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by Sherrill Sellman, N.D.
Like Shakespeare’s Hamlet who wistfully hoped “to
sleep, perchance, to dream,” many of us are also in
search of a night’s restful sleep. We’re ever hopeful
that when we slip between the sheets at bedtime, we might be
rewarded with a blessed snooze. It is really so much to ask for?
It seems so, at least for the millions of Americans who find a
night’s sleep to be an impossible dream.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly seven out of 10 Americans
experience frequent sleep problems, although most have not
been diagnosed. This means that millions of Americans are
either staring at the ceiling counting sheep each night in hope
of falling asleep or tossing and turning, unable to get back to
slumber land.
Modern life brings with it many unsettling
changes that could never have been anticipated. Before the
invention of electricity, which gave instant illumination to our
homes and cities, most Americans slept an average of 10
hours a night. That number has been steadily decreasing. By
the 1950s and 1960s, a night’s sleep was reduced to eight
hours. With the hectic pace and stress of the 21st century
world, sleeping only seven hours a night became the average.
Presently, more than one in three people admit sleeping six
hours or less. Few people realize that this sleep deficit is a
serious threat to their health and well-being.
We were born to sleep. Plants sleep; animals sleep and, of course, humans
sleep. Have you ever wondered why getting some good
shuteye each night is an essential part of your daily
rhythms?
As it turns out, the ultimate rejuvenation elixir
of life is sleep. It is vital for the maintenance and repair of our
body and mind. Sleep is actually a dynamic process with three
distinct and necessary cycles. Each night we cycle through
these stages of sleep ranging from light sleep to deep sleep
and finally, to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A complete
sleep cycle takes 90 to 110 minutes on average. While sleeping,
our brains are using important neuronal connections that
might otherwise deteriorate from lack of activity. During deep
sleep, brain activity that controls emotions, decision-making
processes and social interaction shuts down, allowing us to
maintain optimal emotional and social functioning when we
are awake. This is also the stage when cell growth and cell
repair takes place to combat the effects of stress. Thus, deep
sleep can truly be called beauty sleep.
Sleep, the Healthy Balm
Sleeping deeply and waking up refreshed is a prerequisite for
good health. A good night’s sleep plays a critical role in
strengthening the body’s immune defenses. One of the body’s
most powerful cancer fighters, called tumor necrosis factor,
increases tenfold during a good night’s sleep. However,
without that slumber, natural killer cells, another important
part of the immune system’s cancer defenses, is noticeably
weakened.
Any health assault is withstood with a strong
immune system. In one study volunteers were vaccinated
against hepatitis A infection. When they had a good night’s
sleep afterwards, they showed a stronger immune response to
the vaccine. The levels of hepatitis A antibodies in the blood of
the subjects were measured for the following 28 days after vaccination.
Half of the group received a full night’s sleep after
being immunized, while the others were kept awake that night
and the following day. Four weeks later, the well-rested group
on average had nearly twice the antibody level of the sleepdeprived
group.
Studies have also found a relationship
between the quantity and quality of sleep and many health
problems. For example, insufficient sleep affects growth
hormone secretion that is linked to obesity; as the amount of
hormone secretion decreases, the chance for weight gain
increases. Blood pressure usually falls during the sleep cycle,
however, interrupted sleep can adversely affect this normal
decline, leading to hypertension and cardiovascular problems.
In addition, insufficient sleep impairs the body’s
ability to use insulin, which can contribute to the onset of
diabetes.
Difficulty sleeping is also associated with
insomnia. Insomnia most commonly consists of difficulty
falling asleep. It affects 20 to 40 percent of American adults at
some point in their lives. In fact, 50 percent of senior citizens
have difficulty falling asleep on any given night.
You cannot really understand the problem of insomnia without
acknowledging its relationship to stress. Scientists have found
increased blood levels of stress hormones in people with
chronic insomnia, suggesting that these individuals suffer
from sustained, round-the-clock activation of the body’s
system for responding to stress.
For this reason, the
researchers suggest that doctors who treat insomnia should
go beyond improving the quality or quantity of their patient’s
sleep and focus on reducing this hyper arousal, which is a risk
factor for both psychiatric and medical illness.
In fact,
insomniacs have increased production of the stress hormone
cortisol, which not only prevents them from sleeping but also
leads to depression, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis
and hormonal imbalances such as PMS, infertility and
menopausal symptoms.
The fact of the matter is that our
escalating pace of life, work pressures and aging are the primary
reasons many health professionals now believe that sleep disorders are the
number one health problem in America.
However, reaching for that bottle of prescription sleep medications may not be your best choice. They are typically “knock out” products such as sleeping pills, tranquilizers, etc., which not only shut down the brain but also prevent the mind from relaxing and recuperating. This is why we often feel groggy or “out of it” upon waking. Another concern is that these medications all have side effects and can be addictive. Fortunately, there's a natural solution that will not only help you get your quota of 40 winks but reduce sleeprobbing stress as well.
The Secret Hidden in Green Tea
Tea drinking has been popular in Asian countries for thousands
of years. Even though tea contains significant amounts
of caffeine, Asians enjoyed their daily tea drinking ritual for its
many benefits, including its calming influence on the mind
and body.
How is this possible? The answer is found in a
special ingredient from the leaves of the tea plant. About 50
years ago an amino acid called theanine, with amazing relaxing
effects, was first discovered in tea leaves, especially green tea.
Although normally you would need to drink 10 to 40 cups of
tea daily to receive any appreciable amount of L-theanine, one
Japanese company has successfully developed a patented
enzymatic process for making a compound that is a “pure”
form of L-theanine, known as Suntheanine. It is the identical
form of the amino acid in green tea.
This amino acid, a derivative of one of the brain’s neurotransmitters, is best
known for creating a sense of relaxation by reducing stress
and anxiety. It is so effective in dealing with stress that the
Japanese have added L-theanine to more than 50 products
including beverages, ice cream, jelly candy and gum. For many
hard working Japanese, stress relief is just a candy bar
away!
Although extensively used in Japan, L-theanine and
its many stress and anxiety alleviating benefits have only
recently been available as a dietary supplement in the
U.S.
When it comes to stress reduction, L-theanine helps
the brain switch to an alpha brain wave pattern. Alpha waves
signify an awake, alert and relaxed physical and mental state
of being without drowsiness. In addition, accessing an
alpha state helps to improve learning and concentration,
strengthens the immune system and alleviates stress induced hormonal imbalances.
L-theanine's
ability to reduce stress
has been documented in
numerous human studies,
which have shown an
increase in alpha waves
just 30 to 40 minutes
after consuming 50–200
mg of a Suntheanine supplement.
Whenever the stress response can be
reduced, the negative
effect of high cortisol
levels is significantly lessened.
Not only is
L-theanine an important
ally for getting those
stress levels in check but
it has recently been discovered
that Suntheanine
also has an important role
to play in creating what so
many Americans are
seeking—a deep and
restful night's sleep, naturally.
A recent clinical trial conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health in Japan has proven L-theanine’s ability to promote
quality sleep. When 200 mg of L-theanine was taken before bedtime, it enhanced the quality of actual sleep of all the
test subjects. In fact, all the participants reported a significant
absence of “feeling exhausted” and a reduced need for sleep
when using Suntheanine. In addition, the study showed that
L-theanine produced a notable improvement of what is known
as sleep efficiency, an index of actual sleep time enjoyed
between the time of falling asleep and the final morning awakening.
To add icing to the cake, test subjects using Suntheanine
reported a superior mental state prior to falling asleep and a
decreased occurrence of nightmares.
The study confirmed that Suntheanine does not promote sleep or increase the
duration of sleep, but rather improves the quality of sleep by
allowing the mind, while in a sleep state, to fully relax and
recuperate. This is why the subjects did not report feeling
groggy but rather felt refreshed and alert upon
wakening.
L-theanine is a much needed solution to the two major problems currently compromising so many American’s health and overall well-being—stress and sleep deprivation.
Without any known side effects, L-theanine is truly an answer to the prayers of bleary-eyed Americans who will finally be able “to sleep [and] perchance, to dream” soundly and peacefully.
Tips for a good night's sleep
Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. When light hits the eyes,
it disrupts the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and production of melatonin
and serotonin.
Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly
the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during
the hours of 11 P.M. and 1 A.M. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins
during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver,
which then secondarily backs up into your entire system and causes further
disruption of your health.
Avoid caffeine. A recent study showed that
in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and therefore they can
feel the effects long after consuming it.
Avoid alcohol. Although
alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will
often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also
keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does
most of its healing.
No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV
out of the bedroom. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to
fall asleep.
Avoid before bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars.
This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops
too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back
asleep.
Read something spiritual, uplifting and inspirational at
bedtime.
Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When
body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime,
facilitating sleep.
Get daily exercise. Exercising for at least
30 minutes during the day can help you fall asleep. Do not exercise
before bedtime, however. |
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Sherrill Sellman, N.D., author of the best-selling book, Hormone Heresy: What Women MUST Know About Their Hormones, international lecturer and psychotherapist, can be contacted at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Her free monthly HormoneWise e-Digest is available at www.ssellman.com.
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