Monday, March 20, 2023

Today's Mantra: “Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together."

The Importance of Sleep: Causes and Remedies for Insomnia

Sleep is a restorative process that serves to replenish both physiologically and psychologically. As an essential part of the daily human cycle, sleep is a determining factor in the state of a person’s health. Addressing the cause will assure the best outcome. Causes for sleep onset insomnia may include: anxiety or tension, pain or discomfort, caffeine, alcohol, emotional stress, fear of insomnia itself. Causes for sleep maintenance insomnia (frequent or early wakening), may include: depression, sleep apnea, pain, drugs, alcohol, restless legs/nocturnal myoclonus (jerking action of muscles).

Conventional Treatments

Acute insomnia may not need treatment, but if it is hard for you to do everyday activities because you are tired, your doctor may prescribe a short term sleeping pill. Over the counter sleep aids typically contain benedryl. This may be beneficial for a night or two, but there are side effects, such as next day grogginess and they work less well over time.

For chronic insomnia, you need to treat the condition that is keeping you awake. A doctor will likely perform a physical exam and take a medical and sleep history to determine the cause. You may be asked about anxiety, depression, chronic snoring and recent weight gain, contributing to sleep apnea therefore disrupted sleep. Sleep disorder tests are often used to diagnose insomnia.

Talk to your doctor if any medications you are taking may cause sleep issues. Perhaps there is a different drug to try without these side effects. Some antidepressant drugs may be used in people with depression to help with sleep. They are not necessarily approved for the treatment of insomnia, but do have success in certain people.

Breathing exercises and/or yoga may help to relax before going to bed for those who have trouble winding down. Daily moderate exercise does wonders for improving sleep. Doctors recommend aiming for 20-30 minutes three or four times a week.

Good sleep habits are important as well. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Avoid heavy meals before bed. Be sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. Do not use your bed for work. Avoid tv, computer and phone screen exposure for at least one hour before bed. These expose you to blue light, which disrupts your circadian rhythm and suppresses the production of melatonin, our sleep hormone. I read about a dad who had his entire family turn off tv, computers and phones before bedtime for improved sleep. He called it “Amish Hour” in reference to the Amish community that lives without electricity. Sounds like wise advice, although easier said than done for many of us. Of course avoiding caffeine and alcohol will improve sleep as well. They are both sleep disrupters.

Natural Treatments

In addition to the commonsense recommendations above on which most doctors will advise, there are numerous natural remedies to sleep issues that you can add to your sleep improvement program.

• Sunshine – This sounds so simple, but it works! For free! Don’t underestimate the power of natural sunshine, especially in the morning, [1] or even bright light, during the day can improve sleep quality and duration, especially if you have severe sleep issues or insomnia. [2] [3] This will help keep your body’s natural time keeping clock, or circadian rhythm, in proper order. [4] [5]

• Magnesium – critical to many bodily functions, and sleep is no exception. Modern intensive agricultural methods have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients from the soil in which the food we eat grows. [6a] This includes magnesium, a major nutrient needed by the human body for over 600 important functions. (Sadly, each successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant vegetable is truly less good for you than the one before). Another reason to eat organic as much as possible. Many foods today are calcium fortified but not magnesium fortified. Up to 75% of Americans are not meeting their recommended intake. [6] This can result in sleep issues, muscle twitches and cramps, constipation, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure, to name a few. 250mg-500mg a day has been shown to improve sleep. [7] It has also been shown to be effective in mild to moderate RLS (restless leg syndrome). [8] 

• Melatonin – a key sleep hormone that tells your brain when it’s time to relax and head to bed. Melatonin supplements are an extremely popular sleep aid. Often used to treat insomnia, melatonin may be one of the easiest ways to fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. [9] [10] Take 1–5 mg around 30–60 minutes before heading to bed. Start with a low dose to assess your tolerance and then increase it slowly as needed. Since melatonin may alter brain chemistry, it’s advised that you check with a healthcare provider before use.

• L-theanine – an amino acid found mainly in green tea. It has been shown to promote increased alpha-wave brain patterns. Alpha-wave brain patterns are most active when the brain is in a relaxed state, such as in states of daydreaming, meditating, and when resting with the eyes closed. Although L-theanine helps prepare the brain for a night of restful sleep, its benefits extend beyond just sleep preparation. Clinical studies have shown that consumption of L-theanine improves sleep quality, enhances sleep efficiency, and decreases waking times during the night. A recent clinical study showed that consuming 200 mg of L-theanine before bedtime reduced the time needed for sleep onset and decreased the need for sleep medications.[11] It can also be taken during the day to offset low level anxiety. A wonderful natural sleeping supplement with added tryptophan is called REST. Great reviews on this. I have personally taken this with great success.

• Phosphatidylserine – a little known phospholipid (amino acid + fatty acid), which helps the hypothalamus regulate the amount of cortisol produced by the adrenals. It is helpful for those who cannot sleep because of high cortisol levels, usually induced by stress. Cortisol is naturally at a high in the mornings, for wakefulness, and goes down at night. In stressed individuals it may continue to be elevated at night, preventing sleep. [12] The typical dose range for phosphatidylserine is 100-300 mg daily. Look for a product from plant-based sources, like soy or sunflower lecithin. It may be taken 2-3 times daily, with or without meals. If used for sleep, you can take the full dose at bedtime.

• Valerian – a plant that has been used for thousands of years as a folk remedy for “nervous stomach” and as a sedative. It has few, if any, side effects and is not habit forming. It is safe and effective for promoting sleep and preventing associated disorders. [13] The main component of Valerian is valepotriates, shown to be sedative, anxiolytic, (anti-anxiety), spasmolytic, muscle relaxing. It is an herb approved for use by Commission E. * Usual dosing for insomnia is between 400mg and 900mg 30 minutes before bedtime. For general restlessness the dosing is 220mg three times daily. Valerian has an unpleasant aroma to most people, which is why it is better taken as capsules than tea. Combined with Passionflower and Hops, Herbal Sleep is also an excellent remedy for occasional insomnia or restlessness. The bottle recommends taking 2 before bed. If no noticeable improvement, you may experiment with increasing the dosage. I know people who have taken up to 6 at a time. Again, start low and increase slowly if needed.

• Lavender – A powerful herb with many health benefits, lavender can induce a calming and sedentary effect to improve sleep. [14], [15] It is a sedative and hypnotic for humans and animals. The chief components are linalool and linalyl acetate. Begin diffusing lavender oil about an hour before bedtime. You can also put a few drops on your pillow directly or with a Lavender spray, or apply directly to feet, temples or wrists. A roll-on formula is great for this application. Subjects exposed to lavender showed EEG changes consistent with drowsiness. [16] It has also been shown to shorten the time to fall asleep and lengthen sleep duration.

• Other items you may wish to investigate that have been studied with success: Oatstraw, Lemon Balm, Kava Kava, Skullcap, CBD, 5-HTP (tryptophan) and weighted blankets.

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