Have you ever felt like you’re tumbling down a rabbit hole all night long? Neither fully asleep nor fully awake but when it’s time to get up, you feel like you’ve been clobbered by a brick?
For many people, this is just a normal night, and unfortunately, this routine can be hard to change. Whether it’s difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or frequent waking at night in a sweat, these situations may have different causes—and need to be addressed in different ways.
ROUTINES FOR REST
Sleep is an essential function for repairing and restoring your mind and body. Ideally, people should sleep uninterrupted for seven to nine hours each night.
One of the first things to consider when putting people back on a course to nightly bliss is sleep hygiene. Restful sleep relies on routine. Ideally, bedtime should occur at the same time each night, and the bedroom temperature should be kept at about 20 degrees Celsius. No light should be visible, and no electronic gizmos should be in the room where you sleep.
In general, the rule is that the bedroom should only be used for two things: sleep and sex. People who have trouble sleeping should try not to eat too late at night, and should try eliminating caffeine for several weeks. A warm bath before bed can be helpful to support relaxation. Exercise, to the point of sweating, is also a surefire way to guarantee a good night’s sleep. People doing shift work can take melatonin during the daytime. Increasing melatonin naturally requires total darkness, which is an essential component of proper sleep.
One other little hint is that alcohol consumption in the evening may help put people to sleep; however, the likelihood of staying asleep is low, so save the wine for special occasions. Try replacing your nightly belt with some meditation, guided imagery and/or deep breathing exercises, as these will work a lot better to improve sleep quality over time.
SLEEP SUPPLEMENTS
When it comes to sleep troubles that require supplemental intervention, whether difficulty falling or staying asleep, I find one of the key nutrients to start with is magnesium. It’s a natural relaxant and is often enough to help improve sleep quality on its own.
With difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, melatonin, 5-HTP or a prescription of L-trytophan, a natural melatonin precursor, can be a lifesaver.
It is also often important to add in niacinamide to the sleep regime when people have a busy mind.
For women who are overheating at night or entering menopause or perimenopause, a natural progesterone prescription can also dramatically improve sleep quality and eliminate nightly
bouts of sweating.
