I've found that daily THC before bed impairs my ability to dream and taking a few nights off results in very vivid dreams. I'm in the same boat - it basically has cured or at least majorly blunted my insomnia.

It might be related to having better/deeper sleep. When you sleep deeper and don't have interruptions, you probably wouldn't remember your dreams. When you withdraw, your sleep quality decreases, leading to more interruptions/shallower sleep, creating more possibility to remember your dreams. Just my two cents, of course I'm no pro and just speculating.

There's tons of research showing THC impacts negatively REM sleep. A quick google search will return a lot of hits.

I doubt the quality of the studies. Also on my first hit “although this is not consistently replicated”.

Google is one thing, reading and interpreting the papers is another. What matters to me is that I feel great, regardless.

I think it's important to understand that there are trade-offs, even if this is a very powerful treatment. I tend to vary between THC-assisted sleep anywhere from 25% to 100% of nights and the trade-off of reduced REM is totally worth it. I do find that extended periods of 100% assisted sleep tend to make my memory a little foggy and that taking a week off resets things.

Caveat: anecdote is not data and all that...

Generally true, but elimination of chronic nightmares is sometimes the whole point.

Why not CBD instead? For me THC is very energetic in nature and would make my mind race violently. My biology must be very different to yours if you're able to take THC before sleep.

Same for me, THC is bringing my whole being to life, my senses are enhanced, motivation rises, ideas start popping and my mind becomes awakened. I can definitely not go to sleep after that and if I do I have an agitated shallow sleep. I consume something close to micro dosing, maybe a tiny bit more but not on a regular basis. CBD does have the relaxing effect needed for insomnias but since I don't really have that problem I rarely use CBD.

The strain does not make a huge difference to me, Indica does not much make of difference, I still get somewhat energized by it. It is quite unusual that I get the opposite effect from other people but I know I'm not the only one.

CBD didn’t do anything for me, even at higher doses. Either most reported experiences are placebo, or I’m just not sensitive to it.

I don't really feel anything from store bought cbd edibles/oils either and I'm one of the most substance sensitive people I know. If you're still interested, I recommend buying some high cbd hemp online and smoking it. You will definitely notice that.

I always seem to dream more with CBD, I don't know if that translates into better sleep quality or it's just better dream recall, but it seems quite consistent.

Try an indica strain, they are grown for the full-body effects, increasing deep relaxation, and reducing insomnia.

The effects you are describing are those of sativa strains, know for the 'head high' and creativity boost.

My understanding is that the terms "indica" and "sativa" have sort of lost their meaning a little bit. I believe those terms technically refer to the height of the stem, and that it doesn't necessarily translate to the effects of the high the way we once thought it did.

For example, I always had the same understanding of indica as you described, and I would solely buy indica gummies. They would give me a pretty "heavy" high, full body but mostly in my head, and I would wake up lethargic and often with a headache. I switched to a "sativa" of the same brand, and got a very nice full body high, but much lighter, very relaxing, and would sleep very well and wake up feeling refreshed.

Anyway, all that to say, different strains have different effects, and often the description from the dispensary can give you a good idea of the effects they are intended to have.

Yes but OP said: "started to dose THC oil".

Can you get an 'indica oil' then? Pure THC oil is different than plant matter.

Indica and sativa don’t mean anything, please stop spreading misinformation. Different strains have different effects due to the cannabanoid and terpene profile of a specific strain, sativa and indica don’t mean anything.

It’s marketing, nothing more.