A Redditor is making the case for taking THC gummies before sleep and using their Oura Ring to back it up.
“Thc is good fer me. thc is like my family,” u/tugnoot joked in a post shared to the r/ouraring subreddit.
The bulk of their post was a screenshot of data collected from their Oura Ring, a popular smart ring intended to help wearers better understand their sleep routines and how their quality of sleep is impacted by various deviations.
In u/tugnoot’s case, they claim that taking a gummy infused with THC prompted the overall extremely positive results presented in the screenshot. Their resting heart rate was low. Their sleep was optimal. And their overall “Readiness Score” (something Oura calculates based on a variety of factors) was marked as “Good.”
The point, they said, was to compare to similar screenshots people had been posting showing the negative impacts alcohol had on their sleep. Many people who use sleep-tracking smartwear like Oura report that drinking before bed raises their heart rate, causes restlessness and frequent sleep disturbances through the night, and overall causes lower scores compared to nights without alcohol.
While these are often things people already know anecdotally, seeing the data laid out has been a wake-up call for some.
How does THC impact sleep?
Scientifically speaking, a single screenshot of data with no further information or comparisons to nights this Redditor didn’t take a THC gummy doesn’t necessarily tell us much. And studies are still ongoing about the impact various types of cannabis have on sleep.
“When we look at the effects of marijuana on sleep, we tend to see that in the short term, it does help people fall asleep and improves the sleep quality in the first part of the night,” Dr. Deirdre Conroy, a sleep psychologist with the University of Michigan Health, told Click On Detroit in 2024. “In the second part of the night, you can have more awakenings and fragmented sleep.”
According to Healthline, certain studies have shown THC can reduce REM sleep. While that can be helpful for getting immediate deep sleep or avoiding nightmares, it can cause problems long term.
Other Oura Ring users weigh in
People responding to u/tugroot’s post had a variety of experiences tracking their own sleep after taking a gummy or smoking weed.
“I’ve noticed my resting heart rate is both a little higher than usual and stabilizes later in the night when I eat a gummy,” wrote u/nyan_nat.
“I’ve seen the amount taken makes a difference,” u/scott_d59 countered. “For me 2.5mg is the right amount to help sleep without elevating HR. The ring’s reporting says it’s better too. However I do not wake refreshed like the app says.”
Meanwhile, u/Extreme-Tie9282 said they’ve been taking a gummy every night for five years straight and get the “best sleeps ever.” “No hang overs and feeling amazing,” they shared.
“Yup! This last week I started taking a small gummy after dinner to not only help me relax but to help me sleep,” u/Additional_Carpet563 added, “and my sleep scores have increased to 80-90, normally I’m somewhere around 60-70.”
“I’m jealous,” said u/sloootypebble. “Weed elevates my heart rate and lowers HRV, especially too close to bed. My body is usually ‘stressed’ after I smoke.”
In other words, don’t take it for granted that THC will lead to better sleep, as different people seem to react in different ways. But if you utilize smart sleep tracking tech, it might be an interesting experiment to run all the same.
The Daaily Dot reached out to u/tugnoot via direct message and to Oura via email.
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