Study: Cannabinoids Significantly Improve Insomnia Symptoms, Sleep Quality and Sleep Duration
- Cannabinoids significantly reduce insomnia severity and improve sleep quality, as shown by a meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials with 2,134 participants.
- Treatment with cannabinoids increased total sleep time by about 34 minutes, improved sleep efficiency by 4.31%, and reduced sleep onset latency by approximately 12 minutes.
- While mild and temporary adverse effects like dizziness and dry mouth were more common with cannabinoids, no serious harms were reported across the included studies.
- Researchers suggest cannabinoids as a potential alternative to traditional hypnotics for insomnia, but emphasize the need for larger, longer-term trials to establish optimal dosing and sustained effectiveness.
Cannabinoids can significantly improve insomnia symptoms, sleep quality and several measures of sleep duration and efficiency, according to a new analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Published in Sleep Medicine, the study was conducted by researchers from Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College Lyari, Dow University of Health Sciences, Benha University, Nishtar Medical University and Allama Iqbal Medical College.
Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials involving 2,134 participants with insomnia or poor sleep quality. The trials compared cannabinoids with either placebo or melatonin.
Cannabinoid treatment was associated with a significant reduction in insomnia severity, with scores on the Insomnia Severity Index decreasing by an average of 3.73 points compared with control treatments.
Sleep quality also improved significantly. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores decreased by an average of 3.94 points among participants receiving cannabinoids.
Researchers also found that cannabinoids increased total sleep time by an average of approximately 34 minutes and improved sleep efficiency — the percentage of time in bed actually spent sleeping — by 4.31%.
Participants receiving cannabinoids fell asleep about 12 minutes faster on average, suggesting an improvement in sleep onset latency. Researchers also reported improvements in nighttime sleep continuity.
Adverse events were more common among participants receiving cannabinoids, with dizziness and dry mouth among the most frequently reported effects. However, the researchers said most adverse events were mild and temporary, and no serious harms were observed across the included trials.
Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or obtaining sufficient restorative sleep. The researchers note that commonly used hypnotic medications can be associated with tolerance and dependence, contributing to interest in cannabinoids as potential alternatives.
“Cannabinoids improve sleep quality and duration with acceptable safety, offering a potential alternative for managing insomnia,” the researchers conclude.
They caution that larger and longer-term clinical trials are needed to determine optimal cannabinoid dosing and whether the improvements remain effective with sustained use.