Cannabis Use is Associated with Greater Total Sleep Time in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with and without HIV: A Preliminary Report Utilizing Digital Health Technologies

Authors

  • Laura M Campbell SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Bin Tang Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Caitlin Wei-Ming Watson SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Michael Higgins Exercise and Physical Activity Resource Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA., USA
  • Mariana Cherner Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Brook L Henry Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Raeanne C Moore Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

Abstract

Current literature on the effect of cannabis use on sleep quality is mixed, and few studies have used objectively-measured sleep measures or real-time sampling of cannabis use to examine this relationship. The prevalence of cannabis use among older adults and persons living with HIV has increased in recent years, and poor sleep quality is elevated in these populations as well. However, research examining cannabis-sleep relationships in these populations is lacking. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationship between daily cannabis use and subsequent objectively-measured sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults with and without HIV. In this pilot study, seventeen (11 HIV+, 6 HIV-) adults aged 50–70 who consumed cannabis completed four daily smartphone-based surveys for 14 days, in which they reported their cannabis use (yes/no) since the last survey. Participants also wore actigraphy watches during the 14-day period to objectively assess sleep quality (i.e., efficiency, total sleep time, and sleep fragmentation). In linear mixed-effects models, cannabis use was significantly associated with greater subsequent total sleep time (ß = 0.56; p = 0.046). Cannabis use was not related to a change in sleep efficiency (ß = 1.50; p = 0.46) nor sleep fragmentation (ß = 0.846, p = 0.756) on days with cannabis use versus days without cannabis use. These preliminary results indicate cannabis use may have a positive effect on sleep duration in middle-aged and older adults. However, future studies with larger sample sizes that assess cannabis use in more detail (e.g., route of administration, dose, reason for use) are needed to further understand this relationship.

Additional Files

Published

2020-07-03

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2020): Cannabis

Section

Original Report