Medical Cannabis Products Associated With Sustained Improvements in Sleep Quality
By NORML
Patients authorized to use state-licensed medical cannabis products report sustained improvements in their sleep quality, according to longitudinal data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Researchers at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine assessed year-long changes in self-reported sleep quality in 137 patients. Study participants were newly enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis access program. Patients’ sleep quality was measured at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire.
Consistent with prior research, results “indicated significant improvements in global sleep quality scores following MC [medical cannabis]initiation, with the most substantial changes (i.e., a 30.1 percent decrease) observed between baseline and the three-month assessment. … The observed improvements in global sleep quality scores were consistent across all seven PSQI subdomains, including sleep latency, duration, and disturbances. … These improvements were sustained across the remainder of the study period, with no significant differences between follow-up intervals.”