Insomnia Remedies: Pot Strains That Improve Sleep

Stephen Andrews
18 Oct 2021

Take prescription sleep pills or melatonin, prepare types of tea billed to offer relief from insomnia. OR, you can just smoke weed!! Cannabis is a popular sleep remedy. A lot of users report that inhaling or ingesting pot in their bodies helps them get a better night's sleep.


Strains that combine small or moderate amounts of THC and a small amount of CBD are, according to some research, the best types of cannabis strains that can help a person who's fighting the nighttime demons. Sleep issues such as restlessness and wakefulness at night or even nightmares can sometimes be dreadful and ruin a person's normal functioning during the day. 

For starters who are looking into weed as their medicine for dream-disturbed sleep and insomnia, recommendations fall in favor of strains with less THC. Still, each individual can have a different tolerance to the mind-altering compound, and sometimes opting for products with slightly more THC may be necessary. 

If improved sleep is the primary reason why you want to consume weed, strains labeled as indica or indica-dominant hybrids are a good takeoff point. If you don't know strains, staff working at pot dispensaries is well-clued on the matter and can offer guidance and recommendations of the best sleep-promoting indica products. You can also get an idea of which strains to go after if you scroll through the overview below.

The Best Strains of Weed for Sleep and Insomnia 

It's not like every indica strain is designed to help improve sleep, but this is usually a good starting point that can help people narrow down choices. There's never a strain that's exclusive for something and that thing only. However, there's some evidence, mostly from users self-reporting, that the strains featured below are some of the best accessible on the market to take advantage of against poor sleep. 

1. Hindu Kush

One of the most successful sleep-inducing strains in the world is Hindu Kush, a pure indica strain originating in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Due to the higher concentrates of THC in it, Hindu Kush is recommended for more experienced users. Less potent Hindu Kush buds will have around 15-20% THC content, while the most potent ones score as much as 32% in lab tests. Crops of Hindu Kush also have up to 1% CBD, which is more than sufficient to boost the strain's therapeutic effects. 

Other strains from the kush lineage, such as Master Kush, Afghan Kush, and Pink Kush, have similar properties. Besides putting users to lull, the family of kush strains is generally good for healthy bodily relaxation, nerve and muscle pain relief, or just an excellent nighttime meditation on the couch watching Discovery channel.

pre-rolled joint a girl is handing over.

2. Gelato 

This strain is one of the all-time favorites of many marijuana aficionados. Also known as "Larry Bird" or "Gelato42" in some circles, people use it for fun and recreation, but it's also the type of strain that can help big with troubled sleeping. This is a balanced hybrid marijuana strain, an even match of indica and sativa, the result of crossing Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies. 

THC contents found in Gelato can range between 18 and 25 percent, and it also contains trace amounts of CBD, sufficient for that glued-to-the-sofa effect when used at home for relaxation. It's perfect for newbies to explore and see if it works with them and if it can put them to productive sleep.

3. Sunset Sherbet

An indica-dominant hybrid, Sunset Sherbet has thrilling genetics, including a lineage in the Kush family. Like Gelato, people use it to hang out together, although when used at home in evening hours, it's comforting and can help calm the mind to sleep. 

Sunset Sherbet has a THC potency range between 18% and 24% THC, according to lab testings. The strain is noted for its rich jubilant forest berries aroma, mixed with pungent earthly odors. If you've smoked OG Kush, the smell will be much familiar. 

Sunset Sherbet has a slow takeoff, one toke at a time. It puts the user into a hazy state of mind that can be spent on as mundane activities as watching documentaries on WWII. But it can also be used for a quick creativity session and completing a chunk of work you delayed for days. 

Due to its sedative properties, the strain will certainly help with sleep. It's the perfect choice of weed for those who both look into something that will freshen up their mind and then put them to good hours of sleep. 

4. Girl Scout Cookies 

Sometimes called Berner Cookies, Girl Scout Cookies is a perfect pick for leveled-up stoners eyeing a powerful sleep inhale. This is an indica-dominant hybrid strain high on THC and shares genetics with OG Kush and Durban Poison. 

Girl Scout Cookies is abundant in caryophyllene, a terpene that is associated with good sleep. The strain's average THC content is 27% and has small amounts of CBD as well. 

A sweet, earthy aroma emits when GSC is burning, and toking is quick to lock the user on the sofa. The cerebral high is lovely, a superior stress releaser that often comes with stimulated appetite. So, having something ready for munching is not a bad idea when there's GSC in the grinder.

Although GSC is noted for its sedative properties, it can also give mental stimulation, and you can remain productive when you still have some work to do. When the time for bed approaches, the sleep will come the moment you touch the pillow. 

Other medical benefits of GSC include for treatment of pain and inflammation, tension in the muscles, and cramps. 

5. Grape Ape

With THC concentrates ranging from 15% to 25% and <1% CBD, Grape Ape is another excellent choice to medicate for insomnia. This strain is very rich in myrcene, one of the most common terpenes found in cannabis as well as other plants used in traditional medicine such as lemongrass. 

Several breeders produce Grape Ape, therefore the significant 10% margin in THC variation. Grape Ape has a similar slow takeoff such as Sunset Sherbet, however, while Sunset Sherbet is initially felt in the area around the eyes and the forehead, and then the rest of the body, Grape Ape builds up an increased burdensome feeling in the arms and legs.

Since it has superior body relaxing properties, Grape Ape is excellent for treating pains in different parts of the body, widespread body pain, or sore muscles from over-exhaustion and training. 

Alternatively, users can look for Gorilla Glue, which also offers a full-body stone, although, with this strain, the cerebral high is more expressed. Gorilla Glue can work perfectly for those who want to target headaches and insomnia at the same time. 

S
Stephen Andrews