Are You Getting Enough Good Sleep?

Sleep gets a bit of a bad rap, often cast aside in favour of other more important things. Working or studying, socialising, enjoying a movie late into the night – these things in which we can more actively participate must surely be time better spent than sleeping, right? As Benjamin Franklin so succinctly put it, “there will be plenty of time for sleep once you are dead.”

Well the truth is that sleeping is a superb way to spend time. Getting enough sleep is absolutely essential to a number of vital functions in the body that keep us healthy, protecting us against all kinds of diseases – cancer, heart disease, stroke to mention a few. It helps regulate our appetite and body weight and keeps us looking younger. It improves our mental performance, including our creativity and ability to make decisions – not to mention our physical performance. By ensuring that we get enough good quality sleep, we can significantly improve the quality of our experience of our waking hours.

So what can we do to ensure that we are getting enough sleep? Generally speaking, adults need to get between six and eight hours a night; but there are exceptions. Some people can function well on as few as five hours a night, while others need up to 10. Further, it’s not necessarily a case of “more is better” – there is evidence that getting too much sleep can cause health problems too. What’s important is that you get enough good quality sleep.

Here are some general tips to help ensure you are sleeping properly:

1. Try to avoid staying up late. Working night shifts is a problem, as is jet-lag or switching time zones.

2. Exercising regularly. A Stanford University Medical School study found that after 16 weeks in a moderate-intensity exercise program, subjects were able to fall asleep about 15 minutes earlier and sleep about 45 minutes longer at night. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake.

3. Practice clearing out your mind before bed.

4. If you wake in the middle of the night, do not turn on any lights.

5. Light pollution is a big problem. Black-out curtains are worthwhile, and avoid nightlights!

6. Try to avoid eating in the middle of the night or too close to bedtime.

7. If you feel tired when you wake up, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep.

8. Allow for more sleep if you are ill or otherwise stressed, during the winter months, or if you are pregnant.

Natural Remedies That May Help You Sleep

If all of these factors seem to be in order and you occasionally need a little help getting a completely restful night, before you rush to a drug dispenser to buy an over-the-counter sleep medication, try one of the following natural sleep remedies. They are safer and have fewer side effects. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they can also promote muscle relaxation.

Valerian
Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it’s most effective when used over a longer period of time. Keep in mind that about 10 percent of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day. View our Valerian Plus Herbal Complex here.

Magnesium and calcium
Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200 milligrams of magnesium (you can lower the dose if it causes diarrhea) and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.

Wild lettuce
If you’ve suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It’s also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety, and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.

Hops
Beer fans are already familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.

Aromatherapy
Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It’s also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime, or buy a lavender-filled pillow.

Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it’s no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Studies show that lower doses are more effective — plus, there’s concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility. Take at most 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams before bed.

Yoga and Meditation
Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.

L-theanine
This amino acid comes from green tea, and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn’t contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles, and might make you wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy pure, active L-theanine (some brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness), and take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.