional regulation, physical restoration, learning, and memory.

When you regularly use THC before bed, studies show that REM sleep tends to be suppressed. That means you may spend less time dreaming and miss out on the mental and emotional benefits this stage provides.

Over time, the lack of REM sleep can add up, potentially affecting mood, memory, and how well you process stress during the day.

Interestingly, there is a “rebound effect” that often occurs in heavy users. If people stop relying on marijuana to fall asleep, their brain may try to “catch up” on REM sleep. This can lead to intense or vivid dreams that often occur when people stop using marijuana.

Impact on Brain Activity

THC affects sleep patterns and alters how your brain functions while you’re asleep. Normally, your brain follows a fairly predictable rhythm throughout the night, moving through the normal sleep stages of light sleep, deep sleep (slow-wave), and REM sleep in cycles.

THC can disrupt that rhythm by changing the amount of time and in the order in which these sleep stages occur. While some research suggests it may increase deep sleep in the short term, the overall structure of your sleep stages become less stable, especially in regular cannabis users.

In addition to disrupting the sleep cycle, THC affects neurotransmitters like dopamine, GABA, and serotonin, which play key roles in regulating sleep and mood. This can lead to daytime side effects like brain fog, irritability, or difficulty focusing on tasks.

 

Benefits of Cannabis for Sleep

While cannabis isn’t the perfect sleep aid for everyone, there are legitimate reasons why many people turn to it for help falling and staying asleep. For those dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, or physical pain, using cannabis for sleep can make it easier to unwind at the end of the day and fall asleep.

Potential benefits of using THC for sleep include:

Faster Sleep Onset

The active compounds in cannabis, THC and CBD, can make you sleepy and relaxed. This helps many people fall asleep faster. Some users say they’re able to fall asleep within minutes after using it, especially when compared to tossing and turning for hours, which are common insomnia symptoms.

Reduced Anxiety

Many cannabis strains are known for their calming, anti-anxiety effects, particularly indica strains or products with higher CBD content. For people whose insomnia is driven by mental stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, or simply overthinking, cannabis may create the sense of calm needed to fall asleep more naturally.

Relaxed Muscles

The body-high feeling associated with certain cannabis strains can lead to full-body relaxation. This can be particularly helpful for people who suffer from restless leg syndrome, a condition where people experience an intense urge to move their legs, particularly while lying down.

Less Pain and Inflammation

For those who struggle with physical discomfort, medical cannabis can help manage pain, thereby improving sleep. THC and CBD both have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which can make bedtime more comfortable and less restless.

Risks of Using Marijuana for Sleep

While cannabis users may find that THC offers short-term relief for sleep troubles, it’s not always ideal as a long-term sleep aid.

For better long-term results, it’s often worth looking into developing better sleep hygiene habits, using cognitive-behavioral strategies, or exploring other natural sleep aids.

Potential risks of using THC for sleep include:

Next-Day Marijuana Hangover

Some people wake up feeling groggy, foggy, or unmotivated after using THC at night, especially in high doses or with potent strains. Going to sleep high can create the feeling of a “weed hangover,” making it harder to concentrate or be productive the next day.

While not everyone experiences this, it’s a common complaint and can be especially frustrating if your goal was to go to sleep high to feel more rested and alert.

Less Time Spent in the REM Sleep Stage

REM sleep is when most dreaming occurs. This stage of sleep is also important for memory and emotional processing.

If you’re regularly spending less time in REM sleep, you may wake up feeling mentally foggy or emotionally “off.” Not only will you have fewer dreams when you sleep high, but you may also experience excessive daytime sleepiness or abnormal waking hours.

Unfortunately, THC reduces the amount of time you’ll spend in REM sleep, ultimately disturbing the sleep cycle.

Tolerance

People who use cannabis regularly may find that its sleep-inducing effects fade over time as they develop tolerance. What initially started as a helpful tool can become less effective, leading some users to increase their dosage to get the same results.

This can create a cycle where sleep becomes dependent on THC, and natural sleep patterns are disrupted to the point where they can’t go to sleep or stay asleep without using more of it.

Dependence

If someone suddenly stops using cannabis, they might experience what’s known as “rebound insomnia,” where deep sleep becomes even more difficult without it.

Other short-term withdrawal symptoms can include vivid dreams, irritability, anxiety, or restlessness–all of which can contribute to sleep problems.

Worse Mental Health

While smoking weed can reduce anxiety in the short term for some people, using cannabis for sleep regularly may impact mental health negatively by worsening anxiety, depression, or mood swings in others.

For example, if you’re using marijuana to cope with underlying post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health issues, it might offer temporary relief but could potentially make symptoms harder to manage in the long run.

Masking Underlying Sleep Issues

Using cannabis for sleep can sometimes hide more serious underlying problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety disorders, or poor sleep hygiene.

If the root cause of the poor sleep patterns isn’t addressed, cannabis becomes more of a band-aid than a solution. Over time, this can delay getting the right treatment or making lifestyle changes that could offer better, longer-lasting sleep improvements.

When is Marijuana Use Appropriate for Sleep?

Cannabis can be helpful for sleep in certain situations. For example, if you’re experiencing a temporary period of poor sleep due to something like stress, travel, or a changing schedule, cannabis can help make you sleepy.

In cases like these, short-term or occasional use may be helpful, but it may not be a good idea to go to sleep high every night.

For people who struggle with chronic pain, muscle spasms, or inflammation that disrupts sleep, cannabis is a form of pain management that may help relieve physical symptoms enough to get more rest. In these cases, using cannabis responsibly might be a way to improve quality of life, especially for those who want to avoid more addictive pain medications like opioids.

Medical Guidance is Key

Medical use is responsible use. Medical cannabis use is more structured, with dosage, timing, and potential side effects monitored closely by a healthcare professional to ensure that what happens when you sleep high is affecting your sleep quality positively.

If you live in a state where medical cannabis is legal and your doctor supports it, they might be able to recommend specific strains or products to help you stay asleep. Some people turn to cannabis for sleep because over-the-counter or prescription sleep medications either don’t help or come with grogginess, dependency risks, or other side effects.

If cannabis works better and feels more manageable, it may be a reasonable alternative–just be sure to check with your doctor, first.

THC Alternatives and Other Natural Sleep Aids

Using marijuana for sleep or sleep disorders is not right for everyone, and there are plenty of alternatives available that don’t involve smoking weed or using other psychoactive substances.

As with any substance, natural or synthetic, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider before starting.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone your body naturally produces to signal that it’s time to sleep. Taking a small dose (usually between 0.5–3 mg) 30–60 minutes before bed can help reset your sleep-wake cycle, especially if you’re dealing with jet lag or a changing schedule.

Melatonin is best for short-term use, since long-term supplementation can sometimes interfere with your body’s natural production.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in muscle relaxation and calming the nervous system. Some people find that magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate helps them unwind before bed and sleep more soundly through the night.

L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in green tea that promotes relaxation without sedation. It can help ease anxiety and reduce the mental chatter that often keeps people awake, making it a great option to try alongside other sleep supports.

Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb with mild sedative properties that has been used for centuries as a natural sleep aid. It’s also used to promote general relaxation by calming the brain’s arousal system.

Tips for Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene

Ultimately, no psychoactive drug or natural sleep aid can replace good sleep hygiene. Having healthy sleep habits can have a significant impact on how you feel the next day and your overall emotional health.

Here are some tips that will promote positive sleep hygiene:

• Stick to a schedule – Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps train your body to expect sleep at a certain hour. Try to keep a consistent routine, even on weekends, to support a more stable sleep cycle.
• Create a routine – Signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep by developing a calming bedtime routine. This might include dimming the lights, stretching, journaling, reading a book, or taking a warm shower.
• Limit your screen time – Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs can interfere with melatonin production. Try shutting off screens at least 30–60 minutes before bed, or use blue light filters if you must be online late at night.
• Minimize caffeine and alcohol intake – Caffeine can linger in your system for hours and may make it harder to fall asleep, even if you don’t feel wired. Similarly, while alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it often disrupts sleep quality and causes more nighttime awakenings.
• Make your bedroom sleep-friendly – Keep your room cool, quiet, and dark. Use blackout curtains, white noise machines, or earplugs if needed. A comfortable mattress and pillow also make a big difference in sleep quality.

 

Signs of Marijuana Addiction

If you consistently rely on marijuana for sleep or find that you can’t sleep without it, you may have a cannabis use disorder.

While many people think of smoking weed as being less addictive than other substances, it can still lead to dependence or addiction for some users, especially with regular, long-term use or when it’s used as a way to cope with stress or emotions.

Using too much cannabis affects every aspect of your life. Here are some common signs of marijuana addiction:

Physical Signs

• Increased tolerance – needing more weed to get the same high.
• Withdrawal symptoms – feeling irritable, anxious, having sleep disturbances, or experiencing changes in appetite when not using.
• Bloodshot eyes or a persistent cough.
• Frequent fatigue or lack of motivation.

Behavioral Signs

• Using more than intended, even when trying to cut back.
• Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from marijuana.
• Losing interest in hobbies, work, or social activities that don’t involve getting high.
• Neglecting responsibilities at work, school, or home.
• Continuing to use even when it causes problems in relationships, work, or with mental health.

Psychological & Emotional Signs

• Feeling anxious, paranoid, or depressed when not using.
• Needing marijuana to feel “normal” or relaxed.
• Using it as a coping mechanism for boredom, stress, or emotions.
• Craving it and constantly thinking about when you’ll smoke or use THC next.

If you or someone you love is showing multiple signs, it might be time to take a closer look at the relationship with marijuana.

Find Treatment Now

When marijuana use becomes daily, hard to control, or starts interfering with your life, relationships, or motivation, it may be a sign of cannabis use disorder. Many people don’t even realize they’ve developed a dependency until they try to cut back and find themselves feeling anxious, irritable, or unable to sleep.

Treatment for marijuana addiction typically starts with identifying patterns of use and understanding the role cannabis plays in your life. This is often done through therapy, where you can explore the emotional or behavioral triggers that lead to use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective approaches. It helps individuals build healthier coping strategies, manage cravings, and improve their overall well-being.

In more structured treatment programs, you may also receive support for co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or trauma. Group therapy, individual counseling, and holistic therapies like mindfulness or fitness can all be part of the process.

Some people benefit from outpatient care, while others may find that a residential program provides the focused environment they need to fully reset.

If you’re ready to make a change, our team at Moving Mountains Recovery is here to help. We offer a full continuum of care, including partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and outpatient care, as well as extensive aftercare services.

To learn more about our treatment programs or to get started with a confidential, risk-free assessment, please contact us today!

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Cannabis Facts and Stats
2. American Academy of Sleep Medicine: Marijuana use leads to lost sleep for half of Americans
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Cannabis (Marijuana)
4. National Institute of Health (NIH): The Effects of Cannabinoids on Sleep
5. Harvard Health Publishing: REM sleep: What is it, why is it important, and how can you get more of it?
6. Johns Hopkins Medicine: Natural Sleep Aids: Home Remedies to Help You Sleep