The Best Cannabis Strains for Sleep and Insomnia

Insomniacs, this list of sleepy cannabis strains is for you. You’re tired, but your eyes just won’t close. You toss and turn until you’ve tried every humanly possible position. You wake up clouded, lethargic, and irritable. Insomnia is the worst, but luckily cannabis is shown to be an effective and safe sleep aid for many people. It can slow racing thoughts, dissolve pain, relax muscles, and deliver its own sleepy chemicals to help you fall and stay asleep. However, as many have testified, finding the right strain is key.

We put together a list of 10 particularly sedating strains to give you an idea of what to look out for on your next visit to the dispensary. But first, some tips to keep in mind:

• Edibles can help you stay asleep longer. Though inhaling cannabis yields faster effects, edibles last a lot longer.
• Aged cannabis can have sleepier effects than fresh flower. It may not sound as appetizing, but older cannabis is shown to contain higher levels of a sedating chemical called cannabinol (CBN).
• Go easy on the high-THC strains if it’s anxiety keeping you up. A light dose of these strains can float you to sleep, but larger doses can worsen anxiety in some. You may also want to try a strain with some CBD in it if you’re sensitive to THC, as it often eases its anxious side effects.
• Browse Leafly for sleepy strains. Find out which strains other Leafly users have described as “sleepy” here.

Keep in mind that no strain or product affects everyone the same, and finding the solution for you may require a little trial and error. The below strains were selected based on user-submitted reviews and data, but everyone’s experience is different. We’d love to hear about yours in a strain review or in the comments section below!

Tahoe OG Kush

With effects that tend to be heavier than your average OG Kush hybrid, Tahoe OG is a godsend for insomniacs. Smoking or vaporizing this strain can yield fast-acting effects that let muscles relax, easing that need to roll around in your blankets all night. Tahoe OG is also known to slow racing thoughts so you can float into sleep with a calm and peaceful mind.

Granddaddy Purple

It would be a crime to leave this indica classic off any list touting the top sleepy strains. Not only is it fairly easy to find, Granddaddy Purple is shown to exhibit high levels of the sleepy terpene myrcene. A favorite among patients whose pain keeps them up at night, this indica analgesic carries strong flavors of berry and grape that only sweeten the deal.

God’s Gift

God’s Gift is indeed a gift to insomnia sufferers. All that stress keeping you up at night feels suddenly overpowered by a surefooted sense of peace. Releasing the exhale with notes of berry and citrus still clinging to your tongue, you’re soon to feel your mood lift as your body sinks.

Afghan Kush

Afghani indicas are famous for their heavy, body-focused effects. Afghan Kush, following in suit, is cherished for its ability to knock out pain, hush anxious thoughts, and anchor the body to one single goal: sleep.

Northern Lights

Imagine yourself on a cold winter night, wrapped in a warm blanket as green lights dance above you. This isn’t altogether unlike the experience provided by the Northern Lights indica, an old-school strain that has been lulling minds to sleep since its inception in the mid-1980s. Commanding sleep with a heavy hand, Northern Lights uses its high-THC content to annihilate pain and insomnia. Cannabis novices should approach this potent strain with extra caution, paying mind to dose low and slow.

Ogre

The sleep-inducing hybrid Ogre stomps out insomnia with ease. Sweet citrus flavors dance over the palate on the inhale, giving your senses something to delight in as the sedative effects kick in.