Weekends are made for naps, but done right they can make your week better also!

The body is a machine which needs fuel, maintenance and downtime.  Around 30% of people don’t get enough night sleep during the week, which can cause problems during the waking hours. There has been a stigma around napping as being lazy, but often those “judging” are not giving their own body enough time to rest, refocus and beenergized for the challenges of day to day life.  Data shows it is good for you and naps done right can make a huge difference.

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Everyone is different and bodies need certain things to function, enough rest is one. Healthy sleep is one of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, their guide for improving and maintaining health.  Naps can reduced fatigue, increased alertness, improve your mood and performance, and help with memory.  But there are some guidelines…don’t sleep too long, don’t nap to close to your bedtime, and the following key lessons.

Figure out the right nap for the moment

The National Sleep Foundation shares there are three kinds of naps, each with their own patterns and effects. Planned napping, emergency napping and habitual napping. The first is when people sleep before they get tired, the second is when they nap because they’re exhausted and they have to, and the third is when they make a habit out of daily naps. Find the option that works best for you and you needs.

Naps should be short.

Productive naps are between 10-20 or so minutes. While we think of the more sleep the better, this is a case of a little goes a long way. Studies show a 10 minute nap can make people feel rested and prepared for the rest of their day. In fact, sleeping for over 30 minutes can disrupt in nightly sleeping patterns, which can alter your nights and productivity. Set an alarm for your naps, keeping them to a defined time, especially if you’re napping habitually and are not catching up on missed sleep.

Once awake, start moving

Weekends can be made for lounging around and being lazy. Spend all day in bed or lounging in the couch and end up sleeping on and off.  But hese sessions can result in blurry days where the hours fly by and you end up feeling exhausted. It results in having trouble sleeping at night and not being rested. Days like these disrupt your circadian rhythms. Naps work best when they’re planned, with some activity and movement before and after.

Develop a schedule

Going to sleep at the same time every night provides plenty of positive results, helping you maintain a schedule and develop better sleeping habits. It’s the same with naps. “The brain prefers to anticipate something, not react to it. A nap is no different, which is why a scheduled nap always works better over the long haul when compared to a random nap.” This schedule shouldn’t force you to nap everyday, instead, it should help you nap more easily and feel more rested. Hope you can use the tips to make the most out of naps.

It is a summer of political news, students protests, family gathering and just every day drama – can marijuana help with a temporary break?

This summer will be filled with ongoing political news as the presidential election is in the fall. Add oversees wars and campus protests and conversations with some people could be fraught with drama. And summer is the time of family gatherings, birthdays, weddings or a 4th of July picnic, it can be stressful. Can marijuana give a break from all the drama. The answer is heck yes! And you will feel better than overindulging in booze.

RELATED: Beer Sales Flatten Thanks To Marijuana

While taking a break, breathing, or going for a walk can help, sometimes you get overwhelmed. Avoiding putting yourself in these situations by reducing your news and social media input, putting boundaries around certain people and other healthy habits are import, a quick, easy solution is needed in some situations. Cannabis can provide a temporary relief as it is a proven help against anxiety. To use this tool, there are a few things to know and also not to be over reliant on it as a solution.

Part of the way marijuana chills you out with the active cannabinoid THC. It acts through cannabinoid receptors which activates the brain’s reward system. These includes regions that govern the response to healthy pleasurable behaviors.  It also adjusts perception of time, which is what makes movies and music sound better as it allows you to stop and really absorb the moment.

The younger generation has taken advantage of consumption methods to have marijuana on-the-go.  Vaping is the second, and trends show soon to be first, most popular method of use.  Like gummies (the third most popular way to consume), it is easy, discreet and portable for those with an active lifestyle. You can also manage dosing so you are not too high or suddenly have couch lock.

Done right, a high, even a moderate one, can last 2-10 hours.  Smoking a joint provides the quickest and most powerful, while a gummy takes 30-45 minutes to kick it, but it is much easier to manage the dosage. Vaping is a way to maintain a steady chill.

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One good thing about taking a “time out” and breathing from the drama, it is a better on our mental and physical health.

One recent survey discovered

• 1 in 5 had lost sleep over politics
• 20 percent reported feeling fatigued because of political news
• 29 percent reported losing their temper over politics
• One quarter said they felt hateful toward those with opposing political views
• More than 20 percent have had political disagreements damage their friendships

However you do it, be mindful of where you are and make sure you don’t let outside forces squash you happiness and enjoyment of each day.

It is a historic move for a country which had prohibition, but consumers are using their wallets to show they support it,

Culture wars have been an American tradition – from the battle over TicTok to the alcohol prohibition in the 1920s. It was said the only thing to come out of the anti-liquor period was it taught good citizens how to break the law.  But in general, if the public wants it, the public will have it, legal or not. The perfect is example is the Pornhub ban in Utah and Texas, which has sent VPN sign ups sky high. And consumer spending validates marijuana rescheduling in a major way.

RELATED: Beer Sales Flatten Thanks To Marijuana

Some politicians and leaders believe in the nanny state option.  Those include a few governors lead by Ron DeSantis, Mitch McConnell, and a few other special interest groups.  But the Biden’s administration’s decision to reschedule cannabis lines up with public opinion. Over 85% believe it should legal in some form, and more importantly, they are putting their money toward what they want.  Leading analyst firm, BDSA, shared the public’s spending habit’s match their thoughts on rescheduling.

Following the tradition, cannabis sales moved higher again this year. Sales on 20 April 2024 sales were $167M, a 33% increase over the previous year.  Trends like California sober are going strong and Gen Z continues to move away from alcohol and move toward marijuana vapes and gummies. Lifestyle habits are starting to adjust slightly away from alcohol and more low alcohol drinks, mocktails, and cannabis eat away at the traditional market.  Alcohol is much rougher on the body, so many are opting for a semi-healthier option.

It is a benefit for fully recreational states as even Missouri makes significant tax income on cannabis. Most governors are on board with rescheduling at it is not only the public’s will, but it helps the state’s coffers and actually helps in other areas. Even New York State, with over 1,500 non tax paying illicit stores making money, made some income.  They have less than 100 licensed dispensaries generating over $175 million.

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On an interesting sidebar, like holidays, there are some holidays where cannabis use is up. Here are the largest for 2023

1. 420
2. Green Wednesday
3. Black Friday
4. St Patrick’s Day
5. Veteran’s Day

In comparison, alcohol’s largest days are:

1. New Year’s Eve
2. St. Patrick’s Day
3. July 4th
4. Day Before Thanksgiving/ Blackout Wednesday/ Drinksgiving
5. Black Friday

Let’s see how the next 12 months works for the industry, the government and the public.