Effect of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Nocturnal Sleep and Early-Morning Behavior in Young Adults

Summary & key facts

Researchers gave 8 healthy young adults either a placebo, THC alone, or two different THC-plus-CBD mixes sprayed into the mouth at bedtime. They recorded brain activity during sleep and tested memory and alertness the next morning. A single moderate dose of THC by itself did not change the night-time sleep recording, but the next morning people were sleepier and had worse memory. When CBD was added, the mixes reduced deep sleep and the higher CBD dose made people wake more during the night. In this small study, THC looked sedating and CBD looked to increase wakefulness and to blunt some of THC’s next-day sleepiness, but the results come from only a few people and need more study.

Key facts:

• Eight healthy adults, half men and half women aged about 21 to 34, took part in the study.
• Each person tried four treatments on different nights: a placebo, 15 mg THC alone, 5 mg THC with 5 mg CBD, and 15 mg THC with 15 mg CBD, given as a mouth spray around 10 pm.
• Brain activity was recorded from 11 pm to 7 am to see how the drugs changed sleep.
• A 15 mg dose of THC alone did not change the measured night-time sleep patterns compared to placebo.
• The next morning after 15 mg THC, people reported more sleepiness and showed worse memory on tests.
• When THC and CBD were given together, the mixes reduced stage 3 sleep, which is deep slow-wave sleep.
• The higher dose mix of 15 mg THC with 15 mg CBD increased wakefulness during the night.
• The lower dose mix (5 mg THC with 5 mg CBD) made reaction time faster on a short memory task the next morning.
• Authors noted that, in this small sample, 15 mg THC acted like a sedative, while 15 mg CBD seemed to increase awake activity during sleep and reduced some of THC’s leftover sedative effects.

Abstract

The effects of cannabis extracts on nocturnal sleep, early-morning performance, memory, and sleepiness were studied in 8 healthy volunteers (4 males, 4 females; 21 to 34 years). The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled with a 4-way crossover design. The 4 treatments were placebo, 15 mg Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 5 mg THC combined with 5 mg cannabidiol (CBD), and 15 mg THC combined with 15 mg CBD. These were formulated in 50:50 ethanol to propylene glycol and administered using an oromucosal spray during a 30-minute period from 10 pm. The electroencephalogram was recorded during the sleep period (11 pm to 7 am). Performance, sleep latency, and subjective assessments of sleepiness and mood were measured from 8:30 am (10 hours after drug administration). There were no effects of 15 mg THC on nocturnal sleep. With the concomitant administration of the drugs (5 mg THC and 5 mg CBD to 15 mg THC and 15 mg CBD), there was a decrease in stage 3 sleep, and with the higher dose combination, wakefulness was increased. The next day, with 15 mg THC, memory was impaired, sleep latency was reduced, and the subjects reported increased sleepiness and changes in mood. With the lower dose combination, reaction time was faster on the digit recall task, and with the higher dose combination, subjects reported increased sleepiness and changes in mood. Fifteen milligrams THC would appear to be sedative, while 15 mg CBD appears to have alerting properties as it increased awake activity during sleep and counteracted the residual sedative activity of 15 mg THC.

Topics

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Sleep and related disorders Sleep and Wakefulness Research

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Alternative medicine Anesthesia Cannabidiol Cannabinoid Cannabis Computer science Crossover study Insomnia Internal medicine Medicine Morning Operating system Pathology Pharmacology Placebo Psychiatry Psychology Receptor Sedative Sleep (system call) Sleep onset Tetrahydrocannabinol

Substances

Cannabis

Conditions & symptoms

Sleep disorder Lack of energy or motivation Poor sleep