Is THC beneficial to sleep or detrimental to sleep?

THC, a psychoactive component of cannabis, can help individuals fall asleep faster, but it presents several drawbacks regarding sleep quality. Matthew Walker notes that while THC can ease sleep onset, it also blocks REM sleep, essential for restorative rest. This blocking can lead to a REM sleep deficit, which isn't fully recovered upon cessation of THC use. Users often experience intense dreams once they stop using due to a rebound effect, as the brain attempts to compensate for lost REM sleep 1 2.

Additionally, regular use of THC for sleep can lead to tolerance, dependency, and a severe rebound insomnia upon withdrawal 2. Although THC may provide short-term sleep benefits, its long-term impact on sleep quality and dependency risk suggests caution. Therefore, other sleep-promoting strategies may be more beneficial without disrupting the natural architecture of sleep 3 4.