Believe it or not, insomnia is one of those conditions that are severely rooted in our society. More than 30% of adults experience insomnia at least once in their lives, and around 10% of these adults suffer from long-term insomnia that can affect them on a daily basis.
As a sleeping disorder, insomnia is the one that inflicts the most people out there, and the fact that it can influence several aspects of your life is incredibly frustrating. As someone who has fought this condition for several years by now, I can tell you that, although the problem is still present from time to time, I have managed to reduce its effects considerably.
For those seeking help and knowledge about how to properly deal with insomnia, this article is definitely for you. But before we get into that, let’s talk about it.
What is Insomnia?
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Insomnia, as shown at https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia, is commonly described as the difficulty to fall asleep, as well as complications related to its duration, consolidation, and quality.
Overall, this diagnosis is given to people that have problems with sleep even during optimal circumstances and suffer from the consequences of adequate quality sleep, such as excessive tiredness, lack of focus, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. It is also known that poor sleeping schedules can greatly affect the body, since it is during our sleep that our muscles develop and rest, causing muscle cramps and pain on a lot of occasions.
Insomnia can be a direct result of a lot of problems, but some of the most common causes of this specific sleeping disorder include things like:
- Health problems or physical conditions
- Consumption of substances that can influence sleep, such as alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine.
- Poor mental health
- Excessive stress
- Lifestyle patterns that can negatively affect sleep
Things become complicated when our insomnia is caused by health problems or physical conditions, and visiting a professional is often recommended. However, we can engage in lifestyle changes that can greatly improve our chances of having a nice night of sleep when the fault falls under other problems, such as poor lifestyle patterns.
Some of the Things You Can Do to Manage Insomnia
Identifying what lifestyle choices might be causing you problems when it comes to your sleep is probably the most important thing about dealing with insomnia. Besides that, engaging in healthier routines can also aid you in your fight. For now, we can say that:
- As mentioned earlier, consuming nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol can affect your sleeping routine, especially if you consume them before sleep. Ideally, you should stay away from these substances, but if you do consume them, try to do it hours prior to sleeping, especially caffeine since it can remain in the system for about 6 hours.
- Exercising regularly can greatly improve sleep quality because it makes it easier for us to fall asleep. Still, it is important to do it hours before sleeping, at least three hours apart from our bedtime.
- Eating or drinking before sleeping can affect our digestive systems in a way that makes it harder for us to fall asleep, so try to cut down on snacks and drinks.
- Not using electronic devices before sleeping can readjust our brain to a more healthy sleeping schedule since the lights of electronic devices are known for rewiring our brains into thinking that daytime is still up.
If you are about to sleep, try to avoid any electronic devices at least one hour prior to sleeping. Reading a book, meditating, or taking a bath can also be of great help.
If you are interested in more advice on how to fight off insomnia, you should definitely check this guide over here. Now, why don’t we talk about medication and sleeping disorders?
CBD Capsules
Now, it is true that you can deal with insomnia, to a certain extent, using sleeping pills. The problem with sleeping pills is that they can cause a lot of side effects that can even end up causing depression.
I had a terrible experience with sleeping pills, so I avoid them like the plague for the longest time. They made it harder for me to focus and made me unable to handle simple tasks, and in the end, caused me a certain level of depression because of it.
I tried other things besides it, and although some of them were effective to a point, I wasn’t actually satisfied with the results.
Thankfully, a friend of mine recommended me CBD capsules, and for now, they have been the greatest alternative method of treatment I have used during my fight against insomnia. I particularly use these capsules, in case you are interested.
But what is CBD? Well, CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a compound that can be found inside the cannabis plant. Along with THC, it is the main compound of medicinal cannabis, but here’s the deal: in comparison to THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, thus, it won’t get you high if you consume it. Just so you know, cannabidiol products contain only 0.3% of THC, making it pretty much harmless.
Cannabidiol-based medication and products are well known for various health benefits. First, it is mainly used as a method of treatment for alleviating pain and reducing inflammation, but because of its relaxing effects, it can also be used for dealing with sleeping disorders, insomnia, and stress.
I recommend using them before sleeping since it tends to take from 15 to 30 minutes to kick in. After that, it is always easier for me to fall asleep, and along with the advice I shared earlier, it has changed my life for the better.
