If you’ve been browsing online or visiting your local dispensary lately, you may have noticed cannabis edibles that include melatonin. Since both cannabis and melatonin are commonly used as sleep aids, it’s no surprise they are sometimes combined. However, this combination raises an intriguing question: what happens when you mix melatonin and cannabis?
Where You’ll Find Melatonin in Cannabis Products
Melatonin is typically found in cannabis products—especially edibles—that are marketed to help with sleep. These products often contain melatonin alongside cannabinoids like CBD, THC, and/or CBN. The idea is straightforward: if THC can help you fall asleep and CBD can help you stay asleep, then adding melatonin might offer the best of both worlds. But is that really the case? The answer isn’t so clear-cut.
Is It Safe to Mix Cannabis and Melatonin?
Generally speaking, yes. Both cannabis and melatonin are considered safe for most people. However, individual responses vary. If melatonin alone doesn’t work well for you, combining it with cannabis probably won’t improve its effects. The same applies if you don’t respond well to cannabis.
Another important consideration is that regular use of either substance, alone or together, can potentially disrupt your natural circadian rhythms. This disruption may lead to issues like persistent fatigue or increased inflammation, which can negatively impact your overall health and daily performance.
How Melatonin Works
Melatonin is an endogenous hormone—meaning it’s naturally produced by your body in the pineal gland. Often called the “sleep hormone,” its primary role is to regulate circadian rhythms, although it’s not absolutely essential for sleep itself. Melatonin production ramps up in response to darkness, syncing with the natural light-dark cycle. Levels are low during the day and peak at night. Excessive light exposure at night can suppress or alter melatonin production, disrupting your sleep-wake cycle.
Melatonin synthesis is regulated by norepinephrine, a chemical that acts as both a hormone and neurotransmitter, playing a key role in controlling wakefulness and natural melatonin release. Once released, melatonin interacts with M1 and M2 receptors in the body to exert its effects.
Many people use melatonin supplements to help with sleep difficulties, jet lag, and insomnia, though the scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness is modest. Meta-analyses suggest melatonin may slightly hasten the time it takes to fall asleep—by about 4 to 12 minutes—but this effect is generally mild.
While melatonin is not FDA-approved as a drug in the U.S. (it is sold as a dietary supplement), its use is widespread and growing rapidly. A 2022 study reported over a 500% increase in melatonin use from 1999 to 2018, with more than six million users.
Despite the lack of formal approval, medical professionals generally consider melatonin safe. Adverse effects tend to be mild, and short-term use (three months or less) is recommended. There is some debate about whether supplementation affects the body’s natural melatonin levels, but most research indicates it doesn’t cause significant disruption.
Sleep and the Endocannabinoid System
So, what role does cannabis play in sleep? Like many bodily functions, your sleep cycle is connected to your endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Research shows that the ECS follows a rhythm similar to circadian cycles. A 2010 review highlighted a “bidirectional relationship between endocannabinoid signaling and circadian processes.” Moreover, a 2015 study in rodents found that an endocannabinoid called anandamide (AEA) influences the pineal gland in a time-dependent manner, thereby impacting circadian rhythms.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) also plays an important role in regulating the norepinephrine system, which, as mentioned earlier, is a key regulator of melatonin production.
Phytocannabinoids such as THC and CBD interact with the ECS by binding to CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors, along with the M1 and M2 melatonin receptors, belong to a larger family known as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). This classification is significant because one of the functions of GPCRs is to convey information to cells regarding the presence or absence of light. As discussed previously, the absence of light triggers melatonin production—or at least it should.
Several factors—such as dosage, tolerance, age, and gender—can influence your sleep cycle. However, scientists are still investigating exactly how cannabis affects sleep.
Drug Interactions Between Melatonin and Cannabis
THC and Melatonin
THC is known to alter the circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle. Short-term THC use may reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), increase total sleep time, promote deeper sleep phases, and reduce REM sleep. However, chronic cannabis use can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle, often leading to increased THC tolerance and the need for higher doses to achieve the same sleep-inducing effects.
Melatonin, conversely, is known to increase REM sleep in individuals with serious sleep disorders, which might explain why some people experience vivid dreams or nightmares when taking melatonin supplements.
THC is reported to suppress dreaming, as evidenced by cannabis users’ reduced dream recall and altered REM sleep patterns. It remains unclear whether THC and melatonin interact to balance REM sleep.
So, what can you expect if you combine THC and melatonin? Likely increased drowsiness, lethargy, and sleepiness. THC is well-known for its sedative effects, while melatonin facilitates sleep onset, so together they may complement each other in promoting rest. However, caution is advised—avoid activities requiring alertness, as the combination can increase the risk of accidents due to excessive drowsiness.
While combining melatonin and cannabis is generally safe, potential drug-drug interactions exist. Melatonin is metabolized by liver enzymes, primarily CYP1A2. Cannabis smoking can induce CYP1A2 activity, potentially accelerating melatonin metabolism and reducing its effectiveness. Interestingly, consuming THC via edibles does not seem to affect CYP1A2 in the same way.
CBD and Melatonin
CBD appears to have a milder effect on the sleep-wake cycle than THC. Low doses of CBD may increase alertness, while higher doses tend to promote sedation.
A clinical trial is currently underway investigating the effects of a 20:1 CBD to THC oil on individuals with chronic insomnia. Although this study focuses on the combined effects of CBD and THC rather than their separate impacts, it aims to provide insight into their role in sleep regulation.
Epidiolex, a prescription CBD medication for seizures, lists both insomnia and sleepiness as possible side effects, highlighting individual variability in response.
Taking CBD alongside melatonin likely won’t produce sedation as strong as THC does, but some degree of tiredness is expected. Moreover, CBD inhibits the CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 enzymes responsible for metabolizing melatonin, which could lead to higher melatonin levels and prolonged effects. Although these interactions may be minimal, they could potentially allow for reduced melatonin dosages to achieve similar sleep benefits.
Important Considerations When Mixing Cannabis and Melatonin
- Timing Matters: Consistent dosing and bedtime routines help your body recognize when to prepare for sleep. Irregular use or novel combinations might increase alertness instead.
- Use Sparingly: Both cannabis and melatonin can impact your natural sleep cycle and cause dependency. Over time, tolerance may lead to increasing doses, which is not beneficial long-term. Taking tolerance breaks helps prevent reliance on external substances.
- Start Low: Begin with low doses of both melatonin and THC to avoid unpleasant effects like vivid or disturbing dreams, grogginess, or difficulty waking.
Can You Smoke Cannabis and Take Melatonin?
Yes, you can, but it might not be the most effective approach. While smoking cannabis and taking melatonin pills is possible, the most common combination occurs in edibles that include both substances. Edibles generally take 20 to 90 minutes to take effect, allowing you to take them before your bedtime routine. The effects can last 6 to 8 hours, providing prolonged sleep support and reducing the need for re-dosing. Edibles also offer a discreet alternative, especially for those who want to avoid smoke odor.
The Bottom Line on Cannabis and Melatonin
Can you mix weed and melatonin? Yes. Can this combination be harmful? Highly unlikely. Cannabis has never caused fatal overdose, and melatonin is generally safe. Because both can aid sleep, combining them may enhance effectiveness.
However, neither melatonin nor cannabis should be used every night indefinitely. Developing dependence on substances to fall asleep can be problematic. For those with significant sleep difficulties, mindful use of melatonin and cannabis can be helpful. But regularly taking large doses every night is not recommended. For occasional sleepless nights, a small dose of both may help you get restful sleep.
