Although many people use cannabis to fall asleep more easily, it may actually worsen sleep quality, causing more awakenings during the night than among people who do not use it.
A study published in June in the journal *Sleep Health*, based on a nationally representative survey, estimated that around 9% of adults in the United States use cannabis as a sleep aid.
That said, some studies do confirm that people who use cannabis, whether THC or CBD, may fall asleep more easily, either directly or indirectly, for example through reduced anxiety.
Around 256 million people worldwide used cannabis in 2026, according to the United Nations’ official World Drug Report.
At the same time, regular users tend to experience or remember far fewer dreams than non-users. Laboratory studies suggest that THC suppresses rapid eye movement sleep, known as REM sleep, the third main stage of the sleep cycle, which is believed to play a crucial role in memory consolidation, emotional regulation and learning.
During the night, the brain repeatedly moves through a sequence of stages: from light sleep to deep, slow-wave sleep and then to REM sleep, the phase most closely associated with vivid, emotionally charged dreams. By reducing the amount of time spent in REM sleep, THC may therefore also limit the intensity and frequency of dreams.
Source: Washington Post
