Shrooms
Can You Sleep on Shrooms?
We all need a good night’s sleep, but sometimes this doesn’t happen. So how do shrooms affect sleep?
This question can be answered in many ways since there are so many variables to the effects of shrooms on sleeping.
To put this to rest, let’s talk about some different scenarios when consuming psilocybin and how it will impact your night’s rest.
Key Takeaways:
- When you take shrooms and how much are the main factors
- It is generally difficult to sleep under the full effects of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), as the mind is highly active and boosted with serotonin.
- After the peak effects of shrooms wear off (4-6 hours), sleep becomes easier.
- There is no indication that falling asleep under the effects of shrooms is harmful.
- Taking shrooms right before bed can lead to vivid dreams or difficulty falling back asleep if awakened.
- Microdosing shrooms may improve sleep in the medium to long term, as it doesn’t significantly disrupt serotonin levels.
- Shrooms can potentially help with sleep by easing stress and improving mood.
- Psilocybin has been shown to have lasting positive effects on the brain, reducing anxiety and depression, which may improve sleep patterns.
- Psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, have been shown to modify serotonin activity, which is crucial for regulating sleep, potentially leading to disrupted sleep stages and various psychological impacts.
- Sleeping under the peak effects of shrooms is difficult, but relaxing and focusing on a comforting mental image may help.
What Is Psilocybin?
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms, commonly known as “magic mushrooms.” This compound is a serotonergic psychedelic, meaning it interacts with the brain’s serotonin system, which plays a crucial role in regulating mood, appetite, and sleep.
For centuries, psilocybin has been used in traditional medicine and spiritual practices. In recent years, research has delved into its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly for mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder. By influencing serotonin levels, psilocybin may offer new avenues for treating these conditions, although its impact on sleep patterns remains a topic of ongoing study.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is vital for our overall health and well-being, serving as a cornerstone for physical, mental, and emotional health. During sleep, our brain processes and consolidates memories, regulates emotions, and releases hormones that aid in tissue repair and growth.
Chronic sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and sleep deprivation, can lead to severe consequences, including impaired cognitive function, mood disorders, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
While some people turn to psilocybin mushrooms as a sleep aid, research suggests that they may actually disrupt sleep patterns, leading to disturbed sleep and other negative outcomes. Understanding the complex relationship between psilocybin and sleep is essential for making informed decisions about its use.
Psilocybin Mushrooms and Sleeping
Is it possible to sleep on shrooms? Anecdotal stories will tell you a lot of different things. Generally, it’s pretty difficult to sleep under the full effects of psilocybin, which can significantly impact sleep quality.
Can’t sleep after shrooms? This is because your mind is incredibly active and boosted with serotonin, and unless you are an amazing sleeper or trained well in lucid dreaming, this won’t turn out in you getting some zzz’s.
The best time to fall asleep on shrooms is after the peak effects have worn off. After about 4-6 hours, your body will have processed most of the active compounds, and the effects will start to subside.
Once your trip is fully run its course, you’ll feel pretty tired and brain-drained, so sleep should be pretty easy. This goes hand in hand with research that indicates psilocybin can alter your mood, leading to more relaxation and an easier time getting to sleep.
Is it Bad to Sleep on Shrooms?
Other than having interesting dreams or not getting a great sleep, there’s no indication that falling asleep while still under the effects of shrooms is bad for you.
Neuroscience points to a strong link between sleep and psilocybin, the primary psychoactive chemical in magic mushrooms. The liver metabolizes the substance and processes it into psilocin, a chemical binding to the serotonin receptor, a neurochemical sense associated with sleep and mood. Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic fungi compound similar to serotonin, the neurotransmitter that plays an essential role in regulating mood.
There are diminishing benefits, though, as excessive long-term use of psychedelics can make it harder to fall asleep at night as your melatonin production is affected, potentially disrupting sleep patterns. Microdosing does not constitute excessive use.
Taking Shrooms Right Before Bed: Effects on REM Sleep Latency
What if you take shrooms and fall asleep before the effects kick in? This can go a couple of different ways; you may have vivid dreams that feel real, or if your brain is active enough, it may wake you up.
The latter can feel very confusing as you awake under the full effects of psilocybin, and once awake, it can be difficult to fall back asleep.
If you are attempting lucid dreaming with psilocybin shrooms, you may or may not get the experience you want; this will all come down to experimenting with dosages that have psychedelic effects without the intensity that will keep you awake.
There are some instances where you can go to sleep on shrooms. In addition to the psychedelic effects, there is also the effect of falling asleep. One anecdotal story is a user fell asleep on shrooms after taking it at the end of a night of heavy drinking and said the unconscious dosing caused vivid lucid dream experiences.
Mixing shrooms and alcohol can be dangerous, but in this case, the effects of the alcohol kept the user asleep throughout the sleeping trip. However, taking shrooms can also make you sleep worse by disrupting normal sleep patterns and affecting REM sleep.
Microdosing and Sleep
While microdosing shrooms, your sleep may be improved in the medium to long term. Microdosing avoids the psychedelic effects of psilocybin, so it won’t affect your serotonin levels enough to disrupt your sleep patterns. Additionally, psilocybin can prolong REM sleep latency, which is the time taken to enter REM sleep.
The effects are also different depending on the regime; you may want to know more about microdosing, which is the lowest-risk method.
Most microdose regimens recommend taking the microdose at a certain time of the day. If it’s your first time with microdose and you take it at night, you could feel slightly awake, depending on your body.
This is unlikely, though, as the dose is so small you probably won’t notice any immediate effects and should be able to lie down and close your eyes like any other night.
In the long term, the link between shrooms and sleep is positive. There is evidence that those with sleeping issues can benefit from psilocybin. Since shrooms help ease stress and improve mood, sleeping becomes easier.
Can Shrooms Help With Sleep Quality?
Research has shown that some magic mushrooms, such as Psilocybe cubensis and Golden Teacher mushrooms, can have lasting positive effects on the brain. People who consume a Golden Teacher (a similar psilocybin fungus) before a trip report a more positive attitude, feel more egocentric and become happier for months afterwards.
Sleeping while high on mushrooms is almost impossible, but there is some evidence that psilocin can positively affect sleep. While magic mushrooms don’t make you sleepy during the peak of their effects, their potential to reduce stress and improve mood might contribute to better sleep in the long run or after the effects have worn off. Additionally, psilocybin can prolong REM sleep latency, affecting the time taken to reach REM sleep.
Research shows that people with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used to treat depression and anxiety spend less time in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM), the deepest sleep stage in which dreams occur, says W. Christopher Winter, President of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and author of Sleep Solutions.
Changes in your serotonin activity can prevent you from surviving REM sleep. Serotonin is involved in the production of melatonin, which your brain secretes at night to make you tired, and excessive long-term use of psychedelics such as MDMA can make it harder to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning, said Winter.
A 2007 study showed that Reishi mushroom extract increased sleep duration in non-REM and light sleep in subjects’ mammals. The study also showed that sleepers who took Reishi mushrooms before sleep exhibited more delta brainwave activity than those who did not have REM sleep.
However, more and more research suggests that the hallucinogenic compound in mushrooms, psilocybin, may have lasting benefits in reducing anxiety and depression. The latest research into mushrooms and mental health stems from a small 2016 study that examined the benefits of psilocybin in relieving anxiety and depression in cancer patients.
The reduction in anxiety and depression may lead to better sleeping patterns.
Risks and Considerations
While psilocybin mushrooms have a long history of use, they come with significant risks and considerations. Psilocybin can induce intense psychological and emotional experiences, which can be overwhelming or even traumatic for some individuals.
Additionally, psilocybin can interact with other medications, including antidepressants, and may exacerbate underlying mental health conditions. The potential for substance abuse and dependence is another critical factor, especially for individuals with a history of addiction.
Therefore, it is crucial to approach the use of psilocybin mushrooms with caution. Consulting a medical professional before use is highly recommended, particularly for those with a history of mental health disorders or substance abuse.
How to Fall Sleep on Magic Mushrooms
So you can’t fall asleep on shrooms? As we explained, sleeping under the peak effects of psilocybin will be very difficult. Sleep slow wave activity can be affected by substances like psilocybin, which may impact your ability to achieve deep sleep. So you will have to gauge how active your mind is, and the stage of your experience, but some general guidelines on how to fall asleep on shrooms are;
- Drink some water or other fluid to ensure you are hydrated
- Find a comfortable spot to lie down, free of stimulus
- Relax your body and let your muscles loosen
- Loosen your shoulders and relax your jaw
- Focus on a comforting image or scene in your mind
- Let yourself slip into the scene
- Try drinking some citrus or orange juice if you can’t fall asleep.
While this doesn’t work for everyone, the best way to fall asleep on shrooms is to slow everything down as much as possible to be in a relaxed state that is opportunistic for sleep.
If you still have trouble sleeping after the effects have worn off, exercise and detox your body so it’s naturally more rested. Then try the steps above again.
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