Medical Cannabis and Insomnia

Insomnia is a term used to describe regular problems with sleeping. There are various ways in which insomnia can affect sleep. It may be difficult to get to sleep in the first place meaning that people lie awake for long periods of time. Some people with Insomnia can fall asleep easily but they find that they wake several times in the night and sometimes can’t get back to sleep afterwards. People with Insomnia often feel tired when they wake in the morning. Insomnia can make it difficult to concentrate during the day and can affect our mood too.

​

Short term Insomnia occurs for less than 3 months but if it continues past this it is referred to as long term Insomnia.

​

This page refers to Insomnia in adults only. For information on Insomnia in children click here.

There are lots of causes of Insomnia from environmental issues like temperature and noise to our circadian rhythms which can be affected by shifts or travel for example. Many people with Insomnia are affected by stress and worries, and substances such as stimulants or some other drugs can prevent sleep too.

​

Thankfully most cases of Insomnia are successfully improved by changing our environment and lifestyle habits and by maintaining good sleep hygiene.

​

You should see your GP if you are having trouble with Insomnia and they will help to identify the causes of your poor sleep. A GP may refer a patient for cognitive behavioural therapy or even to a sleep clinic if there are concerns about a sleep disorder. Clinicians rarely prescribe sleeping pills and if so for short periods of time only. They are generally avoided.

​

Whilst research into medical cannabis and Insomnia is limited, there has been an increase in the number of patients looking to medical cannabis when some of the interventions above have not been successful in managing their condition. It is important that this is done via specialist clinicians and only on prescription with the right care in place. 

​

If you would like to discuss medical cannabis and fibromyalgia you can contact us here or self refer here.