Cannabis Gummies for Sleep
When the Lights Go Down
I don’t know about you all, but I have really been struggling to get a good night’s sleep recently…
And studies show that I am not alone.
The average adult is supposed to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night. But, according to a study done by the CDC in 2016, 1 in 3 adults in the US regularly don’t get enough sleep. Another study done by the American Sleep Association in 2021 says 50-70 million adults in the US struggle with a sleep disorder.
That is a lot of very tired adults.
The Cannabis community is pretty steadfast in the belief that Cannabis can help you fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer.
Studies into the Endocannabinoid Systems role in the sleep cycle aren’t as plentiful as they should be. These studies have been impeded for years by issues with marijuana legality, lack of quality samples, and ignorant bias. But the studies that HAVE been done are showing that the Endocannabinoid system may actually play a major role in regulating your sleep cycle.
From what the research shows, when Cannabinoids bind to the proper receptors in your system, they send messages to your body to increase production of sleep promoting molecules, and suppress your brains arousal system. This is why some people tend to feel sleepy after consuming cannabis.
So why do so many stoners still struggle with sleep issues?
You Have to Switch it Up
I’ve personally found that smoking Cannabis helps with a lot of my physical/mental ailments.
But, because I smoke Cannabis on a regular basis, sometimes I have to switch up my delivery method in order to get the results I want to see. When I say “delivery method”, I am referring to how you are getting the Cannabis into your body. Smoking it, eating it, drinking it… There are so many different delivery methods available nowadays!
When you regularly, exclusively, use one delivery method, your body can get used to it, and you won’t feel the same effects as strongly as you did when you first started using that method. Take smoking, for example. If you smoke all day, every day, and you don’t really switch strains, or eat edibles or do anything else, you are going to find your usual dosage having less and less of an effect as time goes on.
So it’s important to not exclusively stick to one delivery method. Smoke a joint with 3 different strains in it, eat a gummy, use a bath-bomb or a tincture… Mix it up!
To that point, I really have been getting more into edibles lately. Gummies in particular.
It took me a while to break into the edibles world… I had a very bad experience years ago after I ate way too much of a medicated cookie, and ended up in the fetal position for most of that evening. I equated it to that “too much tequila” type of feeling… No bueno my friends.
For me, gummies have been the perfect reintroduction into the world of Cannabis edibles. They are usually 5mg-10mg of THC per gummy, and therefore very easy to regulate your intake. Really, they are a great way to start consuming Cannabis for the Canna-curious. As long as you remember to TAKE IT SLOW! Take a small bite, wait 15-20 minutes to see how it affects you, and then try another small bite if you feel comfortable doing so.
When it comes to edibles, follow this Golden Rule: You can always eat more, but you can’t eat less!
I’ve been seeing more and more Cannabis edibles companies advertising their products for people struggling with sleep issues, highlighting the use of CBNs in their products, in addition to our good ol’ friend, THC. CBNs (Cannabinols) are supposedly super helpful when it comes to regulating your sleep. So, I headed down to my local dispensary, and picked up a few different options with different dosages, to see what the CBN hype is all about.
Shout out to Lytt in Pacifica, CA! They always have an amazing selection of not only gummies, but flowers, pre-rolls, carts, drinks… You name it, they probably have it! They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff of Budtenders, who are always happy to help and make recommendations. If you’re ever in Pacifica, CA, do yourself a favor, and go check out Lytt.
This is NOT a paid promotion. Just my own experiences, with some very well known brands that you will most likely be able to find at a dispensary near you.
So without further ado, let’s talk sleep gummies!
Kivas Camino Blackberry Dream Sours
I started with the lowest dosed item I picked, Kiva’s Camino Blackberry Dream Sours. Kiva Confections includes Kiva Chocolate Bars (of course), Camino Gummies, Lost Farm Gummies/Chews, Petra Mints, and Terra Chocolate Bites. This family of brands is very popular here in California, (nationwide really), and it should be pretty easy for you to find at a dispensary or delivery service near you.
The Camino Blackberry Dream Sours have a dosage of 10mg THC / 3mg CBNs per piece. Camino gummies are usually dosed out at 5mg per piece, so they were actually the first brand I tried when I started eating edibles again. I appreciated the smaller dose, because I really didn’t want to experience a repeat of the cookie incident I mentioned above.
I am newer to CBNs, but I have worked my way up to starting off with 20mgs of THC, so I ate 2 gummies, giving me a total dosage of 20mg THC / 6mg CBNs, and attempted to fall asleep. As always, the gummies were delicious. Camino gummies are always true to flavor, and super tasty. To my surprise, I seemed to fall asleep pretty quickly! I did wake up a few times (maybe 3-4 times, pretty normal for me…) throughout the evening, but I was able to fall back asleep pretty quickly.
Even though I didn’t sleep as long as I was hoping, I still enjoyed falling asleep faster than I usually do. So, If you are new to Cannabis, or Cannabis edibles, I highly recommend starting off with a brand like Camino. They have a lot of small dose options, and they are consistently effective and delicious. (Try the Blood Orange ones they release around Halloween… SO GOOD!)
WYLD Elderberry CBN + Indica
My second night of gummy experimentation tested out WYLD’s Elderberry CBN + Indica Enhanced 2:1 ratio gummies. The dosage for this brand was 10mg THC / 5mg CBN per piece. WYLD is another wildly (pun intended) successful and recognizable edibles brand, selling THC products in California, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon, and CBD gummies and drinks across the nation.
WYLD gummies are usually dosed with a 10mg THC serving, either by itself or mixed with a different cannabinoid. In this instance, that cannabinoid is the CBNs I mentioned earlier. Again, since I am used to starting off with a 20mg of THC, I doubled the dosage and ate 2 of these yummy gummies; Giving me a total dose of 20mg THC / 10mg CBN.
I’ve eaten WYLD gummies many times in the past, and they are always the perfect amount of sour/sweet. They really do make a delicious gummy. The elderberry flavor tastes like a mix of blueberry and raspberry, with just a hint of cannabis.
Honestly, most of the time, if the gummy doesn’t have a little bit of that bitter, cannabinoid taste, I don’t really trust them to work as well… But the people at WYLD have done a great job at figuring out how to perfectly mask the bitterness that cannabinoids are known for, and still make an effective product.
Once again, I seemed to fall asleep pretty quickly! Which is nice, because usually I have to lay in bed and watch TV for about an hour before I slowly drift off to sleep. I remember waking up twice, but again, I fell back to sleep pretty quickly.
A slightly higher dose of CBN, and a noticeable difference in the amount of times I woke up in the middle of the night. Coincidence? Or do those CBNs work as well as people say they do?
Either way, WYLD makes a great product, and they are definitely worth checking out!
Heavy Hitters “Lights Out” Midnight Cherry Sleep Gummy
I saved the heaviest dose for last, which brings me to the Heavy Hitters “Lights Out” Midnight Cherry Sleep Gummy. These gummies definitely pack a punch, boasting a dosage of 20mg THC / 20mg CBN per piece.
Heavy Hitters is a California based, family owned and operated company. You can find their products in California, Nevada, and New York. Here in CA, they are basically in every dispensary. Heavy Hitters produces Cannabis infused gummies, cartridges, beverages, tinctures, and pre-rolls.
Out of the 3 gummies I tested for this piece, these Heavy Hitters were the most effective. I took one piece, giving me a total dose of 20mg THC / 20mg CBN, and climbed into bed. The sour cherry flavor was really yummy… More on the sour side than the other gummies I tried, but I believe that extra “sour” flavor helped cover up the extra bitterness that usually comes with a higher cannabinoid dosage.
Once again, I fell asleep very quickly. But here’s why I loved this product: I only remember waking up one time. ONE TIME. That is crazy for me! Normally, I wake up around 1am, and again around 2am, and so on and so forth… But with these gummies, the only time I remember waking up and looking at the clock, was at 3:45am! For me, sleeping all the way till past 3am is a very big deal!
This 1:1 THC/CBN dosage seemed to do the trick! So if you have a higher tolerance for Cannabis, I would definitely recommend checking out Heavy Hitters Sleep Gummies. They are delicious, readily available, and they really worked for me!
Every Body is Different
I have to say, after trying a higher dose of CBN mixed with my regular THC dose, I am a believer. The higher dose of CBN’s really seemed to help me fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer.
While I found all three of these brands to be yummy and effective, I always recommend you do your own research before trying something new. Especially if you are a little nervous about it.
The internet is always a great place to start! A quick google search can help you find recommendations, strain reviews, product reviews, and dispensaries/delivery services with the products you’re looking for in stock. You can even find out if the dispensary you want to visit is cash only, or if they accept Debit and Credit cards.
(If they DON’T accept Credit Cards, and you want to use your card there in the future, feel free to refer them to us at PayRio! PayRio is a boutique Cannabis Payment Processor, helping Cannabis businesses safely and compliantly accept both debit and credit cards. Even high end rewards cards! Who doesn’t want to earn rewards points while shopping for Cannabis?)
If you are a Dispensary or a Delivery Service owner, this is really important for you to note as well. More and more Canna-curious people are entering the market every single day. It is imperative that you keep your business’ online menu active, and up to date. Cannabis consumers, both new and experienced, are looking for as much information as possible on products they are considering purchasing.
Everyones body processes things differently, so it’s important to go slow, start with a low dosage, and build your tolerance up. Just remember the Edibles Golden Rule I mentioned earlier: You can always eat more, but you can’t eat less!
With all that being said, If you are struggling to get a good nights sleep, you may want to check out a Cannabis product containing CBNs! From my personal mini-trial over the past week, I can say that it really seemed to help me fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer.
I will definitely continue to include CBNs in my Cannabis consumption going forward.