Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia improved sleep, mood, and reduced cannabis use
A pilot study found that CBT for insomnia reduced insomnia severity from "moderately severe" to "not clinically significant" in cannabis users, with 80% reporting decreased cannabis use at 3 months.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After four CBT for insomnia sessions, mean ISI scores dropped from moderately severe to not clinically significant, sustained at 3 and 6 months. Actigraphy confirmed decreased sleep onset latency. PHQ-4 anxiety/depression scores also decreased significantly. At 3 months, 80% reported decreased cannabis use. Three of four inflammatory biomarkers (IL-2, IL-6, CRP) trended downward at 6 months.
Key Numbers
19 participants. ISI dropped from moderately severe to not significant. Actigraphy showed significant decrease in sleep onset latency. 80% reduced cannabis use at 3 months. Significant PHQ-4 score decrease.
How They Did This
Pilot study of 19 participants with cannabis use disorder and insomnia. Four CBT-i sessions with objective (actigraphy) and subjective sleep measures, validated questionnaires (ISI, PHQ-4), and serum inflammatory markers measured at baseline, post-CBT, 3 months, and 6 months.
Why This Research Matters
Many cannabis users report using cannabis for sleep, creating a cycle where insomnia drives cannabis use. Treating insomnia directly with CBT may reduce the perceived need for cannabis.
The Bigger Picture
The reduction in cannabis use after treating insomnia supports the theory that some cannabis use is functionally driven by sleep problems, and addressing the underlying issue may reduce the substance use.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (19 participants). No control group. Cannot separate CBT effects from natural recovery or placebo. Inflammatory biomarker changes only trended toward significance.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would these results hold in a larger controlled trial?
- ?Is CBT-i as effective as or better than cannabis for managing insomnia?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 80% of participants reduced cannabis use 3 months after CBT for insomnia
- Evidence Grade:
- Small pilot study with no control group. Promising but needs replication in a controlled trial.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Assessing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in individuals with cannabis use disorder utilizing actigraphy and serum biomarkers: A pilot study.
- Published In:
- Sleep medicine, 100, 434-441 (2022)
- Authors:
- Geagea, Luna, Ghanimé, Pia Maria, El Hayek, Samer(2), Kobeissy, Firas, Tamim, Hani, Elbejjani, Martine, Talih, Farid
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03863
Evidence Hierarchy
A small preliminary study to test whether a larger study is feasible.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did treating insomnia reduce cannabis use?
Yes. 80% of participants reported decreased cannabis use 3 months after completing just four CBT for insomnia sessions, suggesting that treating the sleep problem reduced the perceived need for cannabis.
How long did the improvements last?
Insomnia improvement was sustained at 3 and 6 months. Anxiety and depression improvements were also sustained. Cannabis use reduction was reported at 3 months.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03863APA
Geagea, Luna; Ghanimé, Pia Maria; El Hayek, Samer; Kobeissy, Firas; Tamim, Hani; Elbejjani, Martine; Talih, Farid. (2022). Assessing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in individuals with cannabis use disorder utilizing actigraphy and serum biomarkers: A pilot study.. Sleep medicine, 100, 434-441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2022.09.017
MLA
Geagea, Luna, et al. "Assessing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in individuals with cannabis use disorder utilizing actigraphy and serum biomarkers: A pilot study.." Sleep medicine, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2022.09.017
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Assessing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in indiv..." RTHC-03863. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/geagea-2022-assessing-cognitive-behavioral-therapy
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.