Robert W. Horovitz, B.Sc., ND
Naturopathic Doctor
The Lifelong Wellness Company Inc.
Active Health Centre
5871 Hwy 7 E
Markham, ON L3P 1A3
Clinic: (905) 294-0454
e-mail: info@lifelongwellnesscentre.com
www.lifelongwellnesscentre.com
www.facebook.com/lifelongwellnesscentre
www.twitter.com/lifelongwell
It is no surprise that good quality, restful sleep promotes Lifelong Wellness, yet many have difficulty achieving it. There are many natural solutions, however it is imperative that in choosing the right one, recommendations are made based on what is causing the deprivation of valuable snooze time in the first place.
If an overactive mind from stress is keeping you up, deep breathing exercises may be just the ticket. Focused breathing helps to increase oxygen intake, maintain a healthy heart rate, and promote healthy blood pressure readings, all of which can benefit a healthy sleeping pattern. Herbs such as holy basil and lemon balm are good stress supportive herbs, and seldom interact with medications. They can be taken as a tea or in pill form and have very few if any side effects. Epsom salt baths prior to bed elevates magnesium sulphate levels in the body. Magnesium is a vasodilator which can promote cardiovascular health, relax muscles, and lower blood pressure during times of elevated stress. Magnesium citrate is another form of magnesium that can be found in tablet or powdered form.
Someone who does not consume adequate amounts of dietary protein may want to consider that the amino acid tryptophan is used to produce serotonin, which is then converted to melatonin. Melatonin helps us with our natural sleep cycles. Interestingly, melatonin is produced mainly in darkness and decreased with luminescence. Children who sleep with nightlights may be at risk of producing less than optimal melatonin levels, as well as adults who sleep in rooms that are slightly lit even through natural sources such as moonlight.
Eating late at night should be avoided. Proteins such as digestive enzymes, insulin, and glucagon, can act even several hours later to interrupt a beautiful sleep. Have you ever heard of ginger for sleep? Ginger as a tea or even accompanying dinner is commonly used as a digestive aid, however it is also one of the richest dietary sources of naturally occurring melatonin!
Sleeping posture may be another sore spot to work on. Lying in a position that is ergonomically incorrect creates inflammation that can interrupt restful sleep and cause some to wake up in pain. Since good quality sleep is our major way of repairing and rejuvenating, it is to our benefit to seek out fitted mattresses and pillows but don’t just take my word for it, sleep on it.
You may read time and again that moderate exercise can help promote a wide variety of health benefits including restful sleep. A workout too close to bed time however can elevate your heart rate. Moreover, fluid intake during and post workout may lead to night time urination if consumed too late in the evening. Finally be mindful of any performance enhancing supplements or even supplements/herbs in general close to bed time. Caffeine isn’t the only ingredient to watch out for as there are many other substances that have diuretic, blood glucose altering, and hormone modulating properties, which can all disrupt your sleep.
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