Los Angeles, CA: The use of cannabis is associated with improvements in sleep quality in young adults suffering from depression or anxiety, according to data published in the journal Addiction.
Researchers affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles and Boston University’s School of Public Health assessed the relationship between cannabis use and sleep quality in a cohort of 1,926 participants between the ages of 20 and 23.
“Among participants with anxiety and/or depression and pre-existing sleep problems at baseline, using cannabis ≥ 20 days/month (versus never use) was associated with fewer sleep problems at follow-up,” researchers reported. By contrast, no positive relationship was identified for those without anxiety or depression.
“Our analyses suggest that cannabis use might impact sleep differently among different subgroups defined by underlying mental health issues and sleep quality,” the study’s authors concluded.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use and sleep problems among young adults by mental health status: A prospective cohort study,” appears in the journal Addiction.