While you are asleep your body has important work to do. The body repairs and regenerates brain and nerve cells, produces hormones and proteins and it removes toxic waste.
Not getting enough sleep hours may put you at risk of developing chronic health conditions, a weakened immune system, digestive imbalances, anxiety, and stress. As we age, the importance of quality sleep becomes even more pronounced, impacting both physical and mental health.
Specific sleep struggles such as calming the mind, falling asleep, and staying asleep may be assisted through natural sleep-supportive supplements.
Natural Vs Pharmaceutical Sleep Products
There are several pharmaceutical products that can be prescribed for insomnia or sleep-related issues by your doctor. These are generally classed as sedative-hypnotics that include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and anti-anxiety medications. Although useful, they can have unwanted side effects such as the inability to drive and work due to heavy sedative effects, they can give a hangover feeling in the morning and can become habitual and addictive.
Natural sleep aids gently support your body to calm, fall asleep and stay asleep naturally.
Herbal Support
There are several sedative and nerve-supportive herbs that may help you fall asleep and maintain your sleep.
Lavender, Passionflower & Skullcap are calming herbs for the mind and maybe most useful for people who struggle to sleep due to anxiety or racing thoughts.
Valerian and Zizyphus have sedative and hypnotic effects to help you fall and stay asleep.
Melatonin
Your pineal gland secretes melatonin, stimulated as a reaction to darkness. It signals the brain that it’s time to sleep.
There is a Homeopathic Melatonin, that naturally stimulates your own body to help you sleep. It’s different to the synthetic pharmaceutical Melatonin that can be prescribed by your doctor.
Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine that was developed by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, in the late 18th century. The principles of Homeopathy are: Like cures like (Law of Similars) and the more dilute the remedy, the greater its potency (Law of the Infinitesimal Dose).
Amino Acids
Our bodies need Serotonin to produce Melatonin to regulate sleep.
Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, creates the neurotransmitter Serotonin.
Eating foods rich in Tryptophan, such as turkey, chicken, meat, cheese, yogurt, eggs, and fish can help improve your sleep.
Magnesium
Magnesium can be used for assisting sleep, it helps to relax both the nervous system and your muscles.
Magnesium sleep supplements may have amino acids or herbs added to the product to assist sleep. Eating magnesium-rich foods before bed can also help such as almonds, dark chocolate, peanut butter, salmon, spinach, and walnuts.
Sleep hygiene
Lifestyle choices and sleep routines are known to support positive sleep outcomes. This is known as Sleep Hygiene. Practising regular sleep habits will help your body to gain that much-needed 8 hours of sleep.
5 Tips to Help You Sleep Better
- Stick to a routine. Commit to going to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time, even on rostered days off.
- Avoid stimulants up to six hours before bedtime including coffee, tea and chocolate.
- Reduce light exposure. The blue light that emits from your phone screen and other devices is suppressive of melatonin production. Turn off your screens 1 hr before bed to reduce this effect on sleep. Use block-out curtains in your bedroom.
- Eat your smallest meal before bed. Actively digesting a big meal at sleep-time may cause reflux.
- Meditation: Breath-work and meditation practices before bed, can assist your mind and body to relax and to the land of dreams.
Before taking any form of supplementation, speak with your healthcare professional and as always speak with our in-store qualified Naturopaths for complimentary advice.
Words and tips by Assunta Hamilton, Naturopath
Kunara Organic Marketplace
330 Mons Rd, Forest Glen
*Kunara Members SAVE 20% off Vitamins & Supplements on the first Wednesday of each month. It’s free to join in-store.
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