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How seniors and the elderly could use marijuana to get better sleep

Published May 24, 2019 01:20 p.m. ET
Does marijuana help to solve problems with insomnia in the senior population? Credit: Ridofranz

As our bodies change and age, so do our sleep patterns. However, some of these changes are not due only to the progression of age. Chronic illness and negative side effects of prescription medicines and OTC can also contribute to the changes that can present to seniors with sleep issues.

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among older women or men today. Woman make up this sector by being 2:1 over men. For anyone who has continual feelings of sleepiness or the inability to wake up refreshed in the mornings, they are probably suffering from insomnia. Insomnia often accompanies conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, restless-leg syndrome, and depression. This sleep condition can affect half of the adults over age 60.

Is there a perfect friendship budding for seniors with the combination of weed and insomnia?

The use of cannabis in aiding sleep issues has been going on for centuries. It is nothing new. Studies have indicated that cannabis use before bed time will shorten the time it takes to fall asleep by about 30 minutes on the average. However, the strong sleeper may notice a quicker effect by 15 min.

Marijuana products can help combat insomnia can include:

• edibles
• cannabis tinctures
• CBD oils

Keep in mind that edibles when taken for insomnia take longer to be effective but have the benefit of lasting longer. Inhaling the cannabis or vaping will produce a faster onset, but the length of the effect will be shorter.

A perhaps not so appealing suggestion for combining weed and insomnia is to use the aged cannabis, not the fresh buds. The older cannabis buds contain higher amounts of the sedating CBN, providing a sleepier effect.

Cannabis tinctures are a perfect delivery form for seniors to receive the benefits provided from the plant in aiding to combat insomnia and symptoms accompanying that disorder. Dosage is a fast, consistent method assisted by using an eye dropper.  This delivery method is easy and fast-acting. This is great for seniors looking for immediate effects when using cannabis for fighting insomnia.

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What are cannabis tinctures?

The mixture of a dry cannabis bud, soaked in safe consumable liquids for about six weeks then the liquid is strained. This will separate the plant matter from the liquid. Now you can store the liquid in glass bottles for future use. Will provide you with a cannabis tincture.

Credit: Anatoliy Sizov

The benefits of using CBD oil are tremendous for numerous health conditions that can be accompanied by insomnia as part of the make-up:

• Chronic pain
• Anxiety and stress
• Inflammation

Marijuana products aimed at relieving the symptoms of insomnia, a condition that plagues many seniors are abundant. Do your research find a product that has been tested for its qualities. Speak to an informed medically friendly physician for suggestions regarding the products and the medical conditions you are going to be treating.

Seniors will benefit from the lack of side-effects when using weed and insomnia in combination for positive results in fighting insomnia.

It is worth mentioning for safety reason that as with any change of medication you should be consulting with your health provider to ensure that there are no negative interactions with any current medications that are currently being taken. Marijuana and the products derived from this plant are providing a better safer relief for seniors dealing with sleep disorders.

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