Consistently getting a good night’s sleep isn’t a luxury --
it’s essential to your health. Insufficient sleep not only leaves
you feeling tired and irritable but also weakens your immune system
and puts you at risk for depression, weight gain and chronic
headaches. To get the full health benefits of sleep, most adults
should aim for at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep a
night.
Many of my patients have trouble sleeping. I often help them
determine the nature of their sleep problem -- and what might
help.
Choose your specific sleep problem below -- and try one solution at
a time for up to two weeks. If the problem persists, try a second
solution in combination with the first. (Don’t try three solutions
at once.) Once you find the remedies that work for you, you can use
them indefinitely. Before starting, check to make sure that your
sleep problem is not caused by any prescription medication you
might be taking.
TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP
For any reason when you first go to bed, try...
Sublingual melatonin. Melatonin, the
hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain, helps to control
sleep and wake cycles. Sublingual melatonin supplements (lozenges
placed under the tongue) generally work better than either capsules
or tablets. Start with 1.5 milligrams (mg) of sublingual melatonin,
30 to 45 minutes before bedtime. (If this doesn’t help within three
nights, try 3 mg.) Do not take melatonin if you are pregnant,
breast-feeding or taking oral contraceptives.
If you have feelings of anxiety, depression or stress, start
with...
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). The body uses
this amino acid to manufacture the "good mood"
neurotransmitter
serotonin. Taking a 5-HTP supplement
increases the body’s serotonin production, promoting a sense of
well-being and better resistance to stress. Start with 100 mg one
hour before bedtime. (If symptoms don’t improve within three
nights, try 200 mg.) Don’t take 5-HTP if you are pregnant,
breast-feeding or taking an antidepressant or antianxiety
medication.
If 5-HTP (above) doesn’t help and you need a more aggressive
approach to anxiety and depression, add...
SedaLin. This formula, manufactured by
Xymogen (health-care professionals can order it at
800-647-6100,
www.xymogen.com), can help relax
the nervous system. It contains
Magnolia officinali
extract, from the bark of a type of magnolia tree, to
relieve anxiety... and
Ziziphus spinosa
extract from a shrub to treat irritability and
insomnia. Take one capsule at bedtime for a minimum of two weeks
to allow your hormone levels to adjust. (SedaLin also can be
used on its own to relieve anxiety and nervousness during waking
hours. Since its main role is to calm the nervous system, it
won’t make you drowsy.) It is not recommended for women who are
pregnant or breast-feeding.
If you are over age 60, try...
Calcium and/or magnesium. These supplements
can help seniors, who are most likely to be deficient in these
minerals, fall asleep by relaxing the nervous system. Take 500 mg
of calcium with 250 mg of magnesium one hour before bedtime. Some
people are helped by taking either the calcium or the magnesium
alone. Find what works best for you.
If you are menopausal, try...
Natural progesterone. This bioidentical
hormone (not to be confused with the
pharmaceutical
progestin) has a natural sedating
effect for women with sleep problems related to low
progesterone.
Best: Have your hormone levels
tested. If progesterone is low, apply a total of one-quarter to
one-half teaspoon of progesterone cream to the inner forearm and
wrist or the inner thighs 30 minutes before bedtime.
One over-the-counter brand to
try: Emerita Pro-Gest (800-648-8211,
www.emerita.com). For a stronger
effect, take a progesterone capsule (100 mg to 150 mg),
available by prescription.
WAKING IN THE NIGHT
If you have trouble getting back to sleep...
Eat a light snack before bedtime. Some people
wake up in the night because their blood sugar dips, triggering the
adrenal glands to produce
adrenaline -- exactly
what you don’t want while sleeping.
Solution: Eat a small snack before
bedtime, such as six ounces of organic yogurt.
If you consistently wake up between midnight and 2 am,
try...
Balancing stress hormones. Many people wake
up in the wee hours and are unable to fall back to sleep quickly
because of an imbalance in stress hormones. Melatonin can help. In
addition, try...
Walking after dinner. Exercise of any kind decreases
the production of stress hormones. Exercise as early as possible in
the evening, at least three hours before bedtime.
Listening to relaxing music. One study showed that
listening to relaxing music (such as classical) for 45 minutes
before bedtime resulted in better-quality and longer sleep.
If you consistently wake up between 2 am and 4 am, try...
Balancing other hormones. Waking between 2 am
and 4 am can be related to hormone imbalances, including estrogen
deficiency in menopausal women (note that this is a different sleep
problem than that caused by progesterone deficiency described
above)... testosterone deficiency in men age 50 and older... and/or
growth hormone deficiency in people age 60 or older. Have your
hormone levels tested -- and if they are low, get a prescription
for a bioidentical hormone.