Insomnia is so ubiquitous, probably more so now as our fragile brains are besieged with white noise and a cacophony of maniacal psychological and societal clamour, that the Mayo clinic has just released a new guide to ease our frazzled nerves into the calm embrace of restful sleep.
Caffeine is to be avoided nine hours before bedtime, an onerous demand for most of us, alcohol is a no-no at night, also inconvenient for those needing that social lubricant, exercise is good but at least two hours before sleep and screens need to be shutdown before bed.
Meditation is helpful and melatonin, the compounded variety, might or might not work. Cannabinoids and natural remedies like L-theanine, magnesium, kava. hops and valerian might restore healthy sleep patterns but the scientific evidence to back their efficacy is limited.
Then there are a host of established and newer drug options but these all come with caveats and are not encouraged as long-term strategies.
Personally, I hope I’m not jinxing myself but I find that combining meditation with melatonin and natural potions is quite effective.
