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HOW YOU CAN GET TO SLEEP
NATURALLY
Article by herbalist Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
The numbers are
staggering when it comes to how
many people have trouble sleeping at night.
It is estimated that over 50 million Americans
suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
These disorders range from insomnia,
sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy.
Every year approximately 4 to 6 million
Americans take a prescription
medication to help them sleep. Over the years
there has been much research done to understand why
people don't sleep, and I will cover some of that
research in this article.
Let's look at
the mechanisms of sleep and understand why
our lifestyles affect this very important function of
life itself. Sleep is a restorative process
that replenishes nerve energy that is needed for many
body processes, a time for renewal and repair. It is an
essential part of daily life and determines
our state of health.
The sleep cycle
consists of two states, REM (Rapid Eye
Movement) and NREM (Non Rapid Eye Movement).
REM sleep is
known as dream sleep.
NREM sleep
which consists of four stages. Stage 1 is
going from wakefulness to Stage 2 which is light sleep
to Stage 3 and 4 which is" delta" or deep sleep. A
period of REM sleep normally follows each period of
NREM sleep. NREM sleep
accounts
for the major part of sleep.
The
neurotransmitter serotonin and
norephinephrine are responsible for
helping us get to sleep at night. Serotonin is made
for the amino acid
tryptophane, an essential amino
acid. It is found in turkey,
fish, beans, and milk as well as other plant sources.
Evening primrose seed has more
tryptophane
than any other plant according to Dr. James Duke.
Unfortunately,
tryptophane was taken form
the market due to a contaminated batch that
passed through customs and the FDA and contributed to
the loss of approximately 120 lives. It was later
proven that the tryptophane
was not the problem but the contaminant.
Tryptophane in its free
form is still unavailable over the counter
but is still used in infant formulas. A new
form call 5 HTP is available now.
Ironically, the
same year that tryptophane
was taken off the market, Prozac was introduced which
works with serotonin
receptors
in the brain. Serotonin plays a major role in NREM
sleep. If serotonin is exhausted, the result is
insomnia and a reduction in NREM sleep.
Norephinephrine is
associated with REM sleep, but a reduction has no
influence on NREM sleep. Another
neurotransmitter is dopamine which actually helps you
go to sleep.
Sleep disorders
occur for many reasons: Psychological
(anxiety), biochemical (dietary deficiency or drug
dependency), medical (sleep apnea and restless leg
syndrome) as well as daily living activities, lack of
exercise, and environmental factors.
Diet is
considered the primary cause of many of these
disorders. The over-consumption of caffeine
in the form of coffee, tea and cola drinks has been
associated with insomnia and restless leg syndrome.
Many OTC cold and cough preparations contain pseudo
ephedrine, a stimulant. Food allergies have
also been linked to insomnia.
The main two allergens are dairy and wheat,
with corn and chocolate next.
Other
considerations are drugs and alcohol. Drugs
that interfere with sleep are thyroid medications, oral
contraceptives, beta blockers and marijuana. Excess
alcohol consumption reduces overall sleep and
interferes in REM and NREM cycles.
Environmentally, Anthony
Scott-Morley, D.S.C.,Ph.D,
M.D.,B.A. from England, states "Items
that interfere with the body's electromagnetic field
and create fields of their own can
disrupt sleep. These include electric
blankets, heated waterbeds, electric clocks, and 60
cycle frequencies (household electric current) as well
as power lines and generators."
The psychological
effects of stress, depression, grief, fear, and
excitement can all be factors in sleep disturbances and
need to be assessed when looking at treatment
protocols.
When it comes
to treating sleep disorders, there are many
approaches that can be taken. One must rule out dietary
deficiency and food intolerance first. The
use of nutritional supplements and
herbal remedies has shown good result, as
well as homeopathics and
behavioral treatments. The following are some of the
nutritional supplements known to aid sleep:
<Calcium
– Helps with nerve conduction, muscle contraction,
blood clotting and release of neurotransmitters
<
Magnesium – Aids nerve function
and relaxes muscles, necessary for calcium transport
and utilization.
<B complex vitamins (including biotin,
naicin,
inositol, B6 and B12) –
Help nerve function and aid synthesis of carbohydrates,
proteins and lipids (essential fats).
<
Chromium – Helps to regulate blood
sugar. Low blood sugar causes the adrenal glands to
secrete adrenaline, a stimulant.
<
Phospholipids – Aid in
neurotransmitter production and help nerve endings.
<
Melatonin – A natural hormone that
serves as a precursor to serotonin
<
5 HTP (hydroxyl-tryptophane)
– A new form of
tryptophane that aids serotonin production in
the brain.
Many
traditional herbs have also shown benefits
when it comes to lack of sleep. Some of the most
popular are:
<Valerian Root – Anti spasmodic, anodyne,
carminative, nervine used
to relieve stress, muscle spasms, depression, stomach
cramps fatigue and nervous conditions. Over 120
chemical components have been identified and has been
the subject of over 200 studies for its therapeutic
actions.
<
Passion Flower –
Nervine, sedative, anti-spasmodic,
hypotensive. It has been
used for Insomnia, shingles, anxiety, Parkinson's and
high blood pressure.
<
Kava Kava
– An anxiolytic, sedative,
muscle relaxant, analgesic, has many methods of action
on the nervous system. Non-addictive and non-toxic.
<
Scullcap
– Sedative, nervine,
anti-spasmodic. Aids relaxation, calms, helps in
alcohol and drug withdrawal. A tonic for the nervous
system.
<
St.
John's
Wort –
Sedative, anti-depressant, nervine,
anti-inflammatory. Has been used in Europe for centuries for insomnia, has had numerous
studies on its usefulness in depression.
Many years ago when I
was having problems sleeping, and I made a formula that
consisted of these herbs: Chamomile, spearmint, lemon
grass, scullcap, valerian,
and hops. You steep this for 15-20 minutes and drink
before bed. It certainly helped me.
Here are a few
suggestions that may help you if you are suffering from
lack of sleep:
<
Establish a regular bedtime and a regular time for
waking in the morning
<
Don't spend too much time in bed trying
to fall asleep
<
Spend some time in bright sunlight
during morning hours
<
Exercise regularly
<
Avoid caffeine
<
Avoid alcohol at least two hours before
bedtime
<
Don't eat late at night
<
Be active during the day
Some good reading
material on this topic is Everybody's Guide
To Natural Sleep by
Jeremy P. Tarcher and No
More Sleepless Nights by Hauri.
P., Ph.D.
There are also many
natural sleep formulas available from nutritional
supplements, herbs,
homeopathics; and
numerous techniques and programs available to help you
if you suffer from sleep disorders. |
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