The forgetful stoner is a classic trope. These memory lapses have long been blamed on the weed. Perhaps this answer was “good enough” because mechanisms behind the situation were rarely explored. Many who have consumed cannabis may clock that it makes them forgetful, but few know exactly why. With such staunch opacity, researchers have a lot of questions.
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One inquisitive team analyzed already-gathered data to gauge how memory function and sleep quality may interact with cannabis consumers. The research, published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Use, also wanted to gauge whether a patient’s sex moderated the impact. What they found is an avenue for CUD patients looking for more mental clarity.
Memory, sleep, and weed
This study looked at 228 patients, 109 women and 122 men. Of this cohort, 141 had cannabis-use disorder (CUD) (58 of them women), and 87 did not (48 women). The subjects self-reported their sleep problems within the previous week. They also completed short visual object learning tasks (sVOLT), sVOLT delayed, and verbal recognition of this task. These tests are research tools that measure memory function.
Researchers used two methods to gain an understanding of the connection between sleep quality and cannabis use when looking at the data. This also provided insight into whether sex had an impact on this relationship.
All of the adults who struggled with sleep ended up having memory issues–whether they had CUD or not. The research shows that the greater a person’s sleep difficulties are, the worse their memory is. There was no connection to sex in the studied mechanisms.
“These initial findings also indicate that sleep may be an important entry point to improve cognitive function in those with CUD,” the study reads.
This research did not define how cannabis intertwines with memory, but it did open a pathway to a better memory for potheads who struggle. The answer? Get more sleep.
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It could be as simple as getting more rest
The puzzle of cannabis for sleep is lost on a few people who enjoy the plant regularly. One sleepy weed strain could put a person down and keep them resting until morning, while others might make a mind race too quickly to get to bed. Additionally, regularly consuming cannabinoids might lead to less restful slumber. It appears that the plant has an effect on sleep, but there remains little known about how.
This study is one of the first that hopes to make connections that might explain the connection between cannabis and memory function. The correlation is loose since some data was self-reported from a smaller sample size. But it illuminates an area where more research is needed. Medical patients and connoisseurs seeking a restful night’s sleep surely agree.
