Life is
busy. Long days at work, stress or trying to get more done each day leads to
one common sacrifice: sleep. If you are not sleeping enough, you are not
giving your body the rest it needs to recover from the day’s activities, heal
and promote optimal health.
For anyone that thinks, “I’ll sleep when I’m older,” let us see why adequate sleep, even when you are young, is so important.
Why Getting Enough Sleep is Essential for Your Health and Well-Being?
Your body
has an internal clock that works to regulate your sleep cycle. Known as circadian
rhythm, this clock works in a 24-hour cycle and will dictate the time you
start getting sleepy.
Light plays
a role in this cycle thanks to a special region in the brain where light
influences your rhythm.
Sleep
demands will vary from age to age, with the following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention:
- 14+ hours for newborns
- 12
– 16 hours for infants
- 11+ hours for toddlers
- 10
– 13 hours for preschoolers
- 9
– 12 hours for kids 6 to 12
- 8
– 10 hours for teens
- 7
– 9 hours for adults
As you age, you need slightly less sleep, but sleeping at least seven hours per night is recommended.
Sleep and Your Daily Functions
Proper amounts of sleep are needed to help with cognition, mood, attention, and reaction speed. Lack of sleep can be linked to a wide range of health issues. The risks of not sleeping enough, when in chronic sleep deprivation, can lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and even death.
If you are not sleeping, you are not allowing your brain activity and pulse to slow.
When you are asleep, changes occur in the body that include:
- Breathing rate will begin to slow
- Heart rate will get progressively slower·
- Neurons in the brain begin to shut off
- Muscles relax, allowing for a lower level of energy being expended
- Multiple hormones are produced: melatonin, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, and growth hormones
Your brain
is also flushing out toxins while you sleep to allow you to have a clear mind
in the morning. All these functions lead to feeling refreshed, improved
cognition, play a role in memory retention and allow the body to fight off
disease and infection.
Poor sleep needs to be corrected to allow the body to relax and repair.
Sleep Problems and What Causes Them
Have trouble
falling asleep or staying sleep? You are not alone. There are a lot of
reasons for people suffering from sleep problems, including:
- Stress
- Chronic
illness
- Heartburn
- Heart
failure
- Breathing
issues
- Disease
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Sleep
apnea
- Psychiatric
disorders
You may also
have physical sleep disturbances that get in your way of sleep, such as
headaches, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain. Environmental issues, such as the
lights being left on or noises upstairs can also be a cause for sleep
disturbances.
Stress is a
major factor, too. Insomnia, especially in acute cases, can be caused by stress
of losing a job, moving, illness, relationship problems and a myriad of other
issues.
Age also contributes to sleep disorders. Approximately 50% of people over the age of 65 have a sleep disorder. Medications can also play a role in your ability to sleep and should be evaluated if you have difficulty sleeping.
What to Do to Promote Better Sleep
Promoting a
better night of sleep is possible with a change to your lifestyle and habits. A
few positive changes to improve sleep are:
- Stop smoking
- Do
not drink caffeine hours before bedtime
- Shut
off all electronics and screens at least 60 minutes before bed
- Lower
your thermostat a few degrees
- Maintain
a sleep routine where you go to bed the same time every night
A sleep
schedule is important because going to bed and waking up at the same time every
day promotes a good night’s sleep. You will have those days when you sleep
later than you would like or cannot fall asleep on time – that's okay.
What you want to do is try to continue promoting good sleep habits even on days where your sleep schedule gets interrupted.
Natural Remedies for a Better Night’s Sleep
If you find
yourself tossing and turning at night, you can use natural remedies to help
promote a better night of sleep. A few of the best natural remedies for a
better night of sleep are:
Chamomile
Tea
Teas have a
lot of health-related properties, but chamomile is one of the best options for
sleeping. The tea is known for being able to reduce inflammation and treat
insomnia. Apigenin, one of the most potent antioxidants in the tea is thought
to be responsible for its calming effects.
Chamomile is
a sleep inducer, too.
Simply drink
a cup of chamomile tea 45 minutes or so before bed to promote a good night’s
sleep.
Exercise
Exercise
promotes better sleep. You are expending your energy, doing your body good and
can improve your sleep in the process. Multiple forms of exercise can be
beneficial:
- Running
- Weightlifting
- Yoga
- Etc.
In fact,
multiple studies show the positive sleep benefits of exercise. A 2015 study found that people that exercised for 150 minutes or more per
week, over a period of six months, reduced anxiety, depression and had fewer
symptoms of insomnia.
Yoga's
positive relaxation techniques can also help calm the mind and allow people to
unwind for a better night of sleep.
Magnesium
Magnesium is
known for relaxing a person’s muscles and relieving stress. It is important to
start slow, as too high of doses can cause side effects, such as stomach
cramping. The recommended dosing is as follows:
- Women up to 300 mg daily
- Men up to 400 mg daily
A 2012 study found that after taking magnesium daily for two months,
participants exhibited better sleep patterns and fewer overall symptoms of insomnia.
Leafy
greens, seeds and nuts contain magnesium, but most people will consume a
natural supplement for sleep-related benefits.
Melatonin
If you want
to fall asleep faster and enjoy a deeper REM sleep, melatonin can help. You
will find a lot of supplement options available that can help you get an extra
dose of melatonin. It is important to take up to 5 mg 30 minutes or so before
bed.
There was a
study done on melatonin in 2016 that examined the sleep benefits of melatonin on people with
insomnia and cancer.
Within just
seven days, it was reported that the sleep quality of participants improved
significantly. When examined two weeks later, participants had even more
significant sleep benefits.
While the
study was conducted on people with cancer and insomnia, the same results can
also be experienced for the healthy person trying to get a better night of
sleep.
Lavender
Oil
Lavender is
a great item to keep in your medicine cabinet or cupboard. Not only does this
potent oil promote better sleep, but it is also shown to improve mood and
reduce pain. You can take capsules or use aromatherapy to benefit from
lavender.
A 2014 study, using lavender oil capsules, found that consuming lavender
daily, in amounts up to 80 mg, was able to:
- Improve sleep patterns
- Reduce depression
- Lower
anxiety levels
If you do
not like the taste of the oil directly, you can opt to add the oil into a
diffuser or even drink a cup of lavender tea before bed.
All
these are great recommendations and possible solutions to help you with your
sleep deprivation, however, there is another secret that I would like to share
with you, which has been proven to help with my sleep problem. I rely on this little-known formula when I am
up and cannot sleep. It is an
all-natural solution that is easy to make at home when you are having problem sleeping,
when all else fails. This secret formula
has been a lifesaver for me. Click on this link for a short
video
that reveals my secret formula to combat sleeplessness.
Sleep is one
of the most important things for your body, your health, and your mind. You need to do whatever you can to ensure you
are getting adequate sleep every night.
If you follow these recommendations above, hopefully you will start to
improve your sleep.
Follow me on
social media and subscribe. Comment and
let me know after you have tried my secret formula.
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