Are you driving while asleep at the wheel of life? Lack of sleep is the new DWI. Pull over and get some sleep before life happens to you without your consent.

Sleep-deprived drivers have a similar reaction time behind the wheel as drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.089 (that’s DWI), a sobering fact when you consider that nearly 30 percent of all drivers have admitted to falling asleep or nodding off while behind the wheel!”– Cleveland Clinic

I always get a kick out of how people think of sleep as something that is optional. We stay up later, we get up earlier, work longer, faster, more. Even our down time is packed full of activities that deplete and exhaust us in the name of having a fun weekend. What ever happened to the value of a nap or getting to bed early? We take a perverse pride in working extra long hours, staying up late,  and cheating our bodies and minds of needed rest.

Our culture is all about being “larger than life,” supersizing everything, doing more (and more and more). It demands more caffeine and stimulants like screen time to get that constant stream of micro highs as we are “liked” or “connected” on social media. At the end of the day we are exhausted, but not satisfied. We counteract the buzz of our thoughts by taking sleeping pills or drinking a glass of wine or beer to unwind. Like never before, we are overweight, stressed, fatigued and overwhelmed by our lifestyle of doing more.

Women are often the worst offenders. Women are doing more than ever and believing that SUPER should be added to every role: SUPERmom, SUPERlover, SUPERworker, SUPERboss, SUPERfriend, SUPERwoman. Whether at the office, home, social circle, or gym, women feel they are failing and falling into that kind of exhaustion that has no fulfillment in it.

What if I told you that I had a simple remedy that would:

• ENHANCE your memory, mood, concentration, outlook and perspective
• INCREASE your physical ability, immunity and overall energy
• PROMOTE your weight loss, give you younger looking skin, and heal you on all cylinders
• REDUCE your stress, anxiety, overall fatigue, and physical injury
• LOWER both your blood pressure and the likelihood of you making mistakes
• PUMP up your sex life (oh la-la), creativity, and your ability to make connections and bonding

You agree that if I DID have a remedy that could do all of these things, I would be Oprah’s newest hottest thing, right? Well, there actually is a remedy out there that does everything on the list above. I’m not kidding. I know, you’re now wondering how much it’s going to cost you.

Nothing. It’s free, available to all.

Sleep is that magic elixir. Sleep is the new revolutionary healer of all. Dream on!

According to Huffington Post’s creator, Arianna Huffington, sleep is her secret weapon, the magic to her success. Her advice to women around the world, “Sleep your way to the top.” But, like most women, Huffington didn’t always think this way. Only after collapsing at her desk from exhaustion and ending up with a series of stitches and a huge wake up call did she make this realization.

We have a national sleep deficit epidemic. Even though we don’t value the elixir that only sleep provides, we pay thousands of dollars on tips, tricks, products, and supplements to make us appear rested. Strong women leaders such as Huffington are fed up with this unsustainable lifestyle. It is not only exhausting, it is also causing the kind of physical, mental, emotional, and cultural harm that sucks the joy out of life.

Cheating on sleep for work and our busy lives doesn’t make us super heroes, it just leaves us tired. Lack of sleep deprives us of how amazing and “on” we get to be when we are rested, refreshed, and energized. When we don’t sleep enough, we aren’t fully here and fully alive. We fail at giving the gift of who we are and all we can be. Our beloved family, friends, and the communities where we want to make a difference are robbed by our own lack of sleep. And it isn’t just our mental and emotional selves that suffer. Our bodies can’t repair and heal when we starve them from the process of healing and resetting that happens only in sleep.

Sleep isn’t a luxury, or even optional. It is as essential to living a healthy life as oxygen.

“Sleep is absolutely essential for basic maintenance and repair of the neurological, endocrine, immune, musculoskeletal, and digestive systems,” says Chris Kressor.

If you’ve ever tried to have a coherent conversation with new parents, you understand the dramatic effects of lack of sleep on our ability to recall facts, figures, and basics like which shoe goes on which foot. In all seriousness, the impact that lack of sleep has on our memory, emotional state, and body is only now starting to be understood. Missing sleep impacts our ability to recall things, not only small details, like remembering to pick up more eggs at the market, but our long-term ability to recall information and create lasting memories.

Lack of sleep can not only lower your I.Q. a few points, it can actually make you crazy!

Neuroscientist, Jeffrey Iliff connects the dots between lack of sleep and the rise of neurological disorders later in life such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and overall memory loss. Think about it this way, the brain is the command center of our body. When that control deck is not up to snuff, what happens? When we push ourselves without resting and restoring, we put our brains into overdrive. With constant tasks, duties, stress, and stimulation, the brain is overloaded and, even worse, without proper sleep it is depleted from it’s only source of renewal and downtime.

It turns out sleep isn’t a passive activity. There’s all sorts of amazing stuff going on in our bodies and, especially our brain, when we’re asleep. A good night’s sleep can improve your memory, and keep your brain healthy in the short- and long-term. It also helps us think better, solve problems, and make deeper connections.

A well-rested mind is a clean mind. Not that kind of clean. Wink wink. Healthy clean.

All throughout the day we produce a type of toxic protein called beta-amyloid that tends to collect in the brain and the spinal cord. A new study shows promising evidence that our bodies have a special mechanism to remove this toxin, but only when we sleep. In our sleep, our glymphatic system pumps cerebrospinal fluid through our central nervous system, flushing that toxin from our body. As it turns out, the only time this type of CSM fluid matter is discarded is during our REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep cycle, or deep sleep.

Our limbic system — which is connected to senses, memory and dreams — is one part of the brain that is turned on while we slumber. When the lights are out in the rest of the body, this portion of the brain is awake and kicking. It’s been understood that while sleep is necessary for physical health, strength, resilience, and such, it also renews and restores our spirit and emotional connection.

Though exactly what happens biologically and physiologically is still a mystery, we now know there is a purpose (scientifically proven!) for why we dream. In our sleep we seem to access a deeper level of thinking. Our mind makes connections with the unknown or unconscious to help solve problems, create solutions, and mend upsets that happened during the day. We resolve things from the waking day during our sleep — that fight with a co worker, how to deal with the emotions of a breakup, or even remembering where we left the keys.

Sleep often unsticks us when we have a creative block. Think about a time when you were burning the midnight oil attempting to kick out a creative project, only to be met by a huge block. Frustrated, you hit the sack. The next morning you awake revived and replenished and boom, there it is, a new idea or spark of inspiration that you just couldn’t see in your sleep deprived state the night before. I know some will say, “but I’ve always been a night owl,” or “I do my most creative thinking at night.” This maybe true, but when we are lacking sleep, our bodies and brains are in survival mode and can only function for so long until we crash and burn. Believe me, lack of sleep will catch up with you. If you think your natural biorhythm makes you shine at night, adjust your schedule to sleep during the day (see below for some helpful tips – you’ll sleep best if you block out all of that day light).

When we start to value our sleep and see the importance of it’s healing power not only for today, but for our future selves, we start to think and do things differently. When we take care of ourselves with a good sleep habit, we are more present and able to take care of others and contribute to the projects that fulfill our sense of purpose. Could there be anything more powerful than being fully awake, rested, and ready to take life on with all of our cylinders firing?

Here are a few things you can do to start getting a good night’s rest. Like anything else, it takes time to start a new habit; even sleeping well takes practice!

Tips for Good Sleep Hygiene

• Don’t be too full – or too hungry
• Go to bed early! Most of us have active REM between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
• Relax and stretch lightly before going to bed.
• Practice makes permanent changes.
• Reduce your exposure to artificial light.
• Don’t use a computer/iphone/ipad for 2 hours before going to bed. Exposure to screens can disturb your sleep.
• Use blackout shades to make your bedroom pitch black.
• Cover your digital alarm clock or get an analog clock.
• Turn off all digital devices that glow or give off any type of light.
• If you can’t do these things for some reason, use a sleep mask.

Spread the word and start a sleep revolution. Tips for good sleep hygiene.

It takes time to restore and get your good sleep on! During my teens and 20’s I was destructive with my body, and I didn’t take good care of myself. When I gave up partying, I replaced it with perfectionism and overwork. I had been sleep deprived for as long as I can remember, until I started to “wake up” to how much of a negative impact it was having. Only during the last year have I noticed that I have not been saying “I’m so tired!” And, this is after several years of actually sleeping regularly, mind you. So don’t expect the elixir of sleep to make a difference overnight. Lasting results come from practice.

Think of how long it has taken for you to become this tired and exhausted (a lifetime). It will take time to rebuild your sleep storage account, but you will get there. I don’t feel sleepy during the day any longer, nor do I repeat the dreaded mantra, “I’m so tired.”

Everyone needs a different amount of zzz’s each night. I have friends who get 5 hours of sleep and seem to be healthy and productive. They take care of themselves, nap when needed, and feel great with their sleep routine and hygiene. I do best with 8 hours. How do you know how much sleep you need? Only you will know. Over time you’ll find the pattern that fits you best. Remember it takes time to make changes. Be patient and gentle with yourself. You deserve to be well rested, healthy, happy, and joyful!

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• L-Tryptophan
• Stress B-Complex • 60c – Thorne Research
• SleepThru – Gaia Herbs
• Sleep & Relax – Gaia Herbs
• Shillington’s Cal-Calm Tea
• Skullcap Herb – Gaia Herbs
• More supplements for insomnia

Further Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Insomnia
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Earthing – Touching Earth
• Earthing – Ground Your Body for Optimal Health

Throughout the day our blood circulates in our bodies carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell. Waste from the cells’ metabolic processes is released into interstitial fluid (the fluid between each cell). The lymphatic system sucks up excessive fluid and the waste, incorporating it into the lymphatic fluid that flows through the lymph nodes to filter the waste and pathogens before dumping the fluid back into the circulatory system.

For hundreds of years, scientists have been trying to figure out how the brain cleanses itself since the lymphatic system does not extend to the brain and the spinal column. Last year scientists announced the discovery of the glymphatic system. No, you are not looking at a typo. The glymphatic system is the cleansing system of the brain.

Like the lymphatic system, the glymphatic system removes waste from interstitial fluid, but this system requires your full cooperation to do its job. Cleansing of the brain happens when you are asleep.

Brain cells, like all cells of the body, require food and oxygen for metabolism. And like all cells of the body, brain cell metabolism results in waste. During the day, this waste collects in the brain’s interstitial fluid. Some of this waste dissolves in the fluid, but most of it simply collects, waiting for sleep.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the brain cleansing process is the behavior of the brain cells. They actually shrink during sleep. The space between the cells increases by 60% aiding in the cleansing process. Cerebral spinal fluid quickly flows into the space, aided by the pulse of the arteries. It mixes with the interstitial fluid and washes the waste toward the veins and carries it to the liver. This process occurs during slow wave sleep, the deepest sleep.

During the night, we experience sleep cycles that average about 90 minutes. In the first half of the night we cycle through all of the stages, N1, N2, N3, and REM sleep. Slow wave sleep or delta sleep is N3. We start at N1 and go deeper into N2, then deeper into N3, the stage where brain cleansing occurs. In the second half of the night, REM sleep increases and alternates with N1 and N2 sleep, so it appears most of the cleanup is done in the first half of the night.

Scientists who discovered the glymphatic system hope that understanding this process will lead to successful treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and other similar brain diseases.

Quality sleep is vital to the removal of waste and toxic substances from the brain. If you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, learn about Natural Remedies For Insomnia, and be sure to see Holistic Guide To Healing the Endocrine System And Balancing Our Hormones, and Candida Overgrowth Symptoms.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• L-Tryptophan
• Stress B-Complex – Thorne Research
• Basic B-Complex – Thorne Research
• SleepThru – Gaia Herbs
• Sleep & Relax – Gaia Herbs
• Shillington’s Cal-Calm Tea
• Skullcap Herb – Gaia Herbs
• Vitamin D
• More supplements for insomnia

Further Reading:

• Why We Need Sleep
• Signs of Sleep Deprivation
  
• Pure Sleep – 11 Tips for Better Sleep
• Natural Remedies for Insomnia
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Earthing – Touching Earth
• Earthing – Ground Your Body for Optimal Health

Sources:

• New ideas in chronobiology | Tomorrow Today – Interview – YouTube
• Why sleep is important: Brain uses sleep to cleanse itself of toxins – YouTube
• Glymphatic system – iSnare
• Natural Patterns of Sleep – Healthy Sleep, Havard

If you feel stressed out, anxious, irritable, tired, run down, cranky, muddled, or confused, you may need to up your intake of B vitamins. If your intake is low, deficient or depleted, you will feel an instant boost in energy and well-being.

Vitamins are molecules that work as catalysts for chemical reactions within the body. The B vitamins are often found together, working work together to perform various functions. They help carbohydrates break down to glucose, the process whereby our cells produce energy, and they aid in the breakdown of fats and proteins, providing fuel or the proper function of our nervous system and brain. B vitamins are essential for neurotransmitters and nerve tissue. They help our bodies form red blood cells and regulate homocysteine levels. Folic acid (B9) and B12 are essential for normal, healthy, fetal development.

For proper B vitamin production and assimilation, one must have a healthy gut. Please check out How To Heal Your Gut for more information on that.

B Vitamin Deficiency

B vitamin deficiencies affect every system in the body. Mild deficiencies can affect mood and health, can cause inflammation and a host of other symptoms both physical and cognitive. Severe deficiencies can be life-threatening or be causal factors for serious conditions including anemia, heart disease, depression, pellagra, dementia, paranoia, and delusion.

B vitamins are nature’s valium; they assist with sleep, mood stabilization, and cognition. They are a standard treatment for PMS and for those suffering from irritability, anxiety, or depression. B vitamins are also gaining recognition as a treatment for stuttering, with favorable results for about 30% of cases.

Supplementation

B vitamins are water soluble. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, they are not stored in the body, with the exception of B12, which is stored in the liver. Due to this lack of retention, it is important to provide the body with these vitamins on a daily basis.

Update: Sciences is discovering that a healthy gut microbiome produces many of the B vitamins we need. Again, see How To Heal Your Gut.

B vitamins are nature’s Valium; they assist with sleep, mood stabilization, and cognition. They are a standard treatment for PMS and for those suffering from irritability, anxiety, or depression. B vitamins are also gaining recognition as a treatment for stuttering, with favorable results for about 30% of cases.

A healthy, diverse diet that includes plenty of vegetables, legumes, and animal protein should provide all of the B vitamins needed, however, our ability to metabolize B vitamins can be impaired with age, with digestive disorders, with alcohol consumption, with pharmaceuticals, and by certain health conditions. Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease for example, seriously hamper the body’s ability to absorb B12.  At 50 years of age and older, supplementation with a good whole food complex B vitamin should be seriously considered.

Vegetarians, especially vegans, face a serious challenge in acquiring enough B12 through their diet. Supplementation is strongly recommended.

Studies conducted more than 20 years ago warned that long term use of one B vitamin may result in a deficiency of other B vitamins. It is best to take B complex vitamins to avoid this possibility. Though this caution should be widely known, medical doctors routinely prescribe one B vitamin, such a B6 or B12.

When gut health is not optimal, vitamin B is not assimilated properly. If you have a B vitamin deficiency or just find yourself needing them regularly, check out Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases and The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them.

Related Products:

• Basic: Basic B Complex – Thorne Research 
• Extra B5: Stress B-Complex – Thorne Research 
• Extra B6: B-Complex #6  – Thorne Research
• Extra B12: B-Complex #12 – Thorne Research
• Healthy Fats
• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula

Recommended Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Depression
• Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue

Sources:

• How Stuff Works
• Harvard School of Public Health
• Mayo Clinic
• Whole Foods -Healthiest Foods

Are We Paying Attention to What We Let Come into Our Homes?

The average American consumer pays little attention to the detailed minutiae regarding the contents of an ordinary mattress.  More and more attention is being paid to what’s in our food supply and what we are willing to consume, while that which surrounds us and comes into contact with us in some of our most sacred settings, such as in our bedroom, is often overlooked.

Some of the following facts may be worth looking into, however. Being blissfully unaware of these things is not a recipe for a successfully clean, healthful, and organic lifestyle.

Did you know there are a number of known (and probable) carcinogens as well as other toxins in a traditional innerspring or polyurethane mattress? Some of these chemicals include benzene, boric acid, antimony, formaldehyde, and decabromodiphenyl oxide. There are more, but let’s focus on just these few, and take a look at each of these chemicals individually.

The Intruders

Benzene is one of the 20 most commonly used chemicals in the United States. It is a known carcinogen. Benzene can also cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness; it may be harmful to reproductive organs.

Boric acid is a pesticide commonly used for killing cockroaches. It is used in mattresses as a flame retardant. Many sources deny that it has any ill effects on a person, but some doctors beg to differ. [1].

Antimony is used as a preservative and fire retardant. According to Midwifery Today[2], in baby mattresses especially, this chemical can combine with a common household fungus, arising from a baby’s sweat and spit up, and result in three nerve gasses – phosphine, arsine, and stibine – which can be deadly to infants. Antimony can be found in both baby mattresses and adult mattresses, and in the case of a baby mattress, it is recommended to wrap it with a gas impermeable plastic to keep the gasses from contaminating the sleeping area.

Formaldehyde is used to produce many household products. The EPA lists formaldehyde as a probable carcinogen (with high or prolonged exposure). Some of the adverse effects of formaldehyde may be watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, wheezing, nausea, and skin irritation.

Decabromodiphenyl oxide is a flame retardant used to protect many different types of products and materials from the risk of fire. Older mattresses (prior to 2009) generally contain this agent as part of the fire barrier; unfortunately, however, many of the alternatives to deca-BDE are arguably just as harmful.

Mattress Off Gassing and Its Extension of the Problem

One of the main ways that a person is affected by the above-mentioned chemicals in their mattress, besides casual contact, is with off gassing. Off gassing from a mattress is when a chemical agent or agents are released as a gas from being dissolved, trapped or absorbed inside of the mattress. There are many VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that typically off gas inside of a bedroom after a new (traditional-type) mattress is purchased.

A guest book[3] on the website Chem-Tox.com reports the experiences of 235 people who have had some adverse side effects, presumably from the types of chemicals discussed above, found in traditional mattresses and pillows.

Natural Solutions

The outlook isn’t all negative. Happily, there are available natural solutions to the status quo being provided in the marketplace. Some of these include mattresses made from botanical latex sap. Natural latex is hypoallergenic, mold and mildew proof, dust mite resistant, and antibacterial. Other natural ingredients used in mattress cores by natural mattress manufacturers may include wool, cotton, horsehair, flax, tufted hemp, buckwheat hulls, millet hulls, and coconut coir. These are all acceptable alternatives, provided they have not been treated with the same harsh petrochemicals discussed above. Beware of greenwashing. One can usually safely navigate through purported claims of natural and organic by looking out for certifications by reputable governing bodies. GreenGuard certification and USDA Organic certification are just a couple of the more trusted types of certifications that consumers may look for in their search for a healthier mattress.

Additional Sources:

1. http://articles.mercola.com
2. http://www.midwiferytoday.com
3. http://www.chem-tox.com

Related Products:

• Green Lifestyle Market – Home

Related Reading:

• Textile Industry’s Health and Environmental Impacts – What Are You Wearing?
• Corporations, Our Health, and a History of Failed Technologies
• How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders
• Insomnia – A Comprehensive Look with Natural Remedies
• Charges Brought upon Doctor and Advocate for Toxic Flame Retardant Chemicals
• Sleep More, Sleep Better
• Why Your Couch Is Killing You
• What’s Ailing You? Could it be Your Mattress?

Eliminate stimulants from your diet. Coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, energy drinks… If you won’t give these up, be sure to limit them to the early hours of the day. Thyroid and adrenal fatigue can lead to insomnia and poor quality sleep, so address those glands if needed. B vitamins are essential to the nervous system and deficiencies can result in disruption of sleep cycles. Take a high-quality B complex vitamin each day. If you do not get daily exposure to sunlight or you live north of Atlanta, Georgia or Los Angeles, California, supplement with vitamin D. If you suffer from regular insomnia please check out How To Heal Your Gut and Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones.

Herbal Remedies and Supplements for Insomnia

To fix the biological clock long term,  diet is key; B vitamins, thyroid health, and exercise are paramount.  But the right combination of the following herbal remedies will knock almost anyone out at least for the first few nights they’re used, without the pharmaceutical side effects.

Tryptophan

Our bodies require tryptophan, an amino acid, to make serotonin and melatonin. It can help you fall asleep and improve your quality of sleep by lengthening the time you spend in deep sleep. In addition, studies have shown an increase in alertness upon waking.

Valerian Root

Valerian root also aids in sleep onset as well as quality of sleep. The best results are found when combining valerian root with melatonin or hops. Take 400-500 mg at bedtime.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland. It does not help with the  length of sleep or sleep quality, but it does help with sleep onset. Side effects may include nightmares and daytime drowsiness. Dosage ranges from 1-10 mg.

Hops

Hops extract is another sleep aid that improves sleep and aids in sleep onset. It works well with valerian extract and the combination may help increase alpha brain waves.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh minimizes sleep disturbances and reduces irritability and mood swings

Passion Flower

Passion flower clears anxiety and restores the body to a more peaceful state

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen that block stress messages in the body, promoting relaxation and peacefulness.

Chamomile flower

Chamomile flower and leaf soothes anxiety and has sedative properties

Skullcap

Skullcap promotes calmness and increases the body’s ability to adapt to stress. It also acts as a sedative for aches and pain

My Own Protocol for Insomnia

Exercise. Anytime I need to get to sleep on time no matter what, I make sure I exercised that day. I set the right sleep environment. If thoughts are swirling in my mind, I write them down. A bedside journal can be a great sleep aid.

Before going to sleep, all the lights should be turned off or covered (those little blue, red, flashing lights on electronics inhibit proper sleep rhythms). Absolute darkness aids in melatonin production. It also helps to have a set bedtime. Make sure your bedtime allows for eight hours of sleep. Get up at the same time every morning no matter what. Even if you can’t go to sleep at the right time, going to bed at the right time and staying up eventually fixes one’s sleep schedule.

Get grounded, and take that time to do some peaceful meditation. This can be especially beneficial to our internal clock if done early morning and just before bedtime.

L-Tryptophan, Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula, and some B vitamins will knock me out within a half an hour every time. I like L-Tryptophan better than a melatonin supplement because it increases production of melatonin and serotonin.

Take 1,000 to 3,000 (some need 3k but many people only need 1) mgs of L-Tryptophan with two droppers full of Shillington’s Nerve Sedative.

Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Recipe (or click here to purchase):

2 – parts Valerian Root
2 – parts Lobelia Seed Pods
2 – parts Passion Flower
1 – part Hops Flowers
1 – part Black Cohosh
1 – part Blue Cohosh
1 – part Skullcap
1 – part Wild Yam

A “part” is a measurement by volume.  Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

A dropperful is considered to be about 1/2 way up the dropper from a two ounce bottle.

Be sure to shake well before each use.

Conclusion

Once you get your biological clock reset, your new sleep habits require discipline, but you will reap the benefits of healthy, restful sleep. The trick to having a set sleep schedule (besides health) is all in the wakeup time. If 7a.m. is when you want to wake up, then that’s when you wake up, no matter what for the next 6 weeks.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• L-Tryptophan
• Stress B-Complex – Thorne Research
• Ashwagandha Liquid Phyto-Caps – Gaia Herbs
• Shillington’s Cal-Calm Tea
• SleepThru – Gaia Herbs -or- Sleep & Relax – Gaia Herbs
• Vitamin D
• More supplements for insomnia

Further Reading:

• Insomnia – A Comprehensive Look with Natural Remedies
• Signs of Sleep Deprivation
• Why We Need Sleep
• The Glymphatic System – How Insomnia Leads to a Filthy Mind
• Pure Sleep – 11 Tips for Better Sleep
  
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Earthing – Touching Earth
• Earthing – Ground Your Body for Optimal Health

Sources:

• What Is Melatonin? – Live Science
• The Best Natural Sleeping Aids – Dr. Whitaker
• Facts and Stats – National Sleep Foundation, DrowsyDriving.org
• Better Brain Chemistry with Tryptophan – Life Extension Magazine

When we say pure sleep, we mean deep, peaceful, quality sleep without the use of drugs. Lack of quality deep sleep is linked to a host of problems including depression, obesity, poor nutrient absorption and assimilation, and overall poor health. If your quality of sleep improves, you will wake up more easily feeling more refreshed, have more stamina and energy during the day, and quite likely need less sleep at night. We need deep, quality, pure sleep. On the next page we give you ten tips for getting a better night’s sleep.

1. Don’t go to sleep on a full stomach

Your body needs energy to digest food. Going to sleep on a full stomach is bad for your digestion and can lower your quality of sleep. And you shouldn’t be eating enough to have a “full” stomach anyway.

2. Cut out alcohol and cut out caffeine and other artificial stimulants

While alcohol may decrease the time it takes you to fall asleep, it actually increases the number of times you awaken in the latter half of the night. If your sleep isn’t restful, alcohol (beer, wine, or hard liquor) may be the cause.

Artificial stimulants can affect your adrenal glands, which can affect your energy levels during the day and your sleep at night.

3. Exercise

Exercise during the day can help you sleep more soundly at night.

4. Eat a healthy diet

There are many ways an unhealthy diet can affect your quality of sleep. Eating healthy can give you more energy and a better night’s sleep.

5. Get more sunlight

Whether you sleep at night like most people or sleep during the day, you need sunlight. Your body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D (which is actually a hormone). Getting some sun on your bare skin can increase your energy and elevate your mood. Most people do not get enough sunlight. Lack of sunlight contributes to irritability, depression, low energy levels, and a desire for more sleep.

6. Make sure you are sleeping in the dark

If you work at night and sleep during the day you need to take the steps to block light out of your room. Make your room as dark as possible. Invest in blackout shades or blackout curtains.

7. Make your bed comfortable

High quality sheets with a high thread count feel good on your skin and make sleeping easier. Or maybe you prefer the touch of flannel. Comfort is important. Comfort decreases needless tossing and turning.

You also need comfortable, quality pillows that cradle your head rather than raise it. Your spine should lie straight.

A poor mattress will make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Make sure your mattress is well supported with no lumps or dips.

8. Make your bed organic

Sleep with all natural (not synthetic) materials. Better yet, sleep with only organic, toxin free materials. Your skin needs to breathe. Synthetic fibers do not facilitate air circulation.

9. Stop snoring

Breath Right ® can help. If you are overweight, you are more likely to snore, too. Snoring can cause you to wake, and it certainly decreases your air flow.

10. Try a humidifier

If you are running your air conditioner or your heater, the air in your house may be dry. If you wake with a sore throat, a dry nose, or have nose bleeds, you might benefit from more humidity. Be sure to change the water daily.

11. Eat a grapefruit before bed

Don’t skip that white bitter skin of the fruit. And get a little bit of rind from the peel too. It’ll help you sleep soundly.

Sweet Dreams.

Also check out 10 Things You Can Do To Have More Energy.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• L-Tryptophan
• Stress B-Complex – Thorne Research
• Basic B-Complex – Thorne Research
• SleepThru – Gaia Herbs
• Sleep & Relax – Gaia Herbs
• Shillington’s Cal-Calm Tea
• 5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan) – Thorne Research
• Skullcap Herb – Gaia Herbs
• Vitamin D
• More supplements for insomnia

Further Reading:

• Signs of Sleep Deprivation
• The Glymphatic System – How Insomnia Leads to a Filthy Mind
• Natural Remedies for Insomnia
• Why We Need Sleep
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Earthing – Touching Earth
• Earthing – Ground Your Body for Optimal Health

Sources:

• What Is Melatonin? – Live Science
• The Best Natural Sleeping Aids – Dr. Whitaker
• Facts and Stats – National Sleep Foundation, DrowsyDriving.org
• Better Brain Chemistry with Tryptophan – Life Extension Magazine