Struggling with Insomnia? Here's How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

April 23rd – 29th is National Sleep Awareness Week and to celebrate we wanted to raise awareness about how a good night’s sleep can benefit your overall health. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, 1 in 3 people have mild insomnia and often find that pills are ineffective.

One of the reasons why so many people struggle with insomnia is because they have developed poor sleeping habits. Some of the primary causes of insomnia include taking medications, chronic pain, stress at work or in your personal life, depression, loss of a friend or loved one, anxiety or another form of sleep problem.

Insomnia can affect people by making it feel harder to concentrate, making you more emotional, and due to the lack of sleep this can cause depressed moods. Lack of sleep can also have serious consequences on health, promoting inflammation in the body that eventually leads to disease.

Simple Tips to Improve Sleep

Some of the best ways to improve your sleep are to follow these simple tips:

Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to sleep and rise at the same time every day.
Be careful about what you’re eating and drinking. Avoid heavy processed foods, alcohol and caffeine.
Avoid partaking in stimulating activities such as watching TV or using a mobile phone an hour before sleep
Choose to create your own relaxing routine such as reading a book or listening to soothing music
Get organised and reduce stress by setting important priorities and delegating tasks accordingly
Get active as this can promote a better night’s sleep. Walking, cycling, yoga or swimming are all good activities to engage in if you want to sleep well
Dim the lights in your room an hour or so before going to sleep

How to Sleep Well

If you struggle with sleeping well, then taking the right nutrients can help to promote deep relaxation. 5-HTP is often used for sleep disorders like insomnia, depression and anxiety. Studies show that 5-HTP is better than Tryptophan at reducing anxiety and enhancing sleep.

Evidence suggests that 5-HTP is effective at increasing levels of serotonin and this is obtained by supplementing with 5-HTP. It can reestablish healthy sleep patterns in people who have continued chronic sleep disturbances. Melatonin helps to control sleep and wake cycles, while Niacin (Vitamin B3) contains tryptophan, a precursor to niacin that is often recommended to treat insomnia and improve sleep quality.

One 2005 review published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine reported a small study in which niacin was given to a group of participants for 23 days. The result of the study showed that niacin slightly improved REM (rapid-eye movement or paradoxical) sleep. The same group of researchers also gave niacin to a couple of women and found it improved their sleep quality.

Recommended Examples

Sleepwell™ – Sleepwell™ is a synergistic blend of 5-HTP, Melatonin, MSM, Water Extracts of Valerian Root, Passionflower Extracts, along with Niacin. The Sleepwell™ Spray is recommended to reset the body’s biological clock and can help to provide relief for anxiety, insomnia and other sleep issues.

Relaxwell™ – This unique combination formula of L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6 is proven to support sleep and relaxation. Designed to make you feel well rested and capable of anything that comes your way, Relaxwell™ helps you to combat stress and restlessness, especially during times of high physical and mental demands.