# Endocannabinoid System Sleep Research: Clinical Trial Evidence > **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637) > **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com) > **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/oral-cannabinoids-sleep-clinical-trial-evidence/ > **Published:** 2026-04-25T13:33:15-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-28T11:54:49-04:00 > **Clinical Summary:** Explore oral cannabinoids sleep clinical trial evidence showing effects on sleep time and architecture in insomnia patients from recent research. --- #### Clinical Takeaway In this pilot trial of 20 adults with diagnosed insomnia disorder, a single oral dose of 10 mg THC combined with 200 mg CBD reduced total sleep time compared to placebo, suggesting that this cannabinoid combination did not improve and may have worsened objective sleep duration in the short term. These findings highlight that patient-reported improvements with cannabinoids do not always align with objective EEG-measured sleep outcomes. Clinicians should counsel patients that current evidence does not firmly support oral cannabinoids as first-line treatments for insomnia, and that effects on [sleep architecture](https://cedclinic.com/sleep-architecture-cannabinoids-enhancing-sleep-quality/) warrant further investigation. ### #10 Acute Effects of Oral Cannabinoids on Sleep and High-Density EEG in Insomnia: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial. **Citation:** Suraev Anastasia et al. *[Acute Effects](https://cedclinic.com/episodic-memory-cannabis-impairment-study/) of Oral Cannabinoids on Sleep and High-Density EEG in Insomnia: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.* Journal of sleep research. 2026. PMID: 40631525. **Study type:** Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial  |  **Topic area:** Cannabidiol  |  **CED Score:** 11 Design: 5 Journal: 0 N: 0 Recency: 3 Pop: 2 Human: 1 Risk: 0 **Methodological Considerations:** - Self-reported outcomes — recall and social-desirability bias risk **Abstract:** Cannabinoids, particularly Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), have gained popularity as alternative sleep aids; however, their effects on sleep architecture and next-day function remain poorly understood. Here, in a pilot trial, we examined the effects of a single oral dose containing 10 mg THC and 200 mg CBD (THC/CBD) on objective sleep outcomes and next-day alertness using 256-channel high-density EEG in 20 patients with DSM-5 diagnosed insomnia disorder (16 female; mean (SD) age, 46.1 (8.6) years). We showed that THC/CBD decreased total sleep time (-24.5 min, p = 0.05, d = -0.5) with no change in wake after sleep onset (+10.7 min, p > 0.05) compared to placebo. THC/CBD also significantly decreased time spent in REM sleep (-33.9 min, p < 0.001, d = -1.5) and increased latency to REM sleep (+65.6 min, p = 0.008, d = 0.7). High-density EEG analysis revealed regional decreases in gamma activity during N2 sleep, and in delta activity during N3 sleep, and a regional increase in beta and alpha activity during REM sleep. While there was no observed change in next-day objective alertness, a small but significant increase in self-reported sleepiness was noted with THC/CBD (+0.42 points, p = 0.02, d = 0.22). No changes in subjective [sleep quality](https://cedclinic.com/thc-sleep-tolerance-medical-study-ced-clinic/), cognitive performance, or simulated driving performance were observed. These findings suggest that a single dose of cannabinoids, particularly THC, may acutely influence sleep, primarily by suppressing REM sleep, without noticeable next-day impairment (≥ 9 h post-treatment). Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12619000714189) https://www.anzctr.org.au/.  |   |  [View on PubMed ↗](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40631525/)[Full Text ↗](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12856102/)[DOI ↗](https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70124) [https://cedclinic.com/contact/](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) Physician-Led, Whole-Person Care A doctor who takes the time to truly understand you. Personal care that starts with listening and is guided by experience and ingenuity. 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[Read More](https://cedclinic.com/acute-effects-oral-cannabinoids-sleep-eeg/) [Endocannabinoid System Sleep Research: Clinical Trial Evidence](https://cedclinic.com/oral-cannabinoids-sleep-clinical-trial-evidence/) Comprehensive clinical trial evidence on the impact of the endocannabinoid system on sleep quality. [Explore Study](https://cedclinic.com/oral-cannabinoids-sleep-clinical-trial-evidence/) [Endocannabinoid System & Sleep: Clinical RCT Evidence](https://cedclinic.com/oral-cannabinoids-sleep-clinical-trial-evidence/) Randomized controlled trial evidence examining endocannabinoid system effects on sleep patterns. [Learn More](https://cedclinic.com/oral-cannabinoids-sleep-clinical-trial-evidence/) Have thoughts on this? 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