An estimated 50 to 70 million people in the US suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia and others. So, if you are struggling with sleep, you are not alone!
Accordingly, restful sleep is crucial for your health. The good news is there are many things you can do to cure your sleep problems. If you have been struggling with sleep, THCa can help. Wait, did we mean THC? Nope, we said THCa. It is an acidic precursor to THC. Know more about THCa in further discussions and how to use it.
THCa: What Is It and Is It Different From THC?
In simple terms, THCa is just an acidic form of THC. The ‘a’ in THCa stands for acid. Its full form is tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. The key difference between THC and THCa is that THCa has no intoxicating effect.
Therefore, you do not experience the high you would experience if you ingested THC. Due to this lack of intoxicating effect, THCa is not as popular for recreational use.
Moreover, THCa is an acidic precursor of THC. You get THC when the cannabis dries out. If you expose THCa to sunlight or heat, it will convert to THC too. A lot of people like using THCa since there are still therapeutic benefits without the intoxicating effects of THC.
Can You Use THCa To Improve Your Sleep Pattern?
If you have been struggling to fall asleep, THCa will help you. However, there is a small caveat – THCa is not as effective as THC. This is because THCa does not have any intoxicating effect.
Since THCa is non-psychoactive, many people choose it over THC. Those who do not want to get high but want something mildly helpful to aid their sleep will see the benefits of using THCa pre-rolls for falling asleep.
Moreover, there are other benefits of using THCa. For example, it also helps you relieve stress! And let’s be real; you will sleep better when less stressed. In addition, THCa has anti-inflammatory properties too.
You can use THCa after converting to THC if you want more potent benefits. But as mentioned earlier, if you do not want how activated THC makes you feel, THCa is a viable option.
How to Use THCa For Better Sleep?
Using THCa is pretty straightforward. You can take it raw, or you could smoke it as concentrates. However, you might see better results if you let the THCa convert to THC.
In that case, you should smoke it like any other concentrate with hemp. In addition, you can mix it with a joint. Also, if you like using bongs or pipes, mix them with milled flowers.
Those who have been smoking cannabis for a while might become tolerant of cannabis. To see results if you are cannabis-tolerant, try dabbing through a vape or e-cigarette. Be careful, though. You need to keep the heat low. Otherwise, it will evaporate.
Is THCa Legal to Use?
The legality of THCa is a bit complicated and is in a legal gray area. The main reason for this is how easily it can turn into THC, which might put it under the Controlled Substance Act.
However, in general, THCa is legal if it is hemp-driven. The 2018 Farm Bill states THC products under 0.3% can be consumed. Still, some states consider THC-O and THCV, which are THC isomers, too close to the THC.
Therefore, they are not considered to be hemp-driven. To be sure, you should always check the laws in your state. There is no better way of knowing whether you can use THCa for sleep other than to check with local authorities.
What Are the Effects of THCa?
There are many other benefits of THCa other than mildly helping you with sleep. We already mentioned a big one – its anti-inflammatory properties. There are more positive effects of THCa:
- Antiemetic: Reduces vomiting, appetite loss, and also relieves nausea
- Antispasmodic: Helps suppress muscle spasms
- Neuroprotective: Effective at slowing down damage to your brain and nervous system due to neurodegenerative disease treatment
- Analgesic: Reduces pain
- Modulates Immune System: Can improve the function of the immune system
Thing To Know Before Using THCa For Sleep
Even though THCa is not psychoactive, you need to be responsible. Firstly, you should know that in some states, medical use of cannabis and marijuana is still illegal.
Moreover, if you suffer from a poor sleep schedule, you should talk to your doctor first. Trained healthcare professionals can give you direction on how to use THCa safely.
In addition, if any other underlying conditions could disrupt your sleep, they can identify and treat them accordingly.
Also, long-term use can change the amount of your brain’s gray matter. Teenagers can have more lasting effects. As a result, the use of THCa and other marijuana is recommended for use if you are over 25 years old.
How To Improve Your Sleep Schedule
Guess what? Medical science has advanced a lot. We know a lot more about why and how we sleep. In addition to using THCa, you can try the following tips to help you sleep better. The combination of the two can be quite potent – no pun intended:
1. Create a Routine (and Stick to It)
Your body has a built-in biological clock, and it loves routines. Inconsistent bedtimes will confuse your biological clock. Therefore, establishing a routine for bed and waking up is the best way to fix irregular sleeping patterns.
You can also have a soothing bedtime routine. You could bathe, read a book, or do any other relaxing activity. But the most important thing to remember is to stick to the routine. Yes, that also means sticking to it during holidays and weekends.
2. Make Your Bedroom Easy to Fall Asleep In
Make your bedroom comfortable and the way you like it. Get softer pillows if you have to. Also, ensure you sleep in the dark – it helps a lot. Sometimes, your bed might be too small or need a night light.
The idea here is to set the scene. Your bedroom should feel comfortable to help you fall asleep easier.
3. No Electronics Before Bed
The blue light from our screen is not helping us fall asleep. It suppresses melatonin. Moreover, taking your phone, laptop, or tablet to bed prevents you from disassociating completely.
So, make it a rule not to take any electronic devices to bed. You can keep them on a table in the next room, or at least further away from your bed. If you need an alarm to wake up, you can buy an analog one.
Here is another bonus tip, avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening or late afternoon. They have lasting effects that disrupt your sleep.
Wrapping Up
Sleeping is crucial for your health. It improves your mood and also enhances cognition. THCa can help you sleep better. However, before you use it for that reason, it is better to check local laws and talk to a healthcare professional.
