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Total Health Newsletter

Health Help

Sleep Issues

In our dispensary and clinic, sleeping problems are probably the number one concern that people present with, and the pattern is similar in other areas of medicine. There are some obvious culprits; caffeine, sugar, alcohol – yes, alcohol. Some people think alcohol is a relaxant, and helps them sleep. In actual fact, alcohol depletes not only B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, which are essential for nerve and muscle relaxation, but also tryptophan, an amino acid which is a building block for the sleep hormone melatonin. Added to this, the liver detoxification involved in processing alcohol can wake us in the night. It is truly remarkable the number of sleepless people who respond well to simply reducing coffee and alcohol.

Stress, depression and anxiety all contribute to sleeping problems. The best way to sleep better is reduce stresses and calm the nerves during the day. Elevated stress hormones will have a detrimental effect on sleep, and as sleep deprivation feeds stress, this is a cycle that must be broken. Nourish your nervous system with foods rich in B vitamins and magnesium (whole grains), adequate protein and beneficial fats (flaxseed oil, oily fish). A good whopping dose of magnesium, in an easily assimilated form (eg. citrate, aspartate, or amino acid chelate), can do wonders for sleep. Many of us, due to our magnesium-stripping diets, are low in magnesium, and this mineral, along with calcium, is essential for nerve and muscle relaxation. Also beneficial are regular doses of exercise, joy, peace and laughter.

The plant kingdom has much to offer the bad sleeper. We are consistently impressed by the ability of herbal tonics to calm the nervous system and break long standing patterns of insomnia and sleep disturbance. And each herb has its own unique biochemistry and therefore its own unique offerings. If you have only ever tried a herbal pill from the supermarket, you really haven’t explored the powerful potential of herbal remedies, and I would always recommend visiting a registered medical herbalist for your own tailor-made sleeping formula. Valerian is a very effective sedative, for example, but for some people it has the absolute opposite effect. Passionflower nourishes the nerves and promotes relaxation while Skullcap helps to reduce nervous excitability and restlessness. Chamomile, Hops and Lavender are other favourites, while Kava is often an exceptional addition to a mix, especially if someone has physical tension. If the adrenals are depleted from chronic or long-term stress, Withania or Rehmannia come to the rescue. Its all about the right herb, in the right form, at the right dose, for every individual person. We are not carbon copies of each other, and herbs have the ability to match our individuality, and the individual reasons why we aren’t sleeping as well as we deserve. Having said that, these are our best sellers for sleep, and we get awesome feedback: