Back to the Grind | How cannabis can help college students avoid sleepless nights
This post is for all the college students out there gearing up for another semester of putting in the time, effort, and energy it takes to become the people they want to be. Whether you’re striving to become an artist, a nurse, an accountant, a social worker, or still figuring that out, be sure to take a few moments to enjoy the journey.
Because let’s face it. College can be downright hectic.
Between demanding classes, packed schedules, and the pressure to find a job after you graduate to start paying your student loans, college students are under more pressure than ever to excel. This pressure can cause a lot of sleepless nights, and we’re not talking about the occasional all-nighter.
The National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society guidelines recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep for young adults. According to the CDC, 60 % of college students college have poor quality sleep and garner, on average, 7 hours of sleep per night. Previous research showed that up to 75% of college students reported occasional sleep disturbances.
That same CDC report breaks down the primary risks for college students who don’t get enough sleep:
Increased tension Mental stress has physical effects, whether you feel it in your head, heart, gut, or entire body. Feeling tense or anxious is easy to dismiss as a fact of life, but it can get much worse if you don’t deal with it with exercise, meditation, or a good night’s sleep.
Irritability Your friends may not notice if you’re feeling tense, but when your anxiety escalates to irritability, everybody knows, and it’s not a good look. Everything becomes more difficult when you’re irritable – exercising, eating right, studying, or completing your assignments. Failing to fulfill your responsibilities creates guilt, making you feel more irritable and less capable of getting your work done.
Confusion If you can’t catch up on sleep and get control of your workload, irritability escalates to confusion. Suddenly, you’re not only behind on the assignments you were too tired to do, you’re behind on the projects you forgot about.
Poor academic performance When lack of sleep drives you to the point where you forget details and important deadlines, your grades will suffer.
Depression Once the consequences of your insomnia show up on your transcript, depression is inevitable. While good grades are not the end-all for success, failing to meet your expectations is a horrendous feeling.
HOW CAN BUSY COLLEGE STUDENTS GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP? We coach the staff at every Curaleaf dispensary to offer thoughtful suggestions for how anxious people can calm their overactive minds, decompress, and sleep through the night. That’s especially true in the beautiful state of Maine where hundreds of thousands of people worldwide flock to “Vacationland” every summer to relax.
When it comes to helping people get the rest they need to return home rejuvenated, Assistant Manager Doug Bolte and his crew at Curaleaf Wells are world-class. Doug was kind enough to share his thoughts on how cannabis can be a natural part of a stressed-out college student’s wellness routine. Age 21 and over college students, of course.
“The best way I can describe the benefits of cannabis is it can help you circumvent discomfort.” Doug explained. “Here in the Wells dispensary, we have a wide range of products at different dosage levels that enable us to help everyone from people who have never tried cannabis to long-time users looking to shake up their routines.”
When we asked Doug to choose one product for a college student struggling with insomnia, he didn’t hesitate: “I’ve always believed that mental and physical health starts with a good night’s sleep, so I’m a big fan of our Select Snooze Bites with a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBN. In my experience, this product delivers a nice relaxed head feel that’s perfect at bedtime before the CBN does its thing so you can sleep throughout the night. With 5mg of THC and CBN in each piece, college students can start low, take another piece if necessary, and find a dosage that works for them so they wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go instead of tense and anxious.”
Besides food, water, and oxygen, sleep is one of the most critical things a human can have to be healthy and happy. Sleeping well makes us better prepared to deal with adversity and more receptive to other healthier choices. It’s a lot easier to exercise regularly, eat healthier, and implement more effective time management strategies when your mind’s not racing, you’re not constantly behind in your work, and you stop seeking temporary relief from your anxiety with fast food, sugary treats, or alcohol.
To be 100% clear, we’re not saying that cannabis is the cure for insomnia. Being able to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night is all about finding balance. At Curaleaf, we believe cannabis can help college students and anyone struggling with sleepless nights to put their needs first, set boundaries, make time for self-care, and Live Life Well.
Marijuana products are not available in every state. Where available, they may be sold only to adults, 21 years and above. Please consume responsibly.