A Natural Path to Combating Sleep Disorders
I am often asked what safe, nonaddictive, natural supplement I might recommend to individuals suffering from sleep deficiencies caused by stress, emotional problems, travel schedules or other nonmedical circumstances. As mentioned above, a complete sleep cycle happens in stages, beginning with sleep initiation, then sleep maintenance, dreaming (REM sleep) and waking up. All stages are important if you are to feel that you have had adequate sleep. Traditionally, the following ingredients have been recognized to interact synergistically in providing restful sleep.
- Vitamin B complex: to help induce sleep and support important biochemical reactions in the body, and for restless leg syndrome.
- Valerian root extract: a relaxant herb known to have calming effects on the nervous system.
- Magnesium: to assist in cellular activity and offer relaxation for sleep maintenance.
- Melatonin for sweet dreams: Circadian rhythms dictate your sleep and wake schedule, and that can be disrupted when you travel. Melatonin has been found to help your body acclimate to a globe-trotting sleep schedule and to re-establish normal sleep patterns. Melatonin is naturally released by the body's pineal gland to promote deep, calm sleep and to keep the circadian cycles in tune.
- Vitamin E: to make melatonin more effective.
Suntheanine L-Theanine
Recently, L-theanine, an amino acid derivative of one of the brain's neurotransmitters best recognized for creating a sense of relaxation by reducing stress and anxiety, has been discovered to play an important role in a deep and restful night's sleep naturally. 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 United States.
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 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 in 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 instead, 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.
Antioxidants Aid Sleep
"Oxidation" could be another word for "aging." Think of iron rusting, sliced apples turning brown, or the "sun spots" on your skin. Even the body's normal metabolism and the immune system's attempts to fight off infection can produce destructive free radicals and inflammation. Antioxidants help support the immune function and mellow out small irritations and restlessness at bedtime. An effective antioxidant could help to restore the body's internal equilibrium during sleep and promote the calm that helps to initiate deep, restful sleep.
Laboratories and clinical studies have begun to identify possible benefits from antioxidants in falling asleep and staying asleep. Improved liver function and other cellular functions have been identified as benefits. Obstructive sleep apnea and its effect on antioxidant capacity were researched in a study by Christou, et al. of the University of Thessaly. This Greek study confirmed the hypothesis that a relationship between oxidative stress and obstructive sleep apnea does exist. While we may be on the way to something that will aid the weary, fatigued insomniacs of the world, more research is needed.
With one in four Americans reporting problems in being able to get up to go to work (needing an alarm clock to wake up every single morning), and sleepiness while driving causing over 100,000 car accidents a year, we do need to take another look at our plan for better sleep habits. Perhaps that plan includes supplements. Dietary supplements are exactly that -- supplementing the body with nutrients and ingredients it needs.
Taking natural antioxidant supplements as a sleep aid is promising, according to recent research. Scientists have discovered that healthy sleep is one of the extra benefits from eating fruit or taking concentrated fruit extract supplements. Antioxidants have already been proven to help with those pesky free radicals that age you and weaken your immune system.
Color is most likely key to the potency of certain antioxidants. The most protective foods include those that are most colorful: grapes, pomegranates, berries and other darkly colored fruits. (These are high phenolic, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin ("PAC") enriched antioxidants). The rich colors can signify potent capabilities, but color is not always necessary for strength.
Fruit extracts are being studied by researchers for their ability to strengthen the immune system and ward off the degenerative processes related with oxidation. Ingesting the extracts in a supplement form is more convenient, more bio-available and less caloric than drinking large quantities of juice, and might help promote healthy sleep.
Recently, a new natural sleep supplement, Nytex, created by physician Dr. Nikos Linardakis, has become available to the public. This supplement contains Suntheanine L-theanine, Procidin, a patent-protected antioxidant powder that Tharos Laboratories (Dr. Linardakis's company) has developed in conjunction with professionals and researchers in nutrition, science and medicine, along with other proven sleep-promoting ingredients. According to Dr. Linardakis, Nytex has the right combination and dosage of ingredients to address all phases of sleep: falling asleep, sleeping peacefully and awakening refreshed.
I am pleased to see that the company philosophy of Tharos Laboratories, Inc. emphasizes "strength from nature, endorsed by science." Tharos focuses on evidence-based research and formulates its products accordingly. I had a chance to use Nytex in my practice and was pleased to hear the very positive reports from my patients with insomnia.
Alexander Golbin, M.D. Ph.D., is the Director of the Sleep and Behavior Medicine Institute, and with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Chicago, Ill. Dr. Colbin is the editor of Sleep and Health Journal, and editor of Sleep
Psychiatry, a medical textbook published by Taylor and Francis Group/ Parthenon in London, and author of The World of Children's Sleep (Michaelis Medical Publishing Corp., 1995).
Source: Total Health. Powered by Yellowbrix.
Visit the sleep center for more sleepytime tips.
Snoring? You may have sleep apnea.
Subscribe to our Wellness Insider for tips on achieving optimum health.
