Can’t Sleep? Consider Cannabis

After 20 years in the Air Force, I have sleep issues. Members of the military work long hours and often odd shifts. For example, while stationed in Hawaii I worked an odd schedule for almost two years: four days on a night shift (7 pm to 7 am) four days off, then back to work for for days on a day shift (7 am to 7 pm). During some military conflicts, I would work 16-hour shifts, sleep in my car for a few hours, then head back to work. 20 years of deployments and odd shifts have taken a toll.

Today I run a fast-paced company that requires odd, long hours and my sleep has never been consistent. I’d have trouble falling asleep and would frequently wake up through the night. After years of trying prescription drugs or over-the-counter sleep aids like Melatonin, I found low-THC cannabis edibles work the best.

5mg Edibles work best for me

I know Melatonin does work for some friends and I suggest starting with that if you don’t want the buzz that cannabis brings. In Massachusetts, the cap on individual edibles is 5mg which doesn’t get me “high” like smoking marijuana flower does. It’s a relaxing feeling and I usually feel fatigued around an hour of consumption. I’ve heard some people tell me they need up to 70 mg to get high. Each person reacts to cannabis differently, so start low and work your way up.

The Cost

My store of choice is New Leaf (newleafcanna.com) at 2629 S Main St in Fall River because they have a wide selection of edibles, great prices and open daily util 11pm. I’ve seen 5mg edibles for as cheap as 40 individual edibles for $20, so that’s 50 cents each – extremely cheap when compared to prescription drugs. Melatonin is a great inexpensive starting point and I’ve seen it on Amazon for 70 capsules for less than $8.

Trying cannabis for sleep for the first time

I suggest new consumers to cannabis consume half an edible to start which should give you a 2.5mg dose and move up to 5mg or higher as needed. I also suggest trying different mixes – you can try pure THC edibles or ones that come in a mix of THC/CBD. Cannabis plants contain more than 120 different phytocannabinoids and when taken together provide a different experience. I’ve read that CBD can reduce the THC effect and reduce the buzz. So if you want to get sleepy without the buzz, a THC/CBD edible is likely your best option. When you go to a dispensary let the budtender know you are trying to help with your sleep and they should have some recommendations.

• You can browse New Leaf’s edibles menu here.