SLEEP

Getting sufficient sleep is just as critical for our health as eating a balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise. Research shows that sleep has distinct stages that cycle throughout the night in predictable patterns. How well rested and how well you function depend not just on your total sleep duration but on how much of the various stages of sleep you cycle through each night. Poor sleep directly affects heart function because interrupted and inadequate sleep disrupts the night time dip in blood pressure. Impaired mental function, mood and immune function are also affected by poor sleep. Here are some tips that can help alleviate the issue of poor sleep.

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS - Light exposure at night disrupts the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. If you have to use a light, then a low-wattage is acceptable but only when you are ready to hit the deck.

KEEP COOL - Keeping your bedroom on the cool side is key to a better sleep. Drops in core temperature signals the brain that it is time to turn in for the night. Adjust the thermostat to around 66 is recommended.

USE OF ELECTRONICS - The hard truth is that you should not use your bedroom for anything except sleep and intimacy. It is advised to switch away from all electronics about an hour before retiring.

MELATONIN - This is best studies natural sleep aid. Produced in the pineal gland, this production is cued by light-levels rise in the evening as darkness falls and ebb toward the morning.

GABA - This is an amino acid that acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It simply calms things down.

L-Theanine - another calming and relaxing amino acid. It is abundant in matcha green tea. 200mg of L-Theanine about 30 minutes works well with GABBA. Other naturals are valerian, lemon balm, chamomile and hops to name a few. Happy snoozing.