Sleep difficulties are widespread in young adults, with some individuals turning to substances in hopes of initiating their sleep. A recent national analysis from the Monitoring the Future Panel Study (2022–2023) examined cannabis and alcohol use for sleep in over 1,400 U.S. young adults aged 19 to 30.

More than 1 in 5 young adults (22%) reported using cannabis or alcohol to help them fall asleep. Cannabis was much more commonly used than alcohol for this purpose—18% used cannabis while only 7% used alcohol. Among those who used cannabis in the past year, more than 4 in 10 said they sometimes used it to fall asleep. Similarly, nearly 1 in 11 alcohol users reported using it for sleep. Co-use was also noteworthy, as 7% of individuals who used both substances reported using both simultaneously to fall asleep. Importantly, these patterns varied by gender and race. Women and individuals identifying as another gender (e.g., nonbinary) were more likely than men to use cannabis to initiate sleep. Black young adults were more likely than White peers to use alcohol for the same reason.

Together, these data underscore how common substance-based self-medication for sleep is in this age group. For healthcare providers, this highlights the importance of routine screening for both sleep issues and reasons for substance use when working with young adults. Asking “What do you use to help you fall asleep?” may be just as important as “Are you sleeping?” in this population and these habits should be considered when building treatment plans as well.

Reference:

Reference: Patrick ME et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2025:e253642. Abstract