<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The common struggle to get a good night's sleep is one of the top reasons why Australians are turning to medicinal cannabis, but experts say the science is yet to prove the products work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jodie Buddle turned to a trial of medicinal cannabis after years struggling with insomnia, which only worsened with menopause and stress.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Sometimes I don't sleep at all during the night and I have to function at work the next day, I don't trust myself to drive a car," Buddle said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/health/robert-f-kennedy-junior-pulls-vaccine-funding-worth-500-million-dollars/16439d02-32b7-4da9-bf12-b897934c94c1"><strong><span>'The most dangerous health decision in 50 years': US to axe vaccine funding</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Experts at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney tested oil drops containing two chemicals from the cannabis plant, CBD and mind-altering THC. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dr Camilla Hoyos said the team recruited 20 people who were in the lab for two nights, receiving the medication on one night and the placebo on the other.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The results weren't what they expected.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/new-study-finds-medicinal-cannabis-may-reduce-total-sleep-time-in-adults/115973b8-a655-4f96-abf7-f85ca1c60db7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/health/new-alzeimers-treatment/45efe64d-d8e5-4e74-9593-930912bdf211"><strong><span>Breakthrough drug offers hope for Alzheimer's patients</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When participants had the medication, they had less sleep than when they had the placebo, so we saw a reduction in sleep time of about 25 minutes," Hoyos said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They saw less rapid eye movement, an important stage of sleep when most dreams occur.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We were quite surprised, we were hoping this might be a new treatment," Hoyos said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Up to a third of Australians struggle with insomnia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is one of the top health complaints driving people to pay for unapproved medicinal cannabis through a special access scheme but the science doesn't yet stack up. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We do need more research, we only now have a number of small short-term studies," Hoyos said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A separate, much larger, study is now underway testing a synthetic form of CBD designed to be more potent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is recruiting 500 Australians across the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The company behind that trial aims to be the first in the world to supply pharmacies so consumers can buy it over the counter. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trial results will be used to satisfy health regulators.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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