Often when I first engage with clients wishing to stop using cannabis products they raise the main topic of how to accomplish a proper nights rest without smoking their regular pre-bedtime ‘joint’ ;.Oftentimes there is evidence to declare that the grim feeling arising from sleep deprivation acts as the catalyst for relapse. And so the question for anyone wishing to smooth the passage right through to becoming free from a dependence on marijuana is: What can be carried out to obtain that great night’s sleep that seems so elusive?
Why Can’t I Sleep! – Anyone who has been through a period in their life when they’ve suffered from insomnia will vouch as to the affect it has on a person’s overall well-being. It is simple to imagine which means increased impact that fitful sleep patterns have on those also suffering from the myriad of other consequences arising when breaking from a dependence on cannabis. In my own practice as a Cannabis Cessation Specialist the first faltering step is to comprehend in every person case from what ratio the difficulties are physical versus psychological.
For example ‘Bob’, in his capacity as a cafe Owner, has for many years spent his evenings consuming large volumes of coffee and then returning weed delivery toronto home and smoking marijuana for 2 hours just before sleep. Bob’s attempt to stop smoking without adjusting his evening caffeine intake leaves him with a largely physical reason behind his insomnia.
In another case ‘Tony’ has become used to using cannabis in the evenings as an easy way of expelling the huge stress he feels whilst performing his job as a Stockbroker. When he doesn’t smoke at night his anxiety levels raise to such a height that dispelling active thoughts linked to work becomes impossible, as does then sleep.
So what can I actually do? – Long lasting primary reason for the sleep issues the kick off point needs to be a sincere appraisal of exactly what your routine is. It is important to detail every aspect of one’s typical evening activity. So begin by assessing your individual situation and remember to add; your mood patterns; food intake; exercise; alcohol consumption; any brain energizing intensive computer gaming; the typical time frame between going to sleep and going to sleep; reading habits; TV time. Then try and apply the following useful rules:
No caffeine after 6.00pm. What this means is all drinks containing caffeine and vast quantities of sugar. So beware not just coffee and various kinds of tea, but also avoid most fizzy drinks and hot chocolate products too. Remember lots of ‘off the shelf’ painkillers are packed packed with caffeine so read the label carefully or avoid altogether.
Get ‘ready’ for bed. A routine of drifting off to sleep before the T.V. then waking in the first hours and trudging upstairs to bed will not provide you with the quality unbroken sleep period that you need to feel fresh and energized in the morning. So set an occasion (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 during sex is acceptable, as is listening to some mood music. Personalized hypnotic suggestion recordings can also be an invaluable aid to sleep (avoid the off the shelf mass market products – only those produced especially for you are of any value). Computers and televisions are an absolute no in the bedroom. Cellphones need to be left in another room (no excuses on that one – if you need to use the alarm function in your cell phone then go buy yourself an alarm clock. For sleeping with it under your pillow – forget it!)
Don’t swap dope for booze! Yes two bottles of dark wine may seem to be a good way to doze off but you are simply exchanging one bad situation with another. Opt for a green tea extract instead and you’ll take pleasure in the relaxing feeling that comes from a component called Theanine. Obviously, keep fluid intake in moderation as having to wake 3 x in the night time to visit the toilet will do nothing for the sense of vitality in the morning.
Avoid nicotine. I recommend that clients quit all smoking when they are withdrawing from cannabis use. Late night nicotine acquired through tobacco smoking will sabotage any effort that is made to achieve restful sleep. If you should be using nicotine ‘patches’ as part of your tobacco smoking cessation (there are better methods for nearly all people) then these should be removed in the first evening – attempting to sleep with nicotine pouring into the human body is hopeless, and the bizarre dreams that patch users report offer no help those seeking sleep.
Correct your melatonin levels. When you yourself 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 might well be considered 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 a ‘must have’ for a restful night) melatonin begins to work its magic within your brain and enables you to fall asleep quicker and maintain deep sleep longer. Take as a product around one hour when you need to sleep. You’ll feel much more refresh whenever you awake. I suggest my clients always buy a synthetic melatonin product not just one that is labelled as natural. ‘Natural’ melatonin supplements are produced from extracts of the pineal gland of animals (mostly sheep) and ought to be avoided.
Add exercise to your life. Even it is really a brisk walk for twenty minutes the addition of daily exercise gives structure to your internal body clock. The fitter you are the better your sleep will be. The only exception to the ‘exercise is good’ rule is late evening high heartrate activity. If the only real time you will get to sort out is at night then allow a minimum 3 hours between exercise and sleep, or you’ll be attempting to rest whilst the human body continues to be in a charged state. Obviously you will find forms of exercise which are ideally suitable for creating a more stimulating mind and body such as Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi – each one is strongly recommended by those clients of mine who have adopted them as part of their overall commitment to personal well-being.