Description of the blog
By Stephanie Allen, ASIN, DCN, DSS
In addition to air, water, food and shelter, sleep is a basic human need. It’s also the most underrated form of self-care. Poor lifestyle choices, chronic illness and a culture that values productivity over health have led to an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans with sleep disorders.1 The CDC estimates that 30 percent or more of the U.S. population gets less than six hours of beneficial sleep at night.2
Inadequate sleep contributes to a host of health issues, including immune system and cognitive dysfunctions, weight gain, increased disease risk, hormone imbalances, mood disorders and stress.
Sleep Cycles Sleep is not passive — but a very active contributor to our bodies’ regenerative processes. Throughout the night, our brains are moving through four wave cycles that send messages to specific areas of our body. Each cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes and, in order to achieve regenerative sleep, we should experience between four to six cycles each night.
The ability to fall asleep at bedtime is influenced by factors that occur from the time we arise in the morning. Starting the day with an outdoor activity that allows exposure to sunlight, both on the skin and in the eyes, can help queue the hormones for wakefulness, setting the stage for a better day, better stress management and a better evening. Movement is also very important. When the body does not get adequate exercise during the day, it is difficult for the hormones to balance and muscles to relax for the body to rest and restore later that night. Regular, moderate activity can help manage stress and improve sleep.
Stress & Sleep For the many individuals who face stress during the day, elevated cortisol levels produced by the adrenal gland can interfere with the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. L-theanine is an amino acid that down-regulates cortisol produced during the day. Studies have shown that this amino acid can help effectively set the stage for improved sleep at bedtime when taken during the day.3 Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter, helps to balance glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter. Glutamate activity is increased during times of stress or anxiety.4 L-theanine or GABA taken alone or in combination products, such as Relaxation Formula (WW #10273) and GABA Calm (WW #10358), may help to manage stress and set the stage for improved sleep by helping to resolve high cortisol and balance glutamate earlier in the day.3,4
Lifestyle Habits for Good Sleep Hygiene Other lifestyle practices to reduce stress and improve sleep involve alcohol consumption and blue light exposure. Most people are unaware that repeated alcohol use over time will raise base glutamate levels, making it more difficult to balance these out naturally, which results in poorer stress resilience and a lower quality of sleep. Limiting alcohol use can help solve some stress and sleep issues.
The sun is the most prevalent source of blue light, which boosts alertness, helps memory and brain function, and elevates mood. Sources of artificial blue light include computer screens, fluorescent lights, LED TVs, smartphones and tablet screens —many of which are common in modern life.
Assuming a negative mindset about evening rest can actually increase stress and decrease quality sleep time. Finding rituals such as warm tea and a book to look forward to in the evenings can help alleviate any negative emotions associated with this part of the day. Keeping the bedroom comfortable, cool and dark is another great option to improve natural sleep. Removing televisions, smartphones, tablets and computers after 9 p.m. is another good way to queue the body to begin restfulness. Exposure to blue light too close to bedtime can interfere with the production of our natural sleep hormone, melatonin.5
Melatonin is secreted at night when darkness is approaching. It causes us to become sleepy and also lowers our body temperature. Many prescription medications, even medications prescribed for insomnia, can block the natural production of melatonin. Melatonin 3 mg Sustained Release (WW #10369) and Melatonin Liposomal Spray (WW #10316) are two products available for supplemental melatonin and may help improve the onset of sleep.6
Keep in mind that eating close to bedtime, especially sugary foods such as fruit or candies, can interrupt quality sleep. Sugar depletes the body of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a calmative and helps muscles relax. A magnesium product or foods rich in magnesium may be a better choice over fruits, wine or chocolate late in the day or early evening. Magnesium and melatonin can both be found in combination products such as Sleep Perfect Formula (WW #10338) or Sleep Support (WW #10254). These two products also contain L-theanine and melatonin among other herbs and nutrients that may be helpful for quality sleep.
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