With many adults waiting years for ADHD diagnosis and effective treatment, natural remedies like CBD can help manage common symptoms such as poor sleep.
ADHD affects an estimated 1.5 million adults in the UK, although only 120,000 are currently diagnosed.
Meanwhile, the NHS reports that those waiting for diagnosis face a “waiting time crisis”, with many not receiving medical validation for up to seven years, according to ADHD action.
The recent rise in the number of adults diagnosed with ADHD in the UK is widely believed to be linked to the billions of videos on the topic on TikTok resonating with users who were previously unaware of their own neurodivergence.
In fact, there are now more views on ADHD content (3.63 billion views) than autism-related content (10.9 billion), despite the two conditions coexisting for as many as 50% of children diagnosed with either disorder.
While waiting times for NHS diagnosis reached critical levels, experts in Cannaray CBD want to offer adults suffering from ADHD symptoms, such as delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) or general difficulty falling asleep, some natural remedies to try and help while they wait.
READ MORE: ADHD patients see ‘substantial’ improvements with cannabis
Four tips to improve sleep hygiene to support DSPS
DSPS is a type of circadian rhythm sleep disorder, meaning it causes problems with the body’s internal clock. People with DSPS generally have trouble falling asleep at socially acceptable times, as their sleep patterns are delayed by more than two or three hours; even when they are tired, it will be impossible for them to fall asleep.
Although often called “night owls,” adults with DSPS don’t choose to stay awake, they just can’t fall asleep. To try to normalize a person’s sleep schedule, many sleep experts recommend looking at the obvious habits that contribute to poor sleep hygiene.
Create a regular sleep routine
Dr Balu, Consultant Psychiatrist (MBBS, MRCPsych, CCST, MBA) at Cannaray says, “It takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, so there’s no better time to start a new habit than now. Build and maintain a regular “bedtime” is so important as it creates a routine for the brain and body to latch onto and relax over time.
“The schedule can be as simple as a list of things to do at a certain time, such as: at 10 p.m., turn off the TV. 10:05, brush teeth. 10:10, take CBD oil. 10:15, use pillow spray, etc. This way, you check small tasks off a list, which will give your brain the help it needs to focus on relaxing.
“The most important thing is to follow the schedule every night, only then can it become a habit; you have to do it regularly.”
Avoid electronics before bed
Dr Balu says: “This seems obvious, but how many times do we say we’re going to bed and end up scrolling through TikTok for another hour before trying to sleep? You want to plug in your phone to charge it and then leave it alone.
“You have to remove all electrical stimuli from interacting with your brain, so pick up a book, or write in a journal, or work on that 1,000-piece puzzle. Everything but electronics.”
Cut back on stimulants after noon
“Although many adults living with ADHD maintain that stimulants such as caffeine do not affect them in the same way as neurotypical people,” says Dr. Balu, “it is still not a good idea to drink too much if the goal end is sleep.”
“You really shouldn’t consume any stimulants, whether it’s sugar, caffeine, alcohol or tobacco, eight to ten hours before you go to bed, because they’ll do the exact opposite of what you want them to do.”
Consider bright light therapy
“Bright lights like SAD lamps and sunrise alarms are great for mimicking the sun’s natural effects on your internal body clock, so sitting near a bright light box for 30 minutes after waking up will start the internal clock.” says Dr. Balu.
“Many people with DSPS struggle to regulate their body clock, so they tend to stay awake longer and get up much later in the day than is considered ‘normal’. Using bright light therapy in morning can also help advance the internal clock, which in turn, will help them fall asleep sooner.
This article was supplied by Cannaray CBD, to read more about how to sleep better visit: https://cannaraycbd.com/journal/article/how-to-sleep-better/
