Using alcohol or cannabis to aid sleep is counterproductive, according to experts, who note that these substances do not address the underlying causes of insomnia and can lead to diminished effectiveness and rebound sleep disruption.
Lisa Fucito, a professor of psychiatry at Yale and director of the Tobacco Treatment Service at Smilow Cancer Hospital, explained that psychoactive substances like alcohol and cannabis do not target the behavioral and cognitive processes that sustain insomnia. While they might induce short-term sedation, their sleep-promoting effects can fade within days due to developing tolerance. This tolerance is often followed by a worsening of sleep continuity and quality, with rebound disruption occurring in the latter half of the night.
Psychologists suggest that individuals turning to these substances for sleep are generally seeking help, often unaware of the potential harms and ineffectiveness. Research strongly indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offers a more effective and safer long-term solution for many sleep difficulties, despite lacking the immediate appeal of quick fixes. CBT can help individuals confront the root causes of sleep problems, such as spending excessive time in bed while awake, maintaining inconsistent sleep schedules, and conditioned arousal, like worrying about sleep itself.