CBD AND INSOMNIA

By Dr. Doug Fryday, D.C.
Blogger for InsideOut Lifestyle Soulutions

It`s bed time you`re exhausted from a long hard work day, but, you just can`t seem to fall asleep or it`s 2:11 am and you`re wide awake! Your mind is racing and you can`t shut it off and fall back to sleep, sound familiar? I don`t know about you, but, I`ve been there too many times to count and this is one of the reasons that led me to investigate ways to put the "brakes" on a racing mind. Thank God for CBD oil is all I can say! Before I explain the mechanism of how CBD helps put you in "la la land" lets look at some facts.

More than 60 million other Americans are in the same boat and the trouble is scientists know relatively little about it`s cause and how to treat it for that matter! It used to be more of a problem for woman and people over the age of 65,but, as of late insomnia is becoming a real problem for all ages and all sexes and is at epidemic proportions.

As I have mentioned before in some of my blogs I believe the growing amount of neurological health issues we are encountering in society today is directly proportional to the amount of stress we are under. Chronic stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system from chemical, physical, emotional and more lately, electromagnetic stress, is the cause of Dysautonomia; the dysfunction of our autonomic nervous system. In my opinion all sickness, disease and behavioral problems begin with brain imbalance as a result of chronic stress. All forms of stress in reality are “brain stress”. Chronic repetitive brain stress causes a neurological cascade of events putting our body into hyper-overdrive or what I`ve coined as “Pedal to the Metal Syndrome™”.

This hyper-arousal of the nervous system becomes a habit and like any habit or pattern is hard to break! The amount, length and type of the stress one is under is proportional to how "stuck" your pedal gets. Genetics and lifestyle are also are key components that play into the equation as outcomes are individualized as Dr. Oz so eloquently stated, "Your genetics loads the gun, your lifestyle pulls the trigger".

I`ve described the autonomic nervous system(ANS) as the part of the brain that runs the show in the background or "Houston control". The ANS has a gas pedal, which is called the sympathetic nervous system, and a brake, which is called the parasympathetic nervous system. The gas pedal is our survival nervous system and is referred to as our ‘fight or flight’ nervous system. The brake is the ‘rest and digest’ relaxation response part of the nervous system, where all healing takes place and is mainly controlled by your Vagus nerve.

When your body (the car) is running smoothly and optimally, the gas pedal comes on when it needs to speed up and the brake is applied when it needs to slow down. When the gas and brake are working in harmony we have optimal function, which is health. Anything less has the potential for disease. 

The only way to stop a racing mind is to slam on the breaks and reboot your autonomic nervous system and get your gas pedal and brake in balance and working in harmony. This is where CBD can help apply the brakes and bring the nervous system back into homeostasis or harmony and allow that much needed sleep. 

Instead of producing sedative effects like THC and sleeping pills CBD is completely different because it works at the source. Remember when we talked about the endocannbinoid system(ECS ) in previous blogs earlier? Well, a majority of the receptors in the ECS are concentrated in the brain and the central nervous system. Studies are revealing that when CBD interacts with these receptors brain function improves and is more effective in dealing with stressful situations. As a result the old habit of hyper-arousal or “Pedal to the Metal Syndrome™” is broken and the stress cycle is put to sleep. No pun intended! By improving the brain’s capacity to respond to stressful situations, CBD helps alleviate current stress levels, while serving as a preventative measure against future stress.

Various activities that stimulate your Vagus nerve including:

•       Diaphragmatic breathing makes your brain more flexible.

•       Supplement period –a good quality CBD oil like InsideOut, fish oil, coconut oil and Vit D3 are essential! 

•       Use the internet for Brain games.

•       Learn something new every day by reading.

•       Do crossword and Sudoku puzzles and traditional puzzles.

•       Listen to Classical music from the Baroque period.

•       In fact learn how to play an instrument.

•       Play board games, especially chess.

•       Ping pong, tennis and badminton.

•       Limit time in front the computer and especially the TV.

•       Exercise, work up to at least 40 min/day at moderate intensity.

•       Get out doors enjoy nature and reflect.

•       Smile, laugh, and rent a funny movie.

•       Keep hydrated –remember your body is roughly 70% water and your brain is 85% water.

•       Get plenty of restful sleep –this is mostly when your body heals and repairs itself.

•       Investigate Yoga and Tai Chi.