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Health See other Health Articles Title: Can't Sleep? Try This... Health Wire Racing thoughts, restless muscles, anxiety, stress, and worry. So many things can keep us from getting the perfect eight hours of deep, fulfilling sleep. And when lack of sleep happens more often than not, it can start to take a physical toll on the body. As you lay awake staring at the ceiling, you're stressed about the fact that you can’t fall asleep — and this stress is pumping cortisol into your system that makes you more awake. You’re tired during the day and can’t focus at work. So you resort to stimulants like caffeine to get you through the day, pumping more cortisol into your system. But you drink that cup of coffee too late in the day and it sets you up for another night of tossing and turning, leading into a vicious cycle... Eventually, all the cortisol wears you out, your adrenals are depleted, and you have no natural energy reserves. If you’ve ever suffered from chronic sleeplessness, you know how frustrating and physically draining it can be. As a sufferer of insomnia, I’ve been there personally. I’ve had my fair share of restless nights, sometimes waking up five to ten times per night. Advertisement These 5 Sleep Mistakes Could Ruin Your Health Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? Do you find yourself waking up often in the middle of the night? Do you want a more natural alternative to addictive sleeping pills? If you eliminate these 5 sleep mistakes, you could eliminate sleepless nights forever... To find out more, simply click here to access your free sleep report. I’ve also tried my fair share of sleep aids, natural and pharmaceutical. And while the pharmaceutical ones (Benadryl, Ambien, and Clonzepan) would certainly put me to sleep, I always felt like a zombie the next day. They also come with their fair share of side effects: The active ingredient in Benadryl is diphenhydramine, also found in NyQuil and Tylenol PM. This is an antihistamine, so it dehydrates your body by drying up mucus membranes. Mucus membranes are the body's first line of defense against pathogens and viruses, so it’s important to keep them healthy. Ambien has caused some strange effects in people who take it: sleep walking, sleep eating, sleep sex, sleep driving... embarrassing at best and dangerous or deadly at worst. A recent study1 also found a higher risk of cancer and death linked to sleep aids, even sedative antihistamines like Benadryl. As few as 18 sleeping pills a year was linked to a 3.5x higher risk of death, and for those taking up to 132 pills a year, the risk jumped to 5x greater than someone not taking sleeping aids. The heaviest users also had a 35% greater risk of cancer. With all of those risks, why not try something natural first? There are many options out there. It can be journey to find the one that works best for you, but it’s a journey well worth it... The simplest is chamomile tea. Celestial Seasoning makes a blend called Sleepytime that is minty and soothing. Yogi brand Bedtime tea is another tasty choice, and it contains a bit of valerian, which I’ll talk about next. However, if you wake throughout the night to use the bathroom, tea before bed might not be the best choice. Also, if you have an allergy to members of the daisy family like ragweed, you could have an allergy to chamomile. Valerian root has been used for centuries for its sedating qualities. It can help calm the racing thoughts you may be experiencing as you lie in bed at night. Numerous studies have been conducted that demonstrate it can help you fall asleep faster and have deeper, sounder sleep. Unlike medicinal sleep aids, your body doesn’t become dependent on valerian (though in my own experience, your body can build up a tolerance and you may begin to require higher doses). 200mg an hour before bed is the recommended dosage to start, and I’ve taken up to 800mg with no ill effects. For a very small number of people, valerian actually has a stimulating effect, so it’s best to try on a weekend night in case this happens to you. Valerian can also be used in times of high stress and anxiety. A way to get the relaxing effect of tea without the late-night bathroom trips is with theanine, an amino acid found in tea. There has been a clinical study done on Suntheanine brand, with 200mg showing calming effects within half an hour. One product I’ve tried that contains many of these herbs and others is Revitalizing Sleep Formula by Enzymatic Therapy. Advertisement Hidden epidemic is picking off Baby Boomers in their prime It starts with cold hands, leg cramps and unsightly circles under your eyes... But one world renowned physician has discovered a 'triple threat' to disarm this health minefield before it blows. Passionflower, hops, and lemon balm are other herbal options to try. Whether in tea or capsule form, these herbs should help you snooze. Another nutrient I’ve tried and had great success with is Lactium®. It’s derived from milk, and much in the way a warm glass of milk has been used to ease the body and mind into sleep, Lactium® does the same. It’s been studied in a clinical trial of people with insomnia and sleep disorders and shown to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, as well as to improve the quality of their sleep. This is another nutrient that can double as a stress and anxiety reducer during the day time if you are feeling overwhelmed and out of sorts. Melatonin is another popular sleep aid. (It’s actually a hormone, so it’s not recommended for younger people.) Melatonin is produced in the brain when the sun goes down, which is why it’s always best to dim the lights an hour before bed and avoid watching TV or using your laptop or other screens during that time, as this hampers the production of melatonin. It’s been studied widely, with the best results showing improvements in jet lag and insomnia in the elderly. A dose of 3mg before bed is recommended. If you aren’t already taking supplemental magnesium, here’s another reason you should.:Not only is it used in more than 300 different processes in the body; it also works to relax your muscles and calm your body. If you suffer from muscle cramps in the middle of the night, or restless leg syndrome that keeps you from falling asleep easily, 400mg of magnesium citrate an hour before bed could make all the difference (it does for me!). Of course, there are dozens of other sleep remedies out there, but give some of those a try before you resort to pharmaceutical sleep aids. And keep in mind, it may take some trial and error or a combination of a few of the herbs and nutrients... but when you finally get that restful night’s sleep — and then another after that, and another after that — your physical, emotional, and mental health will thank you. To your health, Jasmine Sources: Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 1.
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
500mg L-tryptophan and 5mg melatonin do the trick here.
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