Often when I first engage with clients wishing to quit using cannabis products they raise the topic of how to achieve an effective nights rest without smoking their regular pre-bedtime ‘joint’ ;.Oftentimes there is evidence to claim that the grim feeling arising from sleep deprivation acts as the catalyst for relapse. Therefore the question for anyone wishing to smooth the passage to becoming free from a dependence on marijuana is: What can be achieved to get that great night’s sleep that seems so elusive?
Why Can’t I Sleep! – Whoever has been through a period within their life when they have suffered from insomnia will vouch regarding affect it has on a person’s overall well-being. It is straightforward to assume which means increased impact that fitful sleep patterns have on those also struggling with the myriad of other consequences arising when breaking away from a dependence on cannabis. Within my practice as a Cannabis Cessation Specialist the first step is to comprehend in every individual case as to the ratio the difficulties are physical versus psychological.
For instance ‘Bob’, in his capacity as a cafe Owner, has for several years spent his evenings consuming large volumes of coffee and then returning home and smoking marijuana for 2 hours ahead of sleep. Bob’s attempt to quit smoking without adjusting his evening caffeine intake leaves him with a largely physical basis for his insomnia.
In another case ‘Tony’ is now accustomed to using cannabis in the evenings as a means of expelling the huge stress he feels whilst performing his job as a Stockbroker. When he doesn’t smoke later in the day his anxiety levels raise to this kind of height that dispelling active thoughts linked to work becomes impossible, as does then sleep.
What can I do? – Regardless of the primary reason for the sleep issues the starting point needs to be a sincere appraisal of exactly what your routine is. It is essential to detail every aspect of one’s typical evening activity. So start by assessing your personal situation and remember to include; your mood patterns; food intake; exercise; alcohol consumption; any brain energizing intensive computer gaming; the typical period of time between going to bed and hitting the hay; reading habits; TV time. Then try and apply the next useful rules:
No caffeine after 6.00pm. This means all drinks containing caffeine and vast quantities of sugar. So beware not just coffee and many types of tea, but additionally avoid most fizzy drinks and hot chocolate products too. Remember a lot of ‘off the shelf’ painkillers are packed filled with caffeine so see the label carefully or avoid altogether.
Get ‘ready’ for bed. A routine of falling asleep in front of the T.V. then waking in the first hours and trudging upstairs to bed won’t supply you with the quality unbroken sleep period that you might want to feel fresh and energized in the morning. So set a time (no later than 11.30 is an excellent general rule), brush your teeth, climb into your chosen sleep clothes and hit the bedroom.
Clear your brain and relax into sleep. 15 minutes reading whilst in bed is acceptable, as is listening to some mood music. Personalized hypnotic suggestion recordings can be an invaluable aid to sleep (avoid the off the shelf mass market products – only those produced specifically for you’re of any value). Computers and televisions are an absolute no in the bedroom. Mobile phones must be left in another room (no excuses on that one – if you want to utilize the alarm function on your cellular phone then go buy yourself an alarm clock. As for sleeping with it under your pillow – forget it!)
Don’t swap dope for booze! Yes two bottles of red wine may seem to be a good way to doze off but you’re simply exchanging one bad situation with another. weed delivery toronto Go with a green tea extract instead and you’ll benefit from the relaxing feeling that comes from a factor called Theanine. Of course, keep fluid intake in moderation as being forced to wake 3 x in the night time to go to the toilet will do nothing for the sense of vitality in the morning.
Avoid nicotine. I always recommend that clients quit all smoking when they’re withdrawing from cannabis use. Evening nicotine acquired through tobacco smoking will sabotage any effort that is made to achieve restful sleep. If you are using nicotine ‘patches’ as part of your tobacco smoking cessation (there are better methods for the majority of people) then these must be removed in the first evening – trying to sleep with nicotine pouring into the human body is hopeless, and the bizarre dreams that patch users report offer no assist with those seeking sleep.
Correct your melatonin levels. If you have not been fuelling the human body with healthy foods and providing the proper vitamins and nutrients for melatonin to be naturally produced, then there may well be described as a case for giving your levels a ‘boost’ ;.Make no mistake you need this hormone to sleep. When it’s dark (a dark bedroom is really a ‘must have’ for a restful night) melatonin begins to work its magic as part of your brain and enables you to fall asleep quicker and maintain deep sleep longer. Take as a product around one hour before you wish to sleep. You’ll feel a lot more refresh whenever you awake. I recommend my clients always buy a manufactured melatonin product not one that is labelled as natural. ‘Natural’ melatonin supplements are produced from extracts of the pineal gland of animals (mostly sheep) and must be avoided.
Add exercise to your life. Even it is really a brisk walk for twenty minutes the addition of daily exercise can give structure to your internal body clock. The fitter you’re the greater your sleep will be. The sole exception to the ‘exercise is good’ rule is late evening high heartrate activity. If the only time you will get to work through is later in the day then allow a minimum 3 hours between exercise and sleep, or you’ll be trying to rest whilst the human body is still in a charged state. Of course you will find forms of exercise which are ideally suited to creating a more relaxed mind and body such as Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi – each is highly recommended by those clients of mine who have adopted them as part of their overall commitment to personal well-being.