Many people fail to achieve the required number of hours of sleep in a day. As we age, it becomes more difficult to get a full night's sleep, so napping during the day can help to fill any gaps. Any time we fail to achieve the required amount of sleep, our bodies are unable to fully repair and a "sleep debt" accumulates.
Sleep Debt
When we fail to get enough sleep for our body to heal, repair and mentally integrate the previous day, it is a condition known as "sleep debt". As the phrase implies, the effects of insufficient sleep accumulate over time, and leave a backlog of healing processes unfinished. Eventually, the body requires a sleep repayment, such as a night of sleeping extra hours or increased napping during the day so it can catch up with integration and repair. Most of us are familiar with sleeping for several extra hours on a weekend to make up for lack of sleep during a busy week. This is an example of repaying your sleep debt. Failing to repay your sleep debt over time can result in sleep deprivation, a condition that can result in a number of problems such as: hallucinations, emotional instability, depression, anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness, and lowered immune status resulting in more frequent colds and infections.
Sunlight and Sleep
Ever wonder how your body knows when to sleep and when to wake up? Why do you get hungry and active during the day, but want to be still and relaxed at night? The body's daily rhythms, called circadian rhythms, dictate all of these functions. These rhythms are tied to the exposure of our eyes to sunlight during the day and darkness at night. In fact, as the light dims towards the end of the day, the body begins to produce increasing amounts of the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for our "feeling sleepy". Thus, being exposed to light, even artificial light, can reduce the amount of melatonin produced in our brains and disrupt the natural sleep cycle. This effect is most pronounced when the light is in the blue spectrum and comes from above eye level, instead of below. The most common understanding of disturbance of the natural circadian rhythm is the condition we know as "jet lag", in which a person changes their circadian rhythm by exposing themselves to a different light-dark schedule by flying in or out of a different time zone. This can often result in sleep difficulties, fatigue, and mental confusion until the body can adapt, and re-establish its natural pattern.
Sleep Hygiene
Maintaining regular sleeping habits is an essential component of healthy sleep. Go to bed only when you are tired and do not stay in bed if you are not sleepy. Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex. Get up at the same time each day. Do not nap unless it is a daily routine and exercise during the day but not before bed. Take a hot bath or shower 1-2 hours before bed. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable. This may require covering alarm clock lights and unplugging other electronic devices nearby. If necessary, use a white noise machine to generate background noise. Put worries out of your mind and think of positive things. For occasional sleeplessness try herbal combinations or melatonin.
What you can do to sleep better:
 Help your body control stress with exercises like tai chi and yoga.
Take supplements to optimize neurotransmitter production like melatonin and 5htp.
Take supplements to support adrenal health. (see list below)
Do not drink coffee, black tea, or cola; they all contain caffeine
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables
Do not eat too late in the evening.
Maintain a regular sleep cycle.
Use relaxation techniques like self hypnosis
Sleep Problems
Because of its extremely important role in our lives, lack of sleep quickly takes a toll on one's body and mind. Not getting enough sleep can quickly lead to mood disorders, memory loss, reduced healing, poor stress-management and physical complaints. There are a number of different conditions that can affect sleep, a few of which we have listed below:
Apnea
During sleep, some people have a condition called sleep apnea, in which they stop breathing for a period of time that can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. These pauses can occur anywhere from 5 to 30 or more times in a single hour, and are often followed by a loud, snort or choking sound, after which normal breathing resumes. This condition can be associated with significant sleep disturbance, and can cause daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Some signs and symptoms are: morning headaches, irritability, mood-swings, depression, sexual dysfunction, and learning or memory difficulties. When left untreated, sleep apnea increases the risk of a number of different health conditions, such as: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, diabetes, and mental decline. For more information on sleep apnea, please click here.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a condition of habitual sleeplessness that affects approximately one in ten individuals and becomes more common as we age. It can involve either the inability to fall asleep, or the inability to stay asleep, or both. Some causes of insomnia include: use of stimulants like caffeine or antihistamine, evening eating, evening exercise, shift work, an uncomfortable sleep environment, a weak bladder, and mental-emotional causes such as worry, grief or stress. Chronic insomnia is usually caused by a medical condition such as hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, restless leg syndrome, arthritis, indigestion or breathing disorders like sleep apnea. Half of all chronic insomniacs suffer from depression or another psychological disorder. For more information on insomnia, please click here.
Narcolepsy
This nervous system disorder causes excessive sleepiness and can result in frequent daytime attacks of sudden sleep. It can also have symptoms of sleep paralysis and cataplexy, a condition where strong emotions cause sudden loss of muscle function and collapse. The cause of narcolepsy is not currently known, although it appears that there is a genetic component. Conventional treatment uses antidepressants and stimulants to support narcoleptics. It is often beneficial to attempt to control the symptoms naturally using proper lifestyle habits. For more information on narcolepsy, please click here.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
This condition is not directly related to sleep, although it does more frequently occur at night, and generally gets diagnosed because of the effect it has on the sufferer's sleep quality and quantity. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is described by those who suffer from it as an odd sensation (or pain) that usually travels through the leg. This sensation produces a need to move the affected limb in order to temporarily stop the sensation. It typically occurs in the legs, although some individuals can experience it in their arms or torso. RLS may be associated with iron deficiency, or a neurotransmitter deficiency. For more information on RLS, please click here.
Snoring
The noise associated with snoring is caused by the relaxation and vibration of soft tissues in the airway. There are a wide variety of different possible causes, but all result in a noise that can disturb your sleep and that of others around you. It is also often associated with sleep apnea, and can be a warning sign for those sufferers. Loud snoring should always be followed up with a sleep study to rule out other problems. Often times snoring can simply be treated by changing sleep position, or performing airway exercises to reduce the shifting of the soft tissue when at rest. Other interventions target underlying sources for airway swelling such as allergies or illness to prevent obstruction of the airway. For more information on snoring, please click here.
The following list of
supplements can be used for
Sleep. Adult doses are
given.
(CLICK SUPPLEMENT NAME FOR PRODUCTS).
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