Sleep is very important to everyone, but critical to somebody recovering from a substance use disorder. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), 46% of substance abuse patients report using the substance to self-medicate sleep problems and are 5 to 10 times more likely to have some form of sleep disorder. Diagnosing and treating a sleep disorder can have a significant impact on facilitating remission. Here are three reasons why sleep is important to someone recovering from a substance use disorder.
- Sleep deprivation can cause depression and anxiety. Someone recovering from a substance use disorder will likely already be anxious and maybe a little depressed. An improper amount of sleep will only make their symptoms worse. Even when you aren’t recovering from substance abuse, sleep deprivation is a sure way to bring on depression and anxiety symptoms. Often, people that suffer from sleep issues turn to best cbd for sleep tincture, and other forms of sleep help oil, to assist them with drifting off. As a matter of fact, in many cases, the reason one starts using is because of anxiety or depression and these are symptoms that need to be dealt with. Proper sleep is a good place to start. Interestingly, not all substances have a negative effect on sleep though. In fact, if you were to visit a medical professional, they may even prescribe you something such as this sugar kush cannabis strain. Why? Because medical marijuana can help you to sleep through the night. There is lots of evidence to suggest that it leads to better sleep. You may want to visit https://amuse.com/california/los-angeles/concentrates to see if it works for you and improves your sleep in the future. This is not your only option though; if you struggle with getting to sleep, there are many ways you can settle down for the night. For example, some people may choose to use a weighted blanket; this gives you a feeling of security and encourages a good night’s sleep.
- Proper sleep helps repair the brain. Those who are recovering from a substance use disorder have done damage to their brains. They may have a decrease in neurotransmitters, dead brain cells or done damage to neurons among other things. Proper sleep will help the brain repair itself. It is recommended that an adult get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
- Proper sleep provides more energy and better concentration throughout the day. This is extremely important for someone just starting out in recovery, because they’re in the process of learning new concepts and new ways of thinking. Someone early in treatment is constantly being molded to give up their old negative thinking patterns and develop them into positive ones. Think of a potter molding a bar of clay into a pot using water and a spinning wheel. The person in recovery is also being molded or transformed and needs sleep just like the clay needs water to make the transformation possible.
Here are a few tips for the recovering addict to get a better night’s sleep.
- Have a routine. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day
- Do not eat at least 3 hours prior to retiring.
- Make sure there are no distractions in your bedroom. Dark, quiet and cool is best.
- Exercise and meditate daily.
