Cannabis use and sleep problems among young adults by mental health status: A prospective cohort study

Summary & key facts

This study followed 1,926 young adults (age 20–23) in Southern California from 2020 to 2021 to see how cannabis use related to later sleep problems. The researchers found that frequent cannabis use (≥20 days/month) was linked with worse sleep for people without anxiety or depression, but linked with slightly better sleep for people who had anxiety or depression and already had sleep problems. These results are associations from an observational study and do not prove cannabis caused the sleep changes.

Key facts:

• The study sample had 1,926 participants aged 20–23 (mean age = 21).
• The study took place in Southern California with baseline data from March–September 2020 and follow-up from January–June 2021.
• Cannabis use at baseline was grouped as: never, prior use, 1–5 days/month, 6–19 days/month, and ≥20 days/month.
• At baseline, 11% of participants reported using cannabis ≥20 days/month.
• Sleep problems at follow-up were measured on a scale from 4 to 24, where higher scores mean worse sleep.
• For participants without baseline anxiety or depression, using cannabis ≥20 days/month (versus never) was associated with a 1.66 point higher sleep-problem score at follow-up (mean difference = 1.66; 95% CI = 0.59 to 2.74).
• For participants with anxiety and/or depression who also had sleep problems at baseline, using cannabis ≥20 days/month (versus never) was associated with a 1.42 point lower sleep-problem score at follow-up (mean difference = -1.42; 95% CI =
• Analyses adjusted for socio-demographic factors, baseline sleep problems, mental health symptoms, and past 30-day nicotine or alcohol use.
• Because this was a prospective observational study, the findings show associations and cannot prove that cannabis use caused the sleep changes, and results may not apply to other ages or places.

Abstract

The effects of cannabis use on sleep appear to differ by underlying mental health symptoms. Frequent cannabis use may improve sleep for young adults with depression and/or anxiety who have pre-existing sleep problems, but worsen sleep for young adults without depression and/or anxiety.

Topics

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Sleep and related disorders Sleep and Wakefulness Research

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Cannabis Cohort Cohort study Computer science Depression (economics) Economics Gerontology Internal medicine Macroeconomics Medicine Mental health Moderation Operating system Psychiatry Psychology Sleep (system call) Social psychology Young adult