Hydrolife Canada February/March 2017

heal
“WHEN USING medical marijuana
as a sleep aid, be careful not to
overdo it or consume sativa-dominant
strains, as doing so may increase
heart rate and alertness, furthering
your inability to sleep.”
MMJ
For those of you who like to calm your nerves with a nightcap,
it may be a good idea to consider other options. Medicalgrade
cannabis can have very positive effects on the ability
to fall asleep, stay asleep, and quality of sleep. Currently,
there is mixed research on the effects of cannabis on sleep,
some suggesting that cannabis, like alcohol, may interfere
with REM sleep, others suggesting just the opposite. However,
qualified medical marijuana patients consistently report
waking up feeling refreshed after a full-night’s rest while
using cannabis as a natural sleep aid. The same reports are
unavailable for alcohol users, most likely due to a little thing
we’ve all come to fear called hangovers. When using medical
marijuana as a sleep aid, be careful not to overdo it or
consume sativa-dominant strains, as doing so may increase
heart rate and alertness, furthering your inability to sleep.
EXERCISE EARLY
If you spend most of your day relatively immobile, odds are
your body isn’t going to feel the need to sleep quite as early
as your mind might. Desk jobs are notorious for causing this
discrepancy between body and mind. It’s important to regain
that equilibrium for the sake of your sleeping habits. Unfortunately,
busy schedules don’t exactly make time for a trip to the
gym before or after work, so if you are bound to a desk all day
long, get outside and go for a walk on one of your breaks. If
you do feel like going the extra mile, so to speak, make sure to
get your exercise in at least an hour before going to bed so you
aren’t overly energized when it comes time to rest.
STAY CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE
Maintaining good hygiene and comfortable surroundings
helps create a more suitable environment for sound
sleep. Throughout the day we encounter bacteria, viruses,
allergens, dust, moulds, and more, which can all contribute
to sneezing, coughing, itching, congestion, laboured
breathing, and a general feeling of discomfort. Keeping
your garments, linens, and overall environment free of
contaminants will help prevent additional distractions that
keep you from a better night’s sleep. Wearing breathable
clothing and keeping the room temperature cool will also
help lull you into deep sleep, as your body temperature
naturally decreases during this process. Even better, save
some time for a hot shower before sleep to cleanse your body
as well as help relax your muscles.
ABANDON TECHNOLOGY
Recent studies have pointed to a possibility that the high
intensity light emitted by technology such as smartphones,
televisions, tablets, and computers may in fact delay
a person’s ability to fall asleep or become tired. Some
researchers believe this happens as an involuntary reaction
to bright light that imitates the sun. They believe that this
artificial light emission may signal our brains to prepare
for being awake, since sunlight is typically associated with
hours spent awake. This is why reading a book is generally
preferred over watching a show within the last hour or two
before bed, so we can attempt to prime ourselves for sleep
rather than activity. Listening to upbeat music is also not
recommended, as it may inspire an adrenaline rush to the
bloodstream. On that same note, playing high intensity
video games or watching a thriller right before bed might
cause your body to tense up, delaying your ability to relax
and sleep even more.
MEDITATION
For some, meditation may bring to mind a calling of the
spirits and singing "Kumbaya". And for some, this may
work, but for the sake of this article, having a full-fledged
seance is not necessary to improving sleep. Basically,
the point here is to decompress and allow yourself to let
go of all the frets you’ve encountered over the course of
the day, bringing both your mind and body into a tranquil
state. Ancient breathing exercises have long been
favoured by yoga enthusiasts as a means of achieving
deep relaxation and meditation. Voice coaches also
teach their students these techniques to improve lung capacity.
While there are hundreds of different strategies,
one of the most simple and effective methods is the 16-16-
16. While lying flat (preferably on a yoga mat or something
similar), relax your shoulders and waist, allowing
all of your weight to sink down into the earth. Inhale fully
within a 16 second count, hold for 16 seconds, and then
distribute a full exhale within another 16 seconds. After
repeating this cycle three or more times, you will begin to
feel fully relaxed and refreshed. Preceding these breathing
exercises with some stretching will also lend itself
toward a deeper sense of relaxation upon completion.
48 grow. heal. live. enjoy.
myhydrolife.ca