Those Pot Gummies May Not Help You Sleep Like You Think

That cannabis gummy you pop before bed might not be doing your sleep any favors after all. A 35-year study of more than 1,200 adults found that people who used marijuana—especially heavily, over many years—had more fragmented sleep, spent more time awake in the dead of night, and logged less total sleep than nonusers who'd never partaken, even though they didn't feel like bad sleepers, per the Washington Post. Published in JAMA Network Open, the Northwestern University research relied on wrist-worn sleep trackers rather than self-reports, revealing frequent "micro-awakenings" that users likely never notice.

The study can't prove cannabis is the cause—poor sleepers may be more inclined to use it, and strains and type of products used weren't tracked—but outside experts say the findings line up with evidence that long-term, regular use builds tolerance and may disrupt sleep once the drug wears off. Instead of using cannabis, the researchers emphasize other ways to boost good sleep hygiene, including going to sleep in a cool, dark room at around the same time every night, and staying away from screens right before you shut your brain down for the evening, per a release.