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Best Cannabis Strains for Sleep

Looking for some zzz's? Try these best cannabis strains for sleep.

By Potent StaffPublished 7 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read
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Medical marijuana is used to remedy several conditions that may include insomnia, severe pain and anxiety. It is important to note that medical marijuana doesn’t treat the aforementioned conditions but rather serves to relieve them as symptoms of an underlying illness. Concerning sleep disorders, several varieties of marijuana are known to be particularly helpful. In this article, I shall discuss several strains generally regarded as the best cannabis strains for sleep.

Marijuana is a naturally occurring variety of flowering plants. This plant is famous for its psychoactive properties when used in several preparation forms in humans. Marijuana occurs in nature as three strains of cannabis namely Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Ruderalis and Cannabis Indica. These plants' leaves have a distinguishable variegation and leaf venation that allows person familiar with these plants to easily identify them. The cannabis plant is indigenous to parts of Asia and the Indian sub-continent.

What Are the Best Cannabis Strains for Sleep?

Photo by Benjamin Combs

Before we get into what the best cannabis strains are, let's talk about the best one: C. indica. Different medical grade marijuana dealers offer different formulations and types of Indica. Cannabis indica is used to produce commercial hybrids used for management of sleep disorders. Below is a compilation of several strains that induce sleep.

Below are some examples of popular strains used in sleep disorder management, namely Gorilla Glue, Death Star, Afghan Kush and L.A Confidential respectively from left to right.

  • Granddaddy Purple: This cannabis strain is a hybrid that delivers cerebral relaxation, a sense of physical relaxation and euphoria. Granddaddy Purple is effective in treating chronic pain, insomnia that often accompanies chronic pain and stress.
  • Gorilla Glue: This particular strain features a heavy earthy aroma that is attributed to it being a hybrid. The gorilla strain stands out by having the cannabis buds covered in potent resin. It induces euphoria, eases stress and induces a general feeling if being relaxed. Gorilla glue treats appetite disorders as well.
  • Blue Cheese: The blue cheese variety is an original indica strain that is defined by its savory sweet aromas. This strain relieves pain, stress and notably provides relief for muscle spasms.
  • Afghan Kush: Judging from the name, it is easy to deduce that this strain is indica of Afghanistan origin. It is useful in managing chronic pain especially in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. The pain causes insomnia that is particularly hard to manage with pharmaceutical sleeping pills.
  • L.A Confidential: This fancy named strain is used to treat acute pain. It has a skunky aroma with a twist of pine that doesn’t persist too long. It is a favorite to beginners in the world of medical marijuana. It give a calming and soothing sensation.
  • Death Star: This is an indica hybrid characterized by a skunky and sweet aroma that is persistent. Besides boasting the coolest name of all, this particular strain will relief stress and induce a euphoric sensation.May the force be with you!
  • Critical Mass: Relax – it’s not plutonium or anything radioactive. This is an indica strain that is a hybrid spinoff of Afghan Kush. Critical Mass alleviates acute pain while treating appetite disorders.
  • Harlequin: This is a sativa-indica hybrid that delivers results through targeting the anxiety that causes insomnia. With anxiety out of the way, the user easily falls asleep and experiences mental relaxation and euphoria.
  • Girl Scout Cookies: This strain features a mild psychoactive kick due to the presence of little amounts of THC. Additional amounts of Cannabidiol help counter this. The net effect is a calm and relaxed sensation. It is known to treat cases of depression and anxiety that could be precursors to insomnia.
  • Kryptonite: This particular strain is characterized by high levels of THC. This means that the user will experience a slight buzz. Lower amounts of Cannabidiol help balance out psychoactive properties while providing acute pain relief, appetite enhancement and anxiety relief.

The above strains of marijuana are dedicated towards inducing sleep while at the same time addressing other conditions that accompany insomnia or even cause it. The mechanism this is achieved through is target specific receptor binding of cannabinoids to the respective receptors. The cell receptor mechanism is useful in controlling many body functions and processes. It is dependent on binding affinity to achieve specific targeting. This system works like a lock and key fit mechanism.

Cannabinoid receptors form part of a larger Endocannabinoid System which controls a vast majority of psychological process which include appetite, mood and pain sensation. There are two dominantly known cannabinoid receptors in the human body: CB1 and CB2 receptors. The CB1 subtype is expressed in the brain stem which includes the Central Nervous System. Other organs falling under this receptor subtype include the liver and the lungs.

The CB2 receptor subtypes effects are expressed in the human immune system. The difference between these two receptor cell subtypes is minimal with a remarkable extent in their similarity. Tetrahydrocannabinol in cannabis plants is thought to be a self-defense mechanism against herbivores. Research on this cannabinoid indicates that THC helps to shield the marijuana plant from harmful UV radiation. Its most notable medical uses include alleviation of neuropathic pain. It is a known psychoactive substance hence is abundant in most recreational marijuana strains.

Cannabidiol is most abundant in the C. Indica variety and is a major phytocannabinoid. CBD is famous for its lack of psychoactive properties and isn’t known to have any side effects. CBD specifically targets pain receptors and is a favorite to medical marijuana users. Cannabis indica varieties are often interbred to create hybrids that contain determined CBD to THC concentration.

Pain from chemotherapy sessions or other causes, anxiety, appetite disorders and depression are conditions well manageable through the proper and prescribed use of medical grade marijuana. For regulation purposes, licenses and predetermined fees are common in countries where marijuana use is legal or controlled. It is important to take time to analyze the varieties available in the quest to find the best cannabis strains for sleep.

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Potent Staff

A serious group of marijuana connoisseurs always giving back to the community. Peace.

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