What’s Keeping You Up?

INSOMNIA plagues many of us. With some, it is chronic, with others it is a short term. There are many causes. Among these are stress, indigestion, mineral deficiency, vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalance, too much caffeine, blood sugar issues, prescription drugs, etc.

RESTLESS LEG syndrome is a common form of insomnia. In many cases, it is caused by a pH imbalance in the body and can be helped by supplementing a balanced calcium/magnesium formula. Other cases may be deficiency related and usually respond well to potassium, magnesium, iron or folic acid.

BLOOD SUGAR imbalances will make you wake up in the night and not be able to get back to sleep. If you can’t quit eating high glycemic foods (that is those that make your blood sugar high) in the evening, then take something to help manage your blood sugar and you will sleep better.

HORMONE IMBALANCES make women prone to insomnia around mid-life. A common problem is too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. Natural progesterone is a very calming hormone and many women find that insomnia along with other hormonal related problems will disappear with the use of natural progesterone cream. There are other supplements that help balance hormones while also helping balance insomnia.

STRESS can cause sleep problems. If you can’t eliminate the stress, take supplements that will help balance your body for negative effects of stress. Since stress is so common, see different recommendations below.

Support for the ADRENAL GLANDS will help. The adrenal glands are responsible for part of out stress response – sometimes they get stuck “on” and we can’t relax – or worse, we wake up in the night wide awake and can’t go back to sleep. Taking a supplement to strengthen the adrenal glands can help with both stress and sleep.

Phosphorylated B VITAMINS taken during the day, help reduce stress while at the same time giving an energy boost during the day. A symptom of this B vitamin deficiency is waking in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep.

Natural MOOD ENHANCERS such as St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP and SAM-e also work for better sleep. They regulate serotonin levels and help you feel less stressed during the day and sleep more soundly at night. All of these can be used for both mild depression and insomnia.

And, when you just NEED TO SLEEP, there are many great products. I like something called Total Calm – it works as the label says in the day, and promotes more restful sleep at night. Another favorite for sleep is PheniTropic. This product is relatively new – it works like GABA, but crosses the blood brain barrier. It helps with relaxation and sleep. There are so many combinations of Gaba, 5-HTP, Theanine,Valerian, Hops, Passion Flower, etc. that will help you sleep – find one that works for you.

Aromatherapy using LAVENDER OIL is another good sleep remedy. The smell is very soothing. You can use a few drops of the oil in a warm bath before bedtime or use the drops in a diffuser or on a cotton cloth placed under your pillow.

HERBAL TEAS with chamomile and passion flower are nice; however, if you are allergic to ragweed, stay away from chamomile since it belongs to the same family. All of the herbs in the teas come in capsules too. Again – find what works for you.

Last, but not least, MELATONIN is the hormone that sets the body clock. As we age, we produce less of it – so, it can be a great supplement for some people.

Good health begins with a GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP, so take something natural and get to sleep.