The Natural Sleep Aid Blog

While we all suffer from a restless night of sleep now and again, insomnia is a condition that people suffer from when they do not get enough sleep, or have difficulty staying asleep over a long period of time. Since sleep is a vital function to maintain health both mentally and physically, those who suffer from insomnia need to seek treatment for their condition. As studies indicate sleep deprivation and reaction time are related, therefore depriving the body of rest can be harmful to oneself and others.

There are two types of insomnia: acute and chronic. Each of these types will be explored in the following paragraphs.

Acute insomnia is when an individual suffers from insomnia over a short period of time. These symptoms can occur for a variety of reasons of which include stress, diet, depression, medication or change in daily routine. Chronic insomnia on the other hand is when sleepless symptoms occur over long periods of time.

There methods that can help combat against insomnia, these include natural sleep aids. Natural sleep aids do not contain any addictive ingredients that can disrupt other body functions or lead to dependency.

Adopting better bed time habits can also alleviate the symptoms of insomnia. Creating a cool and comfortable environment that promotes sleep is vital to getting the best sleep possible. Additionally,  turning to herbal remedies , such as lavender can help induce a peaceful and complete sleep.

Extreme cases of insomnia may require the participation in a sleep study as the cause of insomnia may be related to other medical conditions.

Are those nights of restless tossing and turning becoming more and more frequent? Everyone has nights when they just can’t seem to get to sleep; stresses from work, kids and life in general can leave you with sleep deprivation.  The average human being will spend one third of their life sleeping and that should be a time of recovery and relaxation. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most adults and we turn to medicinal sleep aides as a way to get more restful sleep. (more…)

Adequate sleep is fundamental for the body to perform properly. The importance of quality sleep is obvious for preventing various health issues but one of the most overlooked reasons why sleep is so valuable is because it can actually slow the rate at which the body ages.

While you sleep, your body has a chance to rejuvenate itself both mentally and physically. It can speed up healing of injuries or surgeries, increase weight-loss, boost immune function, and help to manage or reduce stress. These are all things that are very taxing on the body and when sleep deprivation occurs the body begins to fall apart from the inside out.

Key hormones are released during your sleep which helps to slow the aging process and repair cell damage. Between the hours of 11 and 1am your body produces human growth hormone (HGH). Insufficient sleep inhibits the production of growth hormone which ultimately leads to physical deterioration, emotional problems, and premature aging.

About 40% of Americans do not get enough sleep each night which increases more than just health or premature aging; it can also impair brain function during the day and increase the risk of accidents. In order to prevent these problems from occurring, you should try to get about 8 hours of quality rest each night. Studies show that sleeping less than 8 hours a night can begin wreaking havoc over a period of time.  Proper sleep can boost mood, encourage weight-loss, slow the aging process, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and help to stabilize hunger and blood sugar levels in the body.

There is some truth to the saying “get your beauty sleep” as it can really help to keep you looking beautiful longer. Things to consider during the day that will help you achieve better rest are limiting the amount of alcohol or caffeine you consume and eating a well balanced diet packed with super foods like, berries, veggies, salmon, raw almonds, oatmeal, and lean sources of protein.

Sleeping pills have become quite popular as a way to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. Today, they are prescribed frequently by physicians as a solution to a good nights rest. But what about the long-term side affects of these drugs? For the occasional user it may not be a health threat but for the chronic user there are several things to think about before popping the next Ambien, Lunesta, Rozerem, or Sonata. The following is a list of reasons why you should limit or abstain from the use of sleeping pills.

1.    Sleeping pills are highly addictive very much in the way barbiturates are.

2.    They create a dependency much like alcohol and lower inhibitions like pain and fear.

3.    Sleeping pills can cause asphyxiation.

4.    They can create a long-term chemical dependency.

5.    They can affect short tem memory over time and reduce brain cell activity and cognitive thinking.

6.    They can create a hangover affect the following day and impair memory, judgment, and consciousness.

7.    Can cause sleep driving, anaphylaxis, facial swelling and unnecessary eating in your sleep.

8.    When mixed with other prescription drugs, supplements, or alcohol they can be a deadly concoction without warning.

Many people are becoming aware of the dangers of sleeping pills and how life threatening they are. It is actually wise not to use them if you suffer from insomnia because the side effects alone are worse than the lack of sleep itself. With more and more warnings being put out by the FDA on the use of these popular pills people are beginning to look elsewhere for a better nights sleep.

The use of alternative sleep aids or lifestyle changes can assist in a good nights rest without becoming chemically dependant on a substance.  Some healthier choices to opt for are melatonin, calcium and magnesium, or sleep formulas that contain calming herbs. Making certain lifestyle changes to reduce stress such as exercising, taking hot baths, getting massages, reading, listening to calming music, taking regular naps, and reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption can greatly impact the way you sleep at night.

If lack of sleep persists, talk to a physician who can offer alternative options. Sometimes sleeping issues can arise during various stages of life in response to stress, hormone changes, or hectic schedules. If you simply take the time to recognize this problem and make it a priority to fix, then you can achieve adequate rest.

Building strong bones is critical in the prevention of one of the most common bone diseases known as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is generally common in elderly people and is characterized by brittle bones. It is important to build strong bones at an early age in order to prevent this disease later in life. Studies show that the body begins building bone mass at a very rapid rate around the age of 10 and peaks around the age of 30. Because bones are over 90 percent calcium it is very important to sustain calcium intake at a young age and throughout adult life. Incorporating a healthy bone building routine will help in the maintenance and prevention of future damage.

Calcium is an essential mineral that is stored in your bones and prevents bone loss. It can be taken in supplement form or obtained through proper diet by eating foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, spinach, tofu, salmon, almonds, or brussel sprouts. The daily requirement of calcium is about 500mg for children 1-3 years of age, 800mg for children 4-8 years of age, and about 1300mg from 9 years of age and up. If calcium is taken in supplement form it is important to know that vitamin D must also be taken with it in order to transport the calcium to your bones. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body by acquiring natural sunlight for as little as 15 minutes 3 times a week. Milk and eggs are also great sources of vitamin D or you may supplement 200 IU in pill form.

Calcium and bone loss can happen at any age. Light weight training or weight bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, biking, or even dancing can help with bone density. People that are inactive or sedentary are at higher risk for developing osteoporosis at an early age.

Getting proper sleep and eliminating stress is very important for building or maintaining good bone health. Studies show that lack of sleep and high stress increase a hormone called cortisol. When the body produces too much cortisol it inhibits the absorption of various minerals including calcium. You can reduce unwanted stress by engaging in relaxing activities and getting about 8 hours of quality sleep each night.

It is important to limit the amount of alcohol you consume because alcohol is very toxic to bone building cells. The constant consumption of alcohol can also flush important minerals out of the body because it acts as a diuretic. Limiting your intake to once or twice a week will help reduce the amount of damage to your bones.

Finally, if you are around the age of 45 or older it is important to get your bones checked properly by your physician. The most common way they can do this is by doing a bone density scan which is about a 5 minute x-ray. This test is beneficial for checking bone mass, bone density and the early or advanced signs of osteoporosis. Once you are aware of your bone health you can take the right steps through diet and exercise to help prevent or slow any future damage.

In today’s society we are constantly pushed and pulled in every direction in order to accomplish all the demands of the day. One of the biggest sacrifices we make is lack of sleep in order to get ahead. You may think that skimping on your zzz’s is ok but it can actually affect your health in a negative manner by increasing your waistline and your weight. Studies show that there are key hormones the body releases during sleep that can be beneficial or damaging depending on how many hours of rest you get.

One of the most important hormones released between the hours of 12-2AM is Human Growth Hormone otherwise known as HGH. HGH is what we call the beauty hormone because it slows the aging process, rejuvenates the body, increases fat burning, reduces stress, and gives the body an overall sense of well being. If you are not sleeping during these hours you could be missing out on all the benefits HGH has to offer.

Ghrelin is a hormone that increases hunger and is secreted by the stomach. Lack of sleep increases this hormone and increases your blood sugar levels which trigger the need to eat. Studies show that individuals that receive 5 hours of sleep or less each night increase this hormone by as much as 15% than those that sleep an average of 8 hours. An increased amount of Ghrelin will ultimately lead to an increase in weight.

Leptin is a hormone that decreases appetite and hunger when you get proper sleep. Getting 8 hours of sleep each night helps to increase the amount of Leptin the body produces which reduces weight gain.

Whatever the demands may be, work, school, family, stress, or perhaps the love of television, get in the habit of tucking yourself in at a reasonable hour and feel the difference sleep can have on your waistline.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the sleep disorder insomnia and probably have faced it at one point in your life.  Insomnia can be brief or extended periods of time in which you are unable to fall or stay asleep.  Millions of Americans suffer from this condition and often find that their health starts to deteriorate when left untreated.  The amount of sleep an individual needs varies from person to person but on average is about 8 hours each night. 

The most common reasons one can suffer from this disorder are poor health or increased stress.  If not acknowledged and dealt with properly many problems begin to arise such as lack of energy, work or relationship issues, a decline in health, increased stress levels, or the likelihood of an accident.  Sleep is not an option for the body, it is absolutely vital.  Not treating this disorder can become very dangerous to your health.

There are many methods of approaching insomnia and some that make the situation worse such as habit forming drugs.  They may help you fall asleep but without them the body begins to rely solely on the drug in order for the natural sleep cycle to take place.  Sleeping pills can be very addictive and can disrupt other things in the body in the process of trying to treat the condition.  However, more and more people are turning to healthier alternatives to get the rest they desire each night. 

Natural remedies are becoming well-liked because many people are getting the relief they need to establish proper sleeping habits.  Some of the more universal solutions are an assortment of herbs that may be taken in pill or tea form shortly before bed.  Beginning an exercise program helps with total mind and body rejuvenation and people find when they are active during the day it helps to wind them down at night.  Decreasing the amount of caffeine in your diet is sometimes the last thing we become conscious of when it comes to treating insomnia, switching to decaffeinated beverages can be beneficial to the quality of your rest.

Lastly, my favorite alternative is a natural formula that I have found works wonders called Liporid Pm.  It gently winds the body down and gives you a feeling of tranquility while you sleep.  This is the perfect formula of vitamins, minerals and herbs to help facilitate sleep and it helps to increase metabolism and fat reduction in the process.  Many people have had great success with it and are pleasantly surprised when they shed unwanted pounds.  As with most alternative treatments, Liporid Pm is non-habit forming and can be used for as long as you like.

Without proper sleep we are unable to perform to the best of our ability.  Recognizing the source of insomnia is just as imperative as treating it.  If you know what is causing your lack of sleep do what you can to resolve it immediately.