Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you find yourself tossing and turning, night after night, after busy days at work, dealing with family and just life? You might be exhausted, finding yourself lying awake, dreaming about falling asleep and counting down the hours until your alarm will go off, and the more you want to fall asleep, the more it might elude you.
The lack of quality sleep is taxing you mentally and physically.
Alternatively, do you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, only to wake up at 3am or 5am, for no apparent reason, and find that you cannot get back to sleep no matter what you try, so end up feeling incredibly tired during the day?
These are both forms of insomnia and can have a serious effect on your health, particularly if they become long-term issues. When our bodies cannot get the sleep quality they require, it can become a downward spiral.
Many people experience daytime sleepiness and rely on energy drinks, containing high levels of caffeine, to perform their daily responsibilities. Unfortunately, poor sleep is a top health complaint and anxiety is the number one cause.
There are prescription sleeping pills that will send you right to sleep. But the side effects create a whole different level of stress to deal with. Your body will feel groggy from the side effects, you can become seriously addicted to them and, in the long run, your heart will suffer.
While they might get you to sleep initially, they don’t help you to resolve the longer-term issues which were stopping you sleeping in the first place, which you need to address. So clearly sleeping pills are not a desirable nor viable long-term solution to help with insomnia.
Before speaking about our Life Spark CBD remedies, we have ten wonderful tips that will not only aid you in a good night’s sleep but help you to change your habits to support better sleep patterns long-term and boost your all-round sense of well-being.
10 Top Tips to enhance your sleep quality
- Try reducing your screen time in the evenings – you will feel better for it
Screens are ruling our lives, whether from computers, tablets, mobiles or TV – we use them at work, in our private lives and are constantly flooded with information that very often adds stress to our system, which is already cumulatively building up on a day-to-day basis.
The blue light given out by screens can be a key factor that stops our body switching off and getting into rest mode. Schedule an evening time when your device automatically turns down the screen brightness or try using amber glasses to filter out the harmful blue light.
A good sleep habit is to take at least 1-2 hours before bedtime, to completely detach from screens, including the TV. You could maybe read a book, take a warm bath or listen to soft music. Any activity that does not involve a screen, will support your body in a more gradual transition to a good night’s rest.
- Create a consistent sleep habit for yourself – it really works
Establish a good sleeping pattern that works for you. It’s good to keep to a consistent sleep schedule, setting a time to fall asleep and a time to wake up, which should be the same every day.
When you have a routine, your body will create a natural cycle, and have a much easier time falling asleep, staying asleep and waking up when you want to. If you do stay up late one evening, don’t try to sleep in to catch up. See if you can keep with your own routine every day and your body will thank you.
- Why not try an herbal tea or switch to decaffeinated?
Part of your relaxing bedtime routine can include a warm and soothing cup of herbal tea, or if you must go for regular tea or coffee, it will help to make sure it’s a decaf version. That way you can enjoy a soothing drink without the caffeine problems.
There are several herbs and roots that have physical effects on the body, associated with relaxation. Chamomile, lavender and valerian root are examples that have shown to modify neurotransmitters that are involved in initiating sleep.
- Have you ever tried doing meditation?
Feel tired and awake at the same time? Various meditation and relaxation techniques have been shown to effectively calm the mind and even bring you to the point of sleep. There are specific meditations that are meant for the evening and to help you fall asleep.
You can do this with a yoga practitioner, zen meditation practitioner or you can download a sleep app and listen to guided meditation – fall asleep hearing a soothing voice lulling you into a more relaxed state.
- Do you know your bedroom can affect how well you sleep?
The room you sleep in can impact on your night as well so make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet. You can use blackout curtains and blinds or try using an eye mask or ear plugs if needed to make sure your sleep is not disturbed.
It’s also important to be comfortable, so make sure your bedroom is not too hot or stuffy and make sure your mattress, pillows and covers are comfortable, and nice and clean as good sleep hygiene can prevent poor sleep. If you can, try to avoid having a TV or your phone in the bedroom.
- It could be something in your diet that’s keeping you awake
What you eat and drink just before bed can have a big impact on your sleep quality so avoid smoking or drinking alcohol late at night and it’s best to avoid caffeine for at least six hours before going to bed as it stays in your system.
It’s best not to eat late at night as this can also stop you sleeping as your body needs to work hard to digest the food, so eat early in the evening and avoid snacks before bedtime to help improve the quality of your sleep.
- Boosting your exercise level is great for many reasons
Lack of exercise and living a very sedentary lifestyle can have two effects on you that contribute to insomnia. It can either make you feel very sleepy during the day so you nap when you shouldn’t be, or it can mean you don’t feel tired at all as you haven’t used up your energy.
Exercising regularly during the day can help alleviate this, and it’s also good practice if you suffer from anxiety or depression as exercise has proven mental health benefits as well.
- It might be worth getting some medical advice
If you suffer from long-term persistent insomnia or ongoing sleep disorders, and simple changes and remedies aren’t working, it could be a health condition that is causing you to feel drowsy during the day, so talk to your doctor. It might also be a side effect of any medications you are taking, so you might need to get those adjusted.
You don’t need to suffer sleepless nights in silence, there might just be a medical reason why this is happening to you, that you don’t know about.
- You don’t need to feel anxious alone
The biggest cause of insomnia is anxiety so you might want to look into what is causing your anxiety and ways you can address this, such as using natural Life Spark CBD remedies. Try talking to someone such as a counsellor or mental health professional, and there are even online counselling apps if the idea of sharing issues with a stranger face-to-face makes you uncomfortable. If it’s work worries keeping you up, try keeping a notebook by your bed so you can write down anything that’s worrying you at night and get it out of your head.
Some people like to keep a sleep diary, noting down their sleeping habits and how much sleep they are getting to help spot any patterns and bad habits, which can then be alleviated to relieve insomnia and improve sleep quality.
- Try some of our Life Spark CBD natural remedies
Combine all the above good sleep habits, with some superior-quality CBD, and you’ll likely be enjoying the blissful experience of a full night’s sleep very soon. Our bodies have an amazing endocannabinoid system that keeps us balanced and our immune system strong.
Not all CBD is the same. Life Spark CBD is Broad Spectrum which means it has over 100 cannabinoids that are tailor-made for our body’s endocannabinoid system – and many of these play a significant role in regulating sleep. The cannabinoid CBD connects to certain receptors of the endocannabinoid system and thus effects the sleep/wake cycle.
Furthermore, CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety, which is a primary cause of most sleeping problems. Make sure to get the optimal dose of the right product and you can reset to a natural healthy sleep cycle.
Can you imagine using CBD to get enough sleep, with the added benefit of experiencing no side-effects and no risk of addiction? You can find more information on dosage and shopping for superior-quality CBD here. Life Spark CBD promises the very finest quality, organically grown product, with zero THC and delivers exactly what the label promises.
So, what is it that stops us sleeping exactly and does it differ with age?
So just what is it that’s keeping you up at night and causing all these issues? Unfortunately, there are many common reasons why sleep eludes you, but according to the NHS, the most common causes are:
- stress, anxiety or depression
- noise
- a room that’s too hot or cold
- uncomfortable beds
- alcohol, caffeine or nicotine
- recreational drugs like cocaine or ecstasy
- jet lag
- shift work
However, the causes of problem sleeping, and what you need to do about them, can also depend on how old you are.
What’s keeping your teenage children awake and worried?
If you have teenage children, you might have noticed that they start to nod off in class, become moodier and more irritable and really struggle to get out of bed in the mornings. While this might just sound like typical teenage behaviour, these can all be signs that your teen is not getting enough sleep at night. Lack of sleep can cause health problems for all of us, including your teenager, with increased risks of:
- Accidents or injuries
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts or self-harm
Teenagers are particularly susceptible to sleep problems due to changes in their hormone cycles which can affect their natural sleep patterns. Teens have been shown to produce melatonin – the hormone that helps you fall asleep – later at night meaning they naturally want to stay up late.
This can then clash with school schedules, meaning they can’t get to sleep early enough, to be fully awake in the morning when it’s time to go to school. If they are still awake late at night, they won’t want to get out of bed in the morning.
This cycle can lead to teens drinking caffeine-laden drinks to try to stay awake during the day, which is only going to make their insomnia worse.
Even for teens, the leading cause of insomnia is anxiety. Exams, work schedules, peer pressure and all the issues that puberty brings, can make your teen feel incredibly anxious. This has only been compounded in recent times with social media and the added pressure that can bring to young people.
Social media also means many teens spend a lot of time online or on their phones and tablets and the blue light from these screens will also exacerbate sleep problems. Try talking to your teenager about any particular anxieties or worries they are facing, to help ease their mind.
Fortunately, you can make a few changes to help reduce your teen’s anxiety and insomnia:
- Encourage a good sleep routine by suggesting that your teen listens to music, reads, or has a nice shower, just before they go to bed.
- Limit access to caffeine or sugary foods and drinks after 4pm. Make sure they are not also drinking alcohol or smoking as all of this will cause them sleep issues. Encourage them not to eat just before bed either.
- Reduce their screen time before bed or get them some amber glasses to reduce the effect of the blue light on their minds. Turn phones off overnight.
- Be there for them and encourage them to discuss any anxieties, or worries they are experiencing. Make sure they know they can come to you about any issues they are having.
How does ageing affect your natural sleep patterns?
As you well know, it’s not just our teens who are struggling with sleep problems. If you are caring for elderly parents, you might notice changes in their sleep patterns, or if you, or a loved one, is going through menopause this can also lead to insomnia.
Getting a good night’s sleep is vital for us as adults as it helps to boost your immune system and support your body to fight off disease. Older adults who don’t sleep well are more likely to suffer from depression, attention and memory problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, and experience more falls.
Here is a checklist of things which can cause adults and older people to struggle to get to sleep or to get a good night’s sleep:
- Do you have any bad night-time habits like a night-time alcoholic tipple, or falling asleep on the sofa while you watch TV? These habits can all prevent a good night’s sleep.
- Are you taking any medication for ongoing health conditions? Unfortunately, as you age, this is more and more likely and some of these medications can cause you to get up in the night to use the toilet and disrupt your sleep in other ways.
- If you, or a loved one, is going through menopause, you might well be struggling with hot flashes and night sweats disturbing your sleep.
- Do you struggle to fit any kind of exercise into your daily routine? If you are too sedentary, you may never feel sleepy or feel sleepy all the time.
- Significant life changes like retirement, the death of a loved one, or moving from a family home can cause stress, which prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep.
- Everyday life struggles such as not being able to pay the bills, struggling to feed your family or heat your home, or issues with family or work colleagues, can all cause anxiety which eats into your sleep.
Dare to switch things up for a more restful sleep
If you, or your loved ones, are so used to feeling tired all the time, irritable with each other and just plain fed up with constantly feeling sick and tired, then imagine what a difference it would make to your life if you could just get that regular, good sleep that has been eluding you so far?
Life Spark CBD offers soft gels and oils which can really help with alleviating anxiety and worries, so if it’s stress and tension and a hundred things on your mind that is keeping you up and night, our organic, superior quality products could make a big difference.
Don’t wait any longer to gently fall asleep and, in the morning, get out of bed refreshed. Your body and mind will thank you for it and you deserve to be nourished with good quality sleep!
Relish in better sleep and feel, once again, the miraculous benefits of sleep. It has been said that you may even wake up, so happy to have enjoyed a good night’s sleep, that it will make you weep of joy.
Sweet dreams!
