I tried marijuana edibles before bed because sleeping isn’t my strong point. Some nights, it can take me an hour or more to finally fall asleep. Most nights I chalk it up to way too much caffeine, (I have an espresso machine at my house) but even before my coffee-drinking days, I had sleep problems. I’ve got a bit of an overactive mind, anxious thoughts, and workaholic tendencies, none of which are great for catching those Zzzzs.

I was tired of being tired and wanted a little help sleeping better. Taking pills or habit-forming medications was something I was trying to avoid, so I looked for a natural option. Lavender tea, valerian root, and melatonin pills weren’t cutting it. I tried all of the suggested methods like sound machines, aromatherapy, and meditation.

After trying it all, I thought back to a conversation I’d had with a friend. They mentioned that they smoked weed every night before bed, to sleep better. It was pretty much the only time they ever smoked and swore by the benefits.

I’ve never been a big marijuana smoker, especially after some bad experiences in high school. And, the feeling of smoke in my lungs makes me cringe. So, I decided to experiment with edibles because it seemed like a familiar way to get the plant into my system.

For three nights in a row, I took a 5mg edible about two or three hours before bedtime. This is what happened.

Night 1

I took the edible after dinner while getting work done in my home office. Since I had just eaten, it took about an hour and a half to kick in. I knew it was working when my body started to feel warm, and my muscles relaxed. All I wanted to do was lay down and be comfortable. While I did let myself lay down, I brought my laptop with me and tried to be as productive as possible.

I tried my best to focus but my mind kept wandering off, wondering if I had any snacks, or which movie I should watch. Staring at the laptop screen was drying out my eyes, and in reality, I wasn’t getting much work done anyway.

The edible forced me to relax, close my computer, and ease into the evening (something I never do.) After watching a movie, I felt deeply and genuinely tired and had no problem drifting off to sleep. In fact, I slept so deeply (which usually is not the case) that I woke up at 6:30 am, without an alarm, feeling incredibly refreshed.

Night 2

It was Saturday night, and I was having a quiet evening at home. I had spent the whole day working, staring at the blue light from my laptop screen. I had drunk two coffees and an espresso shot to stay focused and was worried that I would never fall asleep. Since it was the weekend, I was craving to wind down and thought about picking up a bottle of wine.

While I do love a nice glass of red now and then, I had noticed that drinking before bed made sleep worse. I would often wake up in the middle of the night, or have a headache in the morning. When I tried the edible for sleep, I didn’t experience any negative symptoms, so I gave it another try.

After 45 minutes, I could feel it kicking in as my eyes became tired and my mind less focused. Earlier, I had been feeling stressed out with work, but on the edible, I didn’t feel as bothered by my problems. I felt calmer and level-headed, telling myself that it was okay to put the work down and revisit it tomorrow. That night, I drifted off to sleep with ease and woke up early, yet again, without an alarm.

Night 3

By the third night, I was pretty sold on edibles for sleep. I had experienced some pretty convincing results and felt like I could rely on 5mg to ease my mind. Its ability to stop the worrying, racing thoughts and stress was incredible. So, I knew exactly what to expect this time.

I ate the edible and allowed myself to continue working until it kicked in. After 40 minutes, I made peace with winding down, closed my laptop, and didn’t feel bad about it. It was freeing to commit to relaxation without feeling ashamed or like I wasn’t trying hard enough. I curled up in bed, feeling extremely comfy, and drifted off to sleep. I slept so deeply that I woke up refreshed and ready to start the day.

Can Edibles Help With Sleep?

From what I experienced, I would say that edibles definitely make sleep better. Five milligrams is a small dose, and I think that it was just perfect for me. I was still able to function normally and didn’t feel silly or out of control. The deep relaxation and refreshing sleep made it worth the lack of productivity. My favorite part about it?

That I didn’t have any symptoms or a ‘hangover’ in the morning. There was no headache like I get from drinking wine, and no grogginess that over-the-counter sleep meds often cause. I woke up feeling normal, refreshed, and ready to take on the day!