Study: Cannabis Use Linked to Lower Stress and Improved Sleep for Veterans With PTSD

The study, published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors as well as published online by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, tracked 74 recently separated veterans with elevated PTSD symptoms over a three-month period. Participants provided daily reports through a mobile app, totaling more than 4,300 person-days of data. Researchers measured hours spent high, PTSD symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep quality. “Day-to-day analyses revealed that elevated PTSD symptoms and poor sleep quality each predicted greater perceived stress the following day”, states the study. “Greater number of hours high was associated with less perceived stress the following day.” Perceived stress, in turn, “predicted both higher PTSD symptoms and poorer sleep quality.”

According to researchers, “In post hoc analysis, stress emerged as a significant mechanism of change in the day-to-day lagged model. In particular, we show greater cannabis use is linked to improved sleep and PTSD symptoms through lower perceived stress.”

The study concludes by saying “Cannabis may offer temporary relief and appears to interrupt the day-to-day cycle linking PTSD, stress, and poor sleep.”