There are many reasons why sleep can be a struggle. If you’re one of the 100 million Americans that has trouble falling or staying asleep every night, you probably understand just how frustrating that can be. According to the CDC, 35% of adults get less than 7 hours of sleep a night. Sleep studies have shown a minimum of 7 hours to be the threshold for a good night's rest. Whether you struggle to fall asleep, or struggle to stay asleep consider trying these tips including using CBD in your nightly routine to boost your body and mind's ability to fully rest. Afterall, getting consistent, quality sleep is imperative for optimal health.
Why is 7 hours of sleep important?
A good night's rest is critical for allowing your body proper time to heal. Sleep is important for memory formations, repairing muscles and tissues, as well as preventing sickness. Long-term sleep issues can cause chronic illness over time. Research suggests that adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Babies and young children should be getting even more to ensure they have plenty of time to rest during critical development years.
Lack of sleep can be a major factor in mental health issues as well as putting a strain on our parasympathetic system. When our parasympathetic system is constantly stressed we get stuck into a perpetual state of fight or flight making even the most simple and relaxing tasks seem daunting and unenjoyable at times.
4 Tips for Falling Asleep
If you struggle falling asleep the good news is there are a few simple changes you can make to help your entry into the dream world a little more feasible.
1. Add a daily dose of CBD
CBD and sleep go hand-in-hand. CBD plays a pivotal role in getting our Endocannabinoid System to function properly. This system, which was discovered in 1996, directly impacts our body’s ability to regulate itself. CBD and other cannabinoids such as THC all work by binding to receptors within our Endocannabinoid System. These functions help regulate our mood, appetite, sleep and circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is essentially our natural internal 24 hour clock that regulates our wake-sleep cycle.
Research has shown cannabinoids such as CBD and THC can play a role in helping balance our sleep cycle. In states where medical cannabis is legal, doctors are prescribing cannabis to patients as a bonafide sleep aid. Consider trying CBD for better sleep if you don’t have a medical card or live in a state without access to marijuana. Another great alternative, and possibly even more effective than just CBD, is adding Delta 8 to your nightly routine. When choosing Delta 8 products just like CBD make sure you purchase for a verified trusted source. It is very important to use clean, trusted cannabis products that are free from any heavy metal or other contaminants that can cause more harm than good.
2. Turn off all electronics and put your phone away.
At least 30 minutes prior to going to bed, get in the habit of turning off all electronics and put your phone somewhere that won’t trigger an impulse to pick it up and use it. The blue light from electronics directly interferes with our circadian rhythm. Using the television, ipad, or phone to relax before bed can actually cause you more harm than good when trying to fall asleep.
Instead of turning to these distractions as a means to end your day, consider reading a book, journaling about your day, or for most effective bedtime preparation try out tip number 3!
3. Mindful breathing routine such as the 4-7-8 breathing method
Oxygen. It’s Free and effective and has so many more health benefits than just helping you sleep. Doing breathwork can very well be the key to helping curb anxiety, depression, lack of focus, and even help repair sore muscles and tissues. Our bodies need ample amounts of oxygen circulating through every crevice of our internal organs and blood supply. By doing breathwork we are able to push more oxygen into the areas of our bodies that become stagnant. This stagnation creates blood flow issues which turn into injuries and inflammation when not properly flushed with oxygen. Training your breath to be deep and intentional will not only help you sleep better but can have many more profound health benefits.
4. Cut out caffeine
Especially later in the day. Drinking coffee and soda in the afternoons and evenings can cause problems when trying to fall asleep. Caffeine stays in the body in excess of 6-8 hours making your thoughts continue to race as you're trying to find your way to dreamland.
9 out of 10 Americans consume caffeine in the form of coffee, tea, energy drinks and sodas. Most of them daily. In the past few years there has been a big uptick in “mud” water or “mushroom coffee.” Mushrooms contain high levels of Vitamin B varieties such as Lions mane, Reishi, and Chaga provide just as much energy boost as caffeine but without the negative effects of using a stimulant. Mushrooms are considered adaptogens meaning they naturally help the body adapt to stress. Not only will they give you energy, but they help lower stress and some of the BEST food for the brain. Think of our bodies as little universes! Mushrooms and Cannabis are two SuperHeroes we can deploy to save our personal solar system.
Tips for Staying Asleep
1. Try taking a Relax CBD:Delta 8 tincture
One of the known benefits of CBD and Delta8 is they have shown to help aid in better sleep. Many CBD users report dreaming as a side effect from taking cannabidiol oil before bed. This is because when we sleep efficiently we hit what is known as REM sleep.
The KC Hemp Co.® Relax Tincture is a great place to start when looking for help in the sleep department. The 1:1 CBD oil, Delta8 tincture boast 600mg of each cannabinoid as well as an added Blue Zskittles terpene profile. The Blue Zskittles terpene not only gives it a delicious flavorful blue raspberry taste but also packs a load of effects. Terpenes are the essential part of the cannabis plant that not only gives the plant its aromas and flavor profiles but also their effects. Blue Zskittles is an indica dominant strain known for its calming and sedating effects. KC Hemp Co.® is revolutionizing the CBD tincture by taking the extra step of adding these terpenes to deliver the full entourage effect of cannabis. Order some today to experience the difference yourself!
2. Exercise for 30 minutes every day
You don’t have to be a marathon runner to effectively get good exercise that can help your overall health and ability to get a good night's rest. Taking just 30 minutes a day to get your heart rate up can significantly help your ability to sleep at night.
3. Get outside, soak up some sun
Another great way to improve your sleep at night is to spend more time outside soaking up some of the sun's rays. Spending time in the sun every day has been shown to help boost serotonin levels which are responsible for balancing our mood. Melatonin is another hormone similar to serotonin that helps aid us in sleep. When we naturally have high levels of Serotonin from sun exposure it helps make melatonin more readily available for us come night time, when the lights go out. So go on and get yourself outside everyday. Knock out two birds with one stone and go for a 30 minute walk everyday to get both your exercise and some of those mood boosting rays from the sun.
Whether you're looking for ways to overcome a sleep disorder, or just looking for ways to better boost your quality of sleep, these tips can be the key to finding your way to a better you through better sleep!