What Happens When You Go to Sleep High?

In the ever-changing tapestry of societal norms, the use of marijuana is gradually being stitched in as a commonly accepted practice. From its use for medical purposes, to unwind after a long day, or to enhance creative ideation, there’s no denying that marijuana and its associated high have found their way into an array of daily routines. But what about the effects of using marijuana at the endpoints of your day as you succumb to the call of slumber? Today, we’re turning the lens to the question that’s captured a fair share of curiosity: What happens when you go to sleep high?

Understanding the High

Before we delve into the mysterious realms of sleep and dreams, let’s briefly discuss what it means to be ‘high’ and the protagonists of our story. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or as it’s more commonly known, THC, is the molecule responsible for the psychotropic effects associated with marijuana. By imitating the natural chemicals in your body, THC binds to and activates cells in the brain, affecting various mental and physical functions ranging from pain perception to happiness and time perception.

How does THC make its way into your body? Well, the journey of THC begins with consumption, and there are quite a few roads it can take. Each of these methods influences how quickly THC enters your bloodstream and, in turn, how fast you begin to feel its effects:

• Smoking or vaping: Inhaled through either a joint, pipe, or vaporizer, THC enters the bloodstream rapidly via the lungs. The effects usually begin within minutes.
• Edibles or tinctures: Consumed orally in foods, beverages, or as sublingual drops, THC undergoes a longer journey through your digestive system before making it to the bloodstream. This route takes longer (30 minutes to 2 hours), but the effects often last longer.
• Topicals: While not typically inducing a ‘high,’ THC-infused creams, lotions, and oils are absorbed through the skin for localized relief of pain or inflammation.

Each mode of consumption offers a different experience, intensity, duration, and, of course, impact on your sleep–an intriguing exposé we’ll explore further. Buckle up; things are about to get dreamy in dreamland.

The Science of Sleep

Sleep is more than just turning off the day’s events and resting our minds and bodies. Instead, while we dream of winning the lottery or forgetting to study for an exam, our bodies run a well-orchestrated show alternating between non-REM and REM stages.

Non-REM sleep is further categorized into three stages:

1. Stage 1 (N1): This is the transition phase: the lights of consciousness dimmer, and your heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements slow down.
2. Stage 2 (N2): You’re asleep, but a loud noise could likely wake you. Your body temperature drops, eye movements stop, and brain activity slows but has bursts of activity.
3. Stage 3 (N3): Welcome to deep sleep. It’s harder to wake you during this phase of deeper sleep. Important bodily restorative work, such as tissue repair, happens here.

Next up is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, named for the random side-to-side movements of the closed eyes. The rem stage is when most dreaming happens; your brain becomes more active, and your body becomes relaxed and immobile to prevent you from acting out your dreams!

Each stage plays a critical role in ensuring you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Quality sleep is essential for overall health, mood, and cognitive functioning. It aids in memory consolidation, learning, bodily repair and maintenance, and keeping our mental health in check. It even plays a role in weight management and cardiac health.

Intersecting Lines – Sleep and High

Enter THC into this meticulously choreographed ballet of sleep; what happens? The immediate effects of going to sleep high often include a potentially faster sleep onset, i.e., you might fall asleep faster due to the sedative effects of marijuana, particularly strains high in THC.

However, THC’s impact on the sleep cycle is where things get interesting. Researchers have discovered that THC can affect our sleep architecture, the typical pattern of our sleep. A prominent effect: THC reduces REM sleep. On the face of it, less time dreaming might sound favorable (goodbye, nightmare!). However, REM sleep is crucial for our cognitive and emotional functioning, playing a significant role in learning and memory.

Simultaneously, THC tends to increase the time we spend in deep sleep or stage 3 of NREM sleep, often considered the ‘restorative’ phase of sleep. But as in many things in life, moderation is vital, and too much deep sleep might not be as beneficial as it seems.

As captivating as this intersection of sleep and high is, it’s a junction where science and research are still digging deeper. The immediate changes in the sleep cycle are just beginning to paint a broader picture, so stay tuned as we delve further.

The Short-term and Long-term Impacts: What Happens When You Go to Sleep While High

Navigating through the complex interaction between marijuana use and sleep requires a clear understanding of the relative short-term and long-term effects.

Short-Term Impacts

In the short term, going to bed high might seem like a solution for those prolonged sessions of staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to embrace them. The potential sedative effects of THC might quicken sleep onset and increase deep sleep, offering a perceived better sleep quality.

However, as your sleep architecture remodels, reducing REM sleep may have implications. Low REM could impact our cognitive functions, emotional regulation, and the next day’s mood. Some users also experience what’s known as a “weed hangover,” a feeling of grogginess upon waking after a high.

Long-Term Impacts

Over time, the concern grows. Chronic use of marijuana before bedtime can lead to an imbalance in your natural sleep-wake cycle. You might form a dependency on the substance to initiate and maintain sleep, possibly leading to insomnia when trying to sleep without it. This prospect shifts marijuana use from being a savior for sleep disturbances to potentially causing them.

Also, chronic marijuana use is linked with mental health concerns. While not all individuals who use marijuana will experience these, there is elevated risk, particularly for those genetically predisposed to mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression.

Additionally, if an individual stops usage after a prolonged period of heavy marijuana consumption, they might experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include changes in sleep patterns, mood swings, nightmares, as well as a decrease in sleep quality and quantity in the first few weeks of abstinence.

It’s crucial to remember that our understanding of the long-term impacts of going to sleep high is still fundamentally formative. We’re stitching together research threads to provide a comprehensive quilt. As always, ensuring regular, restful sleep should be a priority for everyone, and if you choose to incorporate substances such as marijuana into your sleep routine, it should be done responsibly, consciously, and ideally, under medical supervision.

To Sleep High or Not?

Having navigated the complexities of THC, sleep principles, and the potential impacts of combining the two, we find ourselves at a crossroads: To sleep high or not?

One cannot ignore the potential benefits – the soothing properties of THC can serve as an aid for those with severe sleep onset difficulties, and people dealing with pain might find the increased deep sleep advantageous. However, the potential long-term impacts should serve as a caution: the reduction in REM sleep, the potential for developing sleep disorders, mental health concerns, and the possible withdrawal symptoms.

Furthermore, individual factors play a significant role. Your body’s reaction to marijuana might differ based on your physiological makeup, personal tolerance, lifestyle, and overall health conditions. The frequency of usage and the strain of marijuana you’re consuming also come into the mix. And, of course, it’s always advisable to seek professional medical advice before stepping onto the marijuana train, specifically for aiding sleep or treating sleep disorders.

Conclusion

Sleep, in its silent majesty, wields power over every aspect of our lives. With the increasing availability and use of marijuana, understanding its impact on our sleep patterns has proven paramount. In many respects, we’ve only just begun to untangle the potential short-term and long-term effects and individual variations that vividly color this narrative.

Like any potent tool, the key lies in the responsible use of marijuana. It’s essential to navigate this space with a mindful balance, keeping our health and wellness at heart and always staying informed. After all, in pursuing those dreamy realms of sleep, you would want to take advantage of the vital healing it brings to your daytime world. So whether you explore the stars of the night sky in a high state or with your natural rhythms, do so with safety, care, and an understanding of your journey.