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Comment by rectangletangle | Hacker News Reader

Although not normally considered a prescription drug, Cannabis has marked affects on the REM sleep phase.

Some research exists[1] though limited to testing with THC, so it wouldn't be strictly accurate to say 'cannabis' (for example, it would also be worth doing a similar study on CBD, as it has quite a few interesting properties as well).

1: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/200906...

I agree. I'm a sample of one, but when I used to smoke cannabis in my teens it definitely made me sleep dreamless and usually wake up pretty groggy as well.

Since CBD only products (< 1% thc) have become legal in Switzerland, I've been using them to handle anxiety and one of the upsides is very refreshing sleep + more dreams.

Which are ...? (not a cannabis user, just curious).

According to a study from the 70s, cannabis interferes with REM sleep.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/200906...

Generally heavy cannabis users don't dream as often or vividly as normal. One of the primary symptoms of cannabis withdrawal is extremely vivid dreams. I don't know if there's been any formal studies on this in particular, but I've heard enough independent anecdotes, that I'm convinced there is some relation.

Above was just the subjective part, there have been studies on the objective effects of cannabis on REM sleep, where it appears to decrease total REM sleep duration.

As far as the implications of this go, your guess is as good as mine.

I have noticed that not sure if I have ever heard a reason.

My cousin had to stop weed rapidly; first thing he said "never dreamed like this in years". He was also in 2x speed, so quick it was almost funny.

Remembering dreams as vivid and not remembering the that much does not mean dreams are not vivid. Deep sleep hides those dreams or is there some empirical data?

Not a cannabis user, but I hardly ever remember my dreams. Maybe one every 1-2 months if I'm lucky. I wonder if that means that there is something wrong with my sleep.

Actually the opposite. In order to remember a dream you would have to wake up in the middle of it.

Have there been any studies comparing the direct effects of THC with REM sleep?

It seems remotely plausible that cannabis could be inducing a REM-like state while the user is still awake.

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