Natural Sleep Melatonin

Archive for June, 2009

It’s 4am and you’re wide awake.You could be the one in three who have trouble sleeping. So what are the culprits and remedies for insomnia and how much sleep do you really need to beat the bedtime blues?

The truth: Everyone should sleep from seven to nine hours per night regardless of age, according to Edward L. Schneider, MD, dean of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Sleeping less than seven hours weakens immunity and increases the risk for depression, falls and accidents.

N.A.S.A. research shows the effects on driving after being awake for 20 hours is comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.05.

Lack of sleep can also lead to raised blood pressure, headaches, increased appetite and weight gain due to increased production of cortisol. This hormone has the opposite effect to what you desire,particularly if you are overweight,because it stores fat and burns muscle.

A University of Pennsylvania study showed that getting two fewer hours sleep a night for one week lead to reduced performance in vigilance tests and an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood stream.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET MORE SLEEP?

FIRST,YOUR BEDROOM.
Make sure you have a comfortable bed and pillow. Your bedroom should be dark and quiet. It should also be well ventilated.

It should be peaceful.Jasmine, sandalwood or lavender scents can help.

A warm bath or shower before bed or playing tranquil music can also help. The aim is to slow your mind down. Watching TV in bed may not help, if you wish to relax your mind.

AVOID.
Caffeine in the evening. Sleeping tablets can be addictive if used continuously and should be avoided other than for very short time use. Eating heavy meals or drinking alcohol within two hours prior to bedtime can also disrupt sleep.
Bedtime snacks, particularly grains and sugars will raise your blood sugar and inhibit sleep according to Dr Joseph Mercola, author of The Total Health Program.

EXERCISE.
Regular exercise can reduce stress. A walk before bedtime can not only calm you, but the physical activity can aid digestion.
Your dog would also appreciate it!

HERBS AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS.

Mild herbal supplements like camomile tea, passion flower or valerian may help some people.

VALERIAN.
The extract from the root of this plant is a natural sedative and tranquiliser. It can induce relaxation and is very good at quieting the busy mind. It is also a rich source of calcium, potassium and magnesium, all calming and balancing minerals for the nervous system. This herb also appears to increase brain levels of serotonin, a relaxing neurotransmitter.

MAGNESIUM.
This mineral is particularly important for your general wellbeing. When combined with calcium, it is an important supplement for healthy bones and protection against osteoporis. It is also important for sleep inducement, muscle relaxation and nervous system calming.

ST JOHNS WORT.
This herb is an effective option in helping to relieve mild anxiety and nervous tension. It can aid in the maintenance or improvement of general wellbeing.

A word of caution: St Johns Wort may react with some medications,including warfarin. It is important that you consult with your doctor before using this or any other supplements.

MELATONIN.
Melatonin is a natural sleep hormone produced at night by the brain.
Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown it to be safe, non addictive and virtually free of side effects. It is helpful for those who have light or restless sleep or take some time to fall asleep.

With correct use, it may help you to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer. It is an effective cure for jetlag because of its ability to regulate our 24 hour sleep/wake cycle.

Many adults, especially those aged 65 and older have insufficient levels of melatonin to achieve restful sleep, according to Mark A Stengler ND, a naturopathic physician in private practice in La Jolla, California.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.
Try 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water, before retiring.

FINALLY, NAPPING.
Sleep researchers have widely diverging opinions here. Some state that it can disturb night time sleep, while others say that it can compensate for a night time sleep deficit, especially if below 7 hours. Dr Schneider believes that most people should not nap for more than 20 minutes.

Researchers in the sleep research laboratory at Longborough University, England have found that people are designed for two sleeps a day, the main one at night and a nap in the afternoon.

I have found that an occasional 15 to 20 minute cat nap in the afternoon, particularly if I am feeling tired, can help me sleep better at night.

The bottom line is: What works best for you?

Never start a new treatment before consulting your doctor, especially if you currently are taking medication. The information published in this article is not intended as a substitute for personal medical advice from your physician or other qualified health-care practitioner.

Graeme Lanham
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/beating-insomnia-seven-secrets-to-a-peaceful-sleep-69975.html

Insomnia, or the inability to fall and stay asleep, affects nearly everyone at some time or another. Occasionally people will get a full night’s sleep and still wake up feeling unrested for one reason or another. While drug companies have worked hard to come up with various over-the-counter, or OTC, and prescription drugs to battle sleeplessness, often these medications include harmful side effects just as bad or worse than the insomnia. Luckily there are natural alternatives to these medications that do not pose the same risks to the patient who suffers from sleeplessness. Throughout this article, these alternatives will be discussed in greater detail in order to prove the benefits of natural insomnia treatments over man-made medications.

There are several naturally occurring chemicals that lead people to feel sleepy. Probably the most common one is the amino acid Tryptophan. This is the ingredient in turkeys that make so many people feel relaxed and sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner. Tryptophan helps the brain create the chemicals serotonin and melatonin, which help the human body feel relaxed, calm and able to sleep. Dairy products, whole grain products and nuts are also good Tryptophan foods, perfect for before-bed snacks. Avoid foods high in protein and focus on high carbohydrate and calcium foods to help fight sleeplessness.

Much as there are foods and drinks (like milk) that will help you get to sleep, there are also foods that can be detrimental to falling and staying asleep throughout the night.

Any food or drink that contains caffeine should be avoided for at least three hours before bed (more if you still have problems getting to sleep).

Be wary of teas since many of them contain caffeine.

Look for the words caffeine-free, if you don’t see them then you should assume the tea is caffeinated.

Another sneaky possessor of caffeine is OTC headache and pain medications, many of which include caffeine to boost the effectiveness of the active ingredients. Carefully read the labels of any medications prior to taking them before trying to sleep.

Phosphatidylserine is an anti-cortisol that helps keep blood sugar stabilized throughout the night. Sudden spikes in blood sugar have been shown to be a contributing factor to frequently waking up during the night. People who are severely stressed sometimes experience racing thoughts while trying to sleep. These thoughts raise the levels of cortisol in the body and make it difficult to relax enough to fall asleep. Phosphatidylserine combats this effect, which can lead to falling asleep and more importantly staying asleep.

Another important ingredient in effective natural sleeplessness solutions is the amino-acid GABA, which helps the body regenerate while asleep and wake up feeling rested. While getting enough sleep is important, the quality of that sleep is even more important (just ask anyone who has an old mattress). GABA helps the release of growth hormone, which aids in the restfulness of the sleep state. It is obvious that natural insomnia solutions are better for the sleep state and the general health of those who suffer from sleeplessness.

Richard Smart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/natural-help-for-those-suffering-with-sleeplessness-219528.html

trouble sleeping?

Afraid to start taking sleeping pills and other medication? You are correct there is a nautural cure.

However, your body produces a hormone called melatonin, and for a variety of reasons, you may not be getting enough. Your sleep problem may be due to this.

The answer to sleep problems, aging and many more questions may be found in this wonderful hormone called melatonin.

Melatonin is a natural hormone found in ALL living creature, from the plant to animal kingdoms. In higher animal species, it is produced in the pineal gland (in the brain), but also in the eye (retina) and the gastro-intestinal tract.

What is Melatonin?

A naturally occurring hormone (derived from serotonin) that is both endocrine (enters the bloodstream from a pineal gland) and paracrine (signaling cell phenomenon, as from the retina when light is low, when the signal is “time to sleep”).

Melatonin, besides being a sleep hormone, is a very powerful antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immunoregulator, anti-depressant and sexual dysfunction regulator.

Is it Safe to Take?

Actually, the 3mg standard dose has virtually no side effects, and does not also affect the body’s ability to produce its own melatonin.

Rather, in today’s world where we are exposed to great amounts of strong artificial light, our bodies will not produce the melatonin it generally needs.

Melatonin also plays a key role in memory and our ability to learn quickly.

Some very famous studies have been made on melatonin (one by the Nobel Prize laureate Julius Axelrod) where it was proven that melatonin plays a direct role in establishing our sleep cycle and more.

In some mammals with short mating periods (due to hibernation), melatonin also is related to the production of other hormones which control sexual activity.

There are no toxic dangers at all, but it will cause drowsiness, so one must not take it prior to driving or operating mechanical equipment.

It may also react with some medications, so if you are taking any monoamine oxidize inhibitors (MAOIs), you must consult your doctor before taking melatonin

Melatonin and Your Sleep

It seems the very best and easiest solution to restless and un-easy sleep is to take one 3mg melatonin tablet 15 minutes prior to going to bed.

Also for at least 1 hour before going to sleep, make sure the lighting in your environment is progressively less and less, so as to stimulate your body’s own melatonin secretions.

Remember, bright light can block melatonin production completely.

Along with the melatonin and dim lights, try to put on some restful and soothing music to keep your mind from focusing on your problems and not sleeping.

Sleep should come too effortlessly, without dangerous and habit forming drugs.

Some Interesting facts about Melatonin

People who work at night, and have their melatonin blocked by evening bright lights have a significant higher incidence of cancer than day workers.

Melatonin appears to prevent the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein.

It has been proven that hyperphosphorylation of tau protein results in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Neurofibrillary tangles are a pathological occurrence seen in Alzheimer’s, so melatonin may prove a very beneficial treatment as well as preventative for Alzheimer’s disease.

So, instead of getting hooked on sleeping medicines, try melatonin, and remember all the other benefits it may bring to you as well.

Sacha Tarkovsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/sleeping-problems-solved-melatonin-to-the-rescue-and-more-68636.html