insomnia twice as common among college students who use it daily, study finds

In France, the probability of suffering from insomnia among students is 45% higher among cannabis users compared to non-users. This probability is even twice as high among daily cannabis consumers compared to occasional or rare consumers, reveals a study carried out by researchers from Inserm, the University and the CHU of Bordeaux, at the research center Bordeaux Population Health. For the first time, they conducted an in-depth analysis of the association between cannabis use and sleep disturbances.

The study, published in Psychiatry Research, was made among 14,787 university students. All are part of the i-Share cohort which focuses on the general health of students, led by Christophe Tzourio, the study’s last author. They all agreed to answer a questionnaire on their way of life.

A disturbing link

A barometer from Public Health France reveals that many French students report smoking cannabis regularly. There are 13.9% of 18-25 year olds who say they consume it monthly and 4% daily. A previous study showed that young adults have trouble sleeping. 55% of students report having sleep disorders and 19% say they suffer from insomnia.

The researchers remain cautious and specify that they do not have scientific proof that cannabis causes insomnia but establish a worrying link because the consumption of cannabis among students could have consequences on their success in studies, as well as on their physical and mental health.