Young adults are using cannabis to sleep at alarming rates

More than 20% of young adults say they use cannabis or alcohol to fall asleep, with cannabis leading by a wide margin. Researchers warn this strategy can backfire, disrupting sleep quality and increasing the risk of long-term sleep and substance-use problems.

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Cannabis was used much more often than alcohol for sleep. About 18% of young adults reported using cannabis to fall asleep, while 7% said they used alcohol for the same reason. Among those who had used cannabis at any point in the past year, 41% said helping themselves fall asleep was one reason they used it.

Researchers caution that relying on substances for sleep can cause problems over time. "Using these substances to get to sleep can backfire because they can interfere with the ability to stay asleep and with the quality of sleep," said Megan Patrick, research professor at the Institute for Social Research and principal investigator of the MTF Panel Study. "They appear to actually disrupt sleep in the long term. The fact that so many young adults reported that they use cannabis to sleep is alarming."

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, examined responses from 1,473 young adults across the United States. The researchers found notable differences based on gender and race in how substances were used for sleep.

Women were almost twice as likely as men to use cannabis to help them fall asleep. Participants who identified as another gender were more than four times as likely as men to report using cannabis for sleep. Black young adults were three times more likely than white young adults to say they used alcohol as a sleep aid.

Patrick said repeated use of cannabis or alcohol for sleep may worsen sleep difficulties rather than solve them. "Long-term, regular use of these substances to get to sleep may lead to worse sleep problems and increased risk for substance use disorder," she said. "For example, frequently using a substance to get to sleep may lead to tolerance, or needing more of it to get the same effect. In other words, rather than resulting in better sleep, it may lead to additional sleep problems and escalating substance use."

This research is among the first national studies to closely examine how and why young adults use substances to manage sleep. The Monitoring the Future Panel Study follows nationally representative groups of U.S. students over time, tracking patterns of substance use as they move into adulthood.

Patrick emphasized that many young adults may believe cannabis or alcohol can improve sleep, even though evidence suggests the opposite. "Unfortunately, there is a misconception that substance use can be helpful for sleep problems, but it can make things worse," she said. "High-quality sleep is critical for mental health and regulating mood. Young adults told us that they are using cannabis to try to get to sleep, but doing so may make their sleep problems even worse. They need to know the potential risks."

Because sleep problems and substance use often occur together in young adulthood, the researchers say clinicians should be alert to this connection. The findings highlight the importance of screening for both issues and offering coordinated support when needed.

"Health care providers should understand how common both sleep problems and substance use are during young adulthood," Patrick said. "And that many young adults are using cannabis specifically to get to sleep. People who are trying to manage sleep problems should talk to their doctors or other providers."

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. Additional authors included Yuk Pang and Yvonne Terry-McElrath.

Materials provided by University of Michigan. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.