It is 3:45 this morning according to my iPhone and I am wide awake. No, maybe not so much wide awake as aware that this is one of those times when you wake up and just know you won’t be falling back to sleep easily. (I’m one of those who battle with anxiety, depression, and insomnia.)
Head into the kitchen for some l’theanine and a ¼ dropper of the 1:1 CBD:THC tincture which I’ve been told by many ‘experts’ in the field is an effective go-to for both anxiety and insomnia. I haven’t found it helpful for either. I’ve heard that getting the dose right is integral to success with these remedies, so maybe that’s it.
So far, since getting my medical script and the subsequent legalization of marijuana in CA, I’ve tried 20:1, 18:1, 8:1, and 1:1 (CBD:THC) and can’t say I’ve seen any results. I’ve also tried a tincture of CBN:CBD after reading that CBN is more effective for sleep. And good for anxiety. Nada. I really haven’t felt an impact from any of them. (And AH, read this: The ‘sleepy’ cannabinoid CBN might not actually be sedating.)
The only product that has really been effective is the KIND CBD rub which helps when my back hurts after sitting at the computer too long.
I am starting to believe that this whole CBD craze is just that. (My god, they even have CBD products now in grocery and convenience stores!) Really?
Although there’s enticing evidence that good ol’ cannabis can ease chronic pain and possibly treat some medical conditions, whether CBD alone can deliver the same benefits remains an open question. Whatisclear, at this point, is that the marketing has gotten way ahead of the science.
- snip -
What makes CBD so appealing is that it’s non-intoxicating, so it won’t get you high, though it “is technically psychoactive, because it can influence things like anxiety,” Jikomes said. Although much of themarketing blitzaround CBD centers on the fact that you can take itwithout getting stoned, there isn’t much research looking at the effects of CBD when used in isolation, with a couple of exceptions. One is the use of CBD to treat seizures: CBD is the active ingredient in the only cannabis product that the Food and Drug Administration hassigned off on— a drug called Epidiolex, which isapproved for treating two rare forms of epilepsy. Animal models and a few human studies suggest thatCBD can help with anxiety, but those are the only conditions with much research on CBD in isolation.
I’ve had several phone consults with physicians regarding using medical marijuana to get off my medications. Made it clear to them that I wasn’t looking for a THC high, in fact, I don’t handle THC well. All of them vowed CBD would do the trick. But there is little science to back up their claims: I just now read Best Buds: When Prescription Meds Are Pitted Against Cannabis, No One Wins written earlier this year for Healthline:
Yet, rather than provide a balanced view of the benefits of both prescription medication and cannabis, much of the cannabis industry has gone with the “all-or-nothing” approach.
Meanwhile, cannabis publications are pushing highly charged op-eds with the intent of pitting prescription drugs against medical marijuana. High Times, for example, published their own piece in 2017 titled, “10 Reasons Pot Is Better Than Prescription Drugs.”
One of the things I have found works incredibly successfully for anxiety is Kava tea. The folks over at the Wu Wei Tea Temple in Fairfax, CA serve up a brew that is so effective that after 20 minutes you can feel your jaws tingle and your shoulders fall a good 4 inches! The owner of the temple says many of her customers are recovering alcoholics. Should I be concerned that Kava might become a compulsion for me? Will I start making Kava on my own so I can have it on hand for bad days or sleepless nights?
Keep in mind that the full effects of a drink of kava, especially one prepared the traditional way, may not kick in for 15-30 minutes, so wait a while to feel the effects and let these seep in before enjoying a 2nd serving. It is completely ok to have another serving or two of a kava tea brew. Experiment until you find yourself experiencing the relaxation and calmness you desire. from Kava Tea: 5 Tips For the Best Experience
The owner at Wu Wei told me a few weeks ago that many recovering alcoholics are regular customers, so can it be said they are using Kava the way they once used alcohol? A refreshing pattern turning into a compulsion? Will I become compelled to drive over to Fairfax more often? Am I abusing my sobriety? I certainly don’t continue drinking Kava during a ‘session’ but I do drink enough so I feel it relaxing me. For me, that means one “high tide” and one “how tide,” which total about 7/8 of a Starbucks Grande Latte.
Kava has become a popular past time and recreational drink for many sober individuals in recovery. Drinking kava has become controversial because of its mind altering effects. There are no “laws” of sobriety saying what can and cannot be consumed or what would constitute “mind-altering” to the degree of relapse. Many feel that relying on a substance to change mood or feelings is a dangerous pattern. Many others feel that the kava root is clearly less harmful than other chemical substances and holds little threat. Learning healthy coping techniques should eradicate the need to turn to any substance for relaxation or recreation. Identifying your personal tendencies toward relapse-prone thinking is the first step in preventing a triggering experience from leading to relapse.
The one thing that works the best for me is yoga nidra. I can be in a full fledged panic state, cortisol rushing, mind tripping everywhere and if I just lie down and select one of Rod Stryker’s para yoga nidras, 15-minutes later I’ve calmed down.
Yoga nidra, also known as dynamic sleep, prompts the body to relax deeply
while the mind remains inwardly alert. One 30-minute practice of yoga nidra equals approximately two hours of deep sleep.
Yoga nidra works by gently guiding you through four main stages of brain wave activity – beta, alpha, theta, and delta. The goal is to finally achieve a “hypnagogic state”— the state between wakefulness and sleep.
While researchers acknowledge that greater longitudinal studies are necessary to verify all of yoga nidra’s benefits, research is mounting. Prior studies indicate that yoga nidra helps to stabilize blood sugar levels; alleviate PMS symptoms, depression, and anxiety; and combat PTSD. THIS YOGA NIDRA ROUTINE WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GOT A FULL NIGHT’S SLEEP
Stryker urges listeners to NOT fall asleep during one of his sessions; the body sleeps, the mind sleeps, but a part of you must remain aware. (Stryker suggests rising your right arm from the elbow during the practice.) Other yoga teachers I’ve practiced with are not as adamant about not sleeping, saying the mind is still taking what is being said.
Also called "psychic sleep," yoga nidra is a state between sleeping and waking. The body is completely relaxed and the practitioner turns the awareness inward by listening to a set of instructions; much like a guided meditation. Performing yoga nidra involves practicingpratyahara("withdrawal of the senses"), which is the fifth limb of Ashtanga yoga.
Yoga nidra practice results in deep relaxation and expands the individual's self-awareness.
What about you, kibitzers? What works to help with your anxiety and/or insomnia?
Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share a virtual kitchen table with other readers of Daily Kos who aren’t throwing pies at one another. Drop by to talk about music, your weather, your garden, or what you cooked for supper…. Newcomers may notice that many who post in this series already know one another to some degree, but we welcome guests at our kitchen table and hope to make some new friends as well. Please do not attack Democratic candidates or drag primary fights into our community.
