Cannabinoids for Treating Sleep

Purpose of ReviewChanges in the legislative landscape have stimulated an increase in research into therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids, including for management of sleep disturbances and disorders. This topical review brings together evidence from systematic reviews and recent clinical trials to assess the efficacy and safety of different exogenous cannabinoid-based pharmacotherapies for human sleep disturbances and disorders.Recent FindingsMost clinical research has focused on symptoms of insomnia, with indication that cannabinoids may be an efficacious treatment option. However, samples have rarely been comprised of people with a clinical diagnosis, and variable cannabinoid formulations and doses across studies prevent unequivocal recommendations. The evidence for other sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome, REM sleep behavior disorder) is even more scant.SummaryReflecting on research conducted to date, there is an opportunity for active researchers in this field to consider developing common data collection protocols and core outcome sets to facilitate future standardization and pooling of data from high-quality trials.