Winding Down the Perpetual Cycle of Insomnia

Oh, those sleepless nights! One can only toss and turn so much, before the frustration urges the body to get up.  Whether the culprit is chronic pain, anxiety or some other factor, the subsequent alertness and arousal can result in transient insomnia, when one can only get about 80% of a full night sleep.  Frequent sleepless nights result in chronic insomnia and can take place when attempting to fall asleep, during the night and/or waking before dawn.  Hemp-derived terpenes may be the best botanical remedy for treating insomnia.  According to Dr. Weng, a primary care physician practicing in Maryland, terpenes found in cannabis have proven to be an effective sedative.  Specifically, myrcene, caryophyllene and terpinolene, all of which offer relaxing and tranquil effects.

Global insomnia statistics:

• 1 in 5 US adults struggle to sleep every single night (22%).
• Half of US adults experience insomnia once a month or more (50%).
• Roughly 29% of young adults from 18–24 experience insomnia nightly, the highest rate of insomnia out of any age group in the US.
• Adults over the age of 65 are the least likely age group to suffer from nightly insomnia (17%).
• 59% of adults in the West suffer from insomnia at some point or another, making it the most susceptible region in the US.
• The Midwest is the region with the least sleep issues in the US, with just under half of adults (49%) saying that they never have trouble sleeping.
• People in Japan searched the most for the phrase ‘can’t sleep’, with 54 searches per 100,000 people.
• Norway had the highest search rate for ‘melatonin’ in the world in 2021, with Norwegians searching 520 times per 100,000 people.

Interestingly, the various compositions of the terpenes found in each medical marijuana strain, offer different aromas which associate the plant with product quality, retail price and consumer preference. Many adaptogenic herbs and flowers contain the same phytochemicals known as terpenes. Along with cannabis, for example, lavender, hops and ylang ylang contain similar sleep-promoting terpenes.  When ingested, terpenes interact within our endocannabinoid system (ECS), specifically the cannabinoid receptors CB1 & CB2 to produce an array of medicinal benefits including pain relief, respite from psychological burdens and improved sleep patterns.

Aside from common circumstances that lead to insomnia, there’s a vast array of other conditions that elicit sleepless nights. When one is suffering though transient or chronic insomnia, it’s wise not only to treat the condition, but get to the root cause, as there may be an underlying health concern that also needs attention.

What causes insomnia?

Acid reflux disorder		Heart attack
Age		High blood pressure		Primary insomnia
Asthma		Illness		Restless legs syndrome
Caffeine		Lifestyle		Sleep apnea
Chronic pain		Medications		Sleep disorders
Cold medications		Menopause		Sleep habits
Depression		Mental illness		Stress
Eating at bedtime		Overactive thyroid		Stroke

 

The perpetual nature of insomnia may cause people to feel tired, leading to irritability and lethargy. Additionally, they become prone to accidents. Long-term sleep loss has been linked to a wide range of more serious health conditions, including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Poor concentratio
• Parkinson’s disease
• Sleep apnea
• Stroke
• Tension and irritability

Medical marijuana patients may take doses of the herbal flower to treat conditions that cause insomnia, such as asthma, chronic pain, depression, menopause as well as movement disorders. Some strains that could be helpful for this variety of concerns include Blueberry Kush and Biscotti, which contains a high concentration of THC as well as 1-2% CBG, with β-myrcene and β-Caryophyllene dominant terpenes, making it a great medicinal strain.  Benjamin Fox (verified purchase, 3-17-22), expressed his experience with Biscotti as being, “great for pain, insomnia and for relaxing after a long day!”

β-myrcene is known to offer the pain relief by stimulating the release of endogenous opioids and if the level of myrcene is >0.5%, it may result in the “couch lock” effect.  This compound also offers a musky/hop-like fragrance and functions as an antioxidant and anti-cancer agent.  Another dominant terpene in many popular medical marijuana strains is limonene, which you can imagine has a citrus aroma.  This particular terpene increases serotonin and dopamine, thereby reducing anxiety and stress while providing sedative effects.

β-Caryophyllene, brings forth a spicy scent and, “is the most available sesquiterpenoid in cannabis plants and extracts, especially after decarboxylation by heat.  It’s responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis and has proven to provide…antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antioxidant, anxiolytic, analgesic and neuroprotective effects”.

The award-winning, Grape Ape is may provide long-lasting relief.  It’s a medicinal marijuana strain consisting of 90% indica, a cannabis variety notably helpful for sleep. The terpene profile consists mostly of myrcene and caryophyllene, giving fortitude that may help with a wide variety of other ailments including:

• Anorexia
• ADHD
• Bipolar Disorder
• Cancer/Chemotherapy
• Chronic Pain
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Migraines
• Mood Swings
• Movement Disorders
• Muscle Spasms
• PTSD
• PMS
• Postpartum Depression
• Psychological Burdens
• Stress

William M. (verified purchase, 7-21-22), said that Grape Ape, “helps a lot with my physical pain/muscle spasms and is also very nice for relieving stress.”