Millions of people, especially dental professionals, suffer from sleep deprivation. While we are not yet a nation of walking zombies, insufficient sleep or poor quality sleep causes many of us to be distracted, irritable, inefficient, or prone to mistakes. The reasons for our lack of sleep are myriad – stressful jobs and family situations, health issues, night work or late shifts, and the inability to “shut off” our minds when it’s time for bed. Dentists and healthcare professionals are not immune from this debilitating trend. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep during each 24-hour period. But here’s the caveat –sleep needs to be deep and restful. It won’t help to get even 12 hours of sleep if you’re waking each hour. We need to achieve the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of deep sleep, when we dream, to benefit from sleep’s restorative effects.
What Are Sleep Aid Options For Dental Professionals?
Without quality sleep, people soon begin to experience mental deterioration, and physical sluggishness is not far behind. We can easily fall into a sleep deficit – experiencing night after night of insufficient sleep that eventually catches up with us and impairs our ability to function. Sleep deficits are particularly critical for dentists and dental professionals, who are required to perform high-precision dental procedures on a daily basis. Suffering from sleep deprivation impairs dentists and assistants both mentally and physically – and can result in lackluster dental work and a poor experience for dental patients. So where can dentists and dental professionals turn for a safe, effective sleep aid? Prescription medications are often habit-forming, can lead to dependence, and may diminish in effectiveness over time. Alternatively, melatonin is a natural hormone and is not addictive, but melatonin won’t cure insomnia. It only helps you fall sleep, not stay asleep. Melatonin can also produce side effects and drug interactions. Furthermore, it is difficult to be assured of quality with melatonin supplements, as many manufacturers include additives or unnecessarily high doses in their products.
Natural CBD Oil for Dentists and Assistants
We all need less stress in our lives, but barring that, natural cannabidiol (CBD) oil is perhaps the best choice for facilitating deep, sustained sleep for healthcare professionals. Published research has shown time and again that CBD has a profoundly positive effect on sleep. For example, animal studies have produced evidence that CBD helps enhance longer sleep duration and staves off sleepiness during the daytime. Furthermore, this literature review from the National Institutes of Health concluded that CBD can help with daytime drowsiness and REM sleep behavior disorder. Additionally, CBD has demonstrated anxiety-reducing benefits, and anxiety is a major cause of insomnia among dentists and dental professionals. Like melatonin, cannabidiol is a natural compound. While CBD oil is derived from hemp, it does not contain THC and does not produce psychoactive effects. CBD products are not addictive and exhibit no long-term side effects. Extended use does not diminish the benefits of CBD oil, in contrast to prescription sleeping pills or other drugs. We spend one-third of our lives asleep. Shouldn’t that time consist of restorative and natural rest? If you’re a dental professional and getting less-than-perfect sleep and are a dentist, consider natural CBD oil to facilitate the rest you need. Being a dentist is a high-responsibility and often stress-inducing profession – and stress is consistently a driving factor behind insomnia. Dental professionals need to have a sharp mental edge and be physically capable in order to perform high-quality dental procedures. CBD products are a safe, non-addictive, non-toxic option for any healthcare professional.
