Insomnia patients taking cannabis-based medical products reported better quality sleep after up to 18 months of treatment, according to a study published August 27 in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Arushika Aggarwal from Imperial College London, U.K., and colleagues.
About one out of every three people has some trouble getting a good night’s rest, and 10 percent of adults meet the criteria for an insomnia disorder. But current treatments can be difficult to obtain, and the drugs approved for insomnia run the risk of dependence. To understand how cannabis-based medical products might affect insomnia symptoms, the authors of this study analyzed a set of 124 insomnia patients taking medical cannabis products. They examined the patient’s reports of their sleep quality, anxiety/depression, and quality of life changes between one and 18 months of treatment.
The patients reported improved sleep quality that lasted over the 18 months of treatment. They also showed significant improvements in anxiety/depression as well as reporting less pain. About nine percent of the patients reported adverse effects such as fatigue, insomnia, or dry mouth, but none of the side effects were life-threatening. While randomized controlled trials will be needed to prove that the products are safe and effective, the authors suggest that cannabis-based medical products could improve sleep quality in insomnia patients.
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He adds: “Conducting this long-term study provided valuable real-world evidence on patient outcomes that go beyond what we typically see in short-term trials. It was particularly interesting to observe signs of potential tolerance over time, which highlights the importance of continued monitoring and individualized treatment plans.”
Journal Reference:
- Arushika Aggarwal, Simon Erridge, Isaac Cowley, Lilia Evans, Madhur Varadpande, Evonne Clarke, Katy McLachlan, Ross Coomber, James J. Rucker, Mark W. Weatherall, Mikael H. Sodergren. UK Medical Cannabis Registry: A clinical outcomes analysis for insomnia. PLOS Mental Health, 2025; 2 (8): e0000390 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000390
Cannabis-based medicinal products
Details of cannabis-based medicinal product treatment at baseline and the maximum titrated dose were available for all participants (n = 124) (Table 4). Administration routes were also available at baseline (n = 124), follow-up months 1, 3, 6, and 12 (n = 123) and 18-months (n = 124). The median daily CBD dose at baseline was 1.00 [0.00-20.00] mg/day and increased to 10.00 [0.00-25.00] mg/day by month 3, and this was sustained until 18-month follow-up (10.00 [5.00-35.75] mg/day). For THC, the median daily dose was 20.00 [2.00-20.00] mg/day at baseline, and by 18-month follow-up, increased to 120.00 [95.00-210.38] mg/day. The most prescribed regimen at baseline (n = 51; 41.13%) and throughout every follow-up month until month 18 (n = 54; 43.55%) was dried flower only.
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Source: Study finds cannabis improves sleep where other drugs fail | ScienceDaily
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