3 Potential Solutions for Insomnia

Updated on April 2, 2021

Sleep is essential for our overall wellness as it helps enhance our cognitive abilities, boost our immune system, and strengthen our hearts. People who have insomnia find it a tad difficult to fall or stay asleep. If you have trouble sleeping, chances are you’re suffering from acute or chronic insomnia. Stress and sleep cycle changes are risk factors for acute insomnia. On the other hand, chronic insomnia is usually linked to a health or mental condition like chronic pain, depression, or high blood pressure. The side effect of medication can also be a likely culprit.

An exciting piece of news is that acute insomnia may not require treatment since it is short-term. Moreover, chronic insomnia requires treatment for the health problem causing the sleep issue. On that note, this article offers a few potential solutions for treating insomnia.

1. Try CBD oil.

img

Sleep deprivation can cause fatigue, sleepiness during the day, grumpiness, and difficulty focusing. Many people are turning to natural solutions like CBD oil for their sleep problems. The use of the cannabis plant, medical marijuana, and hemp plant for medical purposes is not a new phenomenon. Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most abundant Cannabinoid compounds—both of which have psychoactive effects. Unlike THC, CBD isn’t impairing and can’t get you “high.”

Nowadays, more people are beginning to use CBD to get better sleep and reduce pain and anxiety. If you don’t get enough sleep, taking hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) oil may help. It’s best to opt for a CBD oil for insomnia that contains botanical ingredients known for their efficacy against poor sleep.

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any drugs for sleeplessness that contain CBD. However, studies show that CBD might help as a sleep aid. A dosage of 160 mg of CBD oil can potentially help you fall asleep and increase sleep duration. A typical CBD brand uses a blend of natural ingredients, melatonin, and terpene in manufacturing. Additionally, these CBD products are THC-free, gluten-free, and don’t contain preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

2. Try prescription medications.

img

If you have insomnia symptoms, it would be best to visit your GP to get a proper diagnosis. Nine times out of ten, what happens after diagnosis is that the doctor prescribes medications to help relieve poor sleep. In cases of chronic insomnia, doctors usually prescribe long-term medications. However, you probably know by now that prescription medications have side effects ranging from grogginess during the day, increased risk of falling, and addiction.

Avoid taking over-the-counter or non-prescription sleep aids as most of them are not intended for regular use. Also, make sure you consult your doctor before taking any non-prescription pills. Some of the possible side effects of these sleep aids include difficulty urinating, dizziness, and feeling sleepy during the day.

3. Make some lifestyle changes.

img

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is the best way to prevent insomnia effectively. Make sure the times you go to bed and wake up remain constant during weekdays and weekends. It’s normal for you to sleep for extended time on weekends, especially if you had poor sleep throughout the week.

Sticking to your sleep routine helps train your body and brain to wake at a consistent time. Try to limit naps, so you don’t disrupt your nighttime sleep. Furthermore, ensure your bedroom is conducive for sleeping at night. More so, you need to limit your bedtime activities to just sleep and sex; every other thing can wait until morning.

Most people are fond of watching television, making phone calls, replying to emails and messages, and studying at night. Engaging in any of these activities in your bedroom will only increase your alertness and make it harder to fall asleep.

Another lifestyle hack for insomnia is to avoid eating or drinking close to bedtime. Doing so can cause sleep disturbance and some digestive disorders.

+ posts

Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.