Canna Curious

by Kyla de Clifford

Perimenopause can feel like someone swapped out your body without asking. Sleep goes out the window. Mood swings sneak up out of nowhere. Hot flashes strike when you least expect it. And let’s not even start on the fkn joint pain.

While hormone therapy (MHT) is the go-to treatment for many, not every woman can—or wants to—go that route. Enter: the cannabis plant.

Let’s get this straight. Cannabis isn’t a cure for perimenopause. But it may be a supportive tool in your wellness toolkit. And no, this isn’t just anecdotal. Let’s talk about what the research actually says.

Sleep

If you’re anything like me, perimenopause turned sleep into a distant memory. One minute you’re out cold, the next it’s 3 a.m. and your brain is running a highlight reel of every bad haircut you’ve ever had.

A 2017 review in Current Psychiatry Reports found that cannabinoids, especially THC and CBD, can help improve sleep onset and reduce night-time wakefulness. But here’s the key: dose matters. Too much THC can actually increase anxiety, which is the last thing we need!

What’s worked for me?

• 2.5-10mg  of THC + 5–10mg CBD before bed
• Journaling to offload mental clutter
• Zero screens 60  minutes before sleep

 Mood Swings & Anxiety

Those emotional rollercoasters are real. Your brain is adjusting to fluctuating estrogen and progesterone and that affects your neurotransmitters.

CBD has been shown to interact with the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, which plays a role in mood regulation. A 2015 review in Neurotherapeutics found that CBD has anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. This could help ease emotional reactivity during perimenopause without sedation or side effects.

Hot Flashes & The Endocannabinoid System

This one’s fascinating. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in thermoregulation—which is science-speak for “why you’re suddenly sweating through your shirt during a meeting.”

A 2005 paper in Temperature discussed how cannabinoids may help modulate this system. It’s early-stage research, but it suggests a promising role for ECS support in managing hot flashes.

Pain & Inflammation

With declining estrogen, inflammation ramps up. You might feel it as achy knees, stiff hips, or chronic low-level pain that wasn’t there before.

Cannabinoids have well-documented anti-inflammatory properties. A 2009 review in Future Medicinal Chemistry outlines how THC and CBD may calm the body’s inflammatory response—especially helpful during hormone-driven shifts.

References 

Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: a review of the literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(4), 23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0775-9

Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 825–836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1

Bradshaw, H. B., & Walker, J. M. (2005). The endocannabinoid system and its role in thermoregulation. Temperature, 1(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.4161/temp.1.1.26661Nagarkatti, P., Pandey, R., Rieder, S. A.,

Hegde, V. L., & Nagarkatti, M. (2009). Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 1(7), 1333–1349. https://doi.org/10.4155/fmc.09.93