Deep restful sleep is essential for optimal health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, many people don't get the rest they need due to factors such as stress, anxiety, bad sleeping habits, and noise pollution. Insufficient sleep can lead to a number of health problems, including chronic insomnia, depression, daytime fatigue, anxiety, and memory loss. In this blog post, we will share some tips on how to get a restful sleep and improve your overall health!
What does restful sleep mean?
When we think of restful sleep, we often think of simply lying in bed and not moving. However, there is more to restful sleep than just being still. Our bodies go through a number of changes when we sleep, including decreased heart rate and respiration, lower blood pressure, and reduced fear response. Together, these changes allow us to fully relax and experience a sense of rest.
There is also scientific evidence that supports the importance of restful sleep which involves various sleep stages. A deep restful sleep is involved in the healing and repair of the brain, heart, and blood vessels. It helps to maintain a healthy balance of hormones, including those that regulate appetite, stress, and metabolism.
Sleep also aids memory and learning by merging short and long-term memories. Sleep also aids in the strengthening of the immune system and disease prevention.
But the most important aspect of deep restful sleep is that it gives the brain enough time to rest and repair itself. The brain needs time to purify itself of poisons and perform other vital functions such as memory consolidation after a long and stressful day. This process is essential for maintaining mental clarity and focus.
However, the majority of people are unaware of what happens during sleep. Without us even realizing it, brain activity switches back and forth between two different cycles: REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM.
During non-REM, which is the first cycle, your brain activity goes through three stages. The first stage is characterized by drowsiness and your eyes begin to droop. In the second stage, you experience light sleep, eye movement stops, and brain activity decreases which causes your body temperature to drop, and your breathing and heart rate to slow down. In the third stage, you enter deep sleep. This is when your brain activity slows down even further and your breathing and heart rate reach their lowest point. In the second cycle, you move into REM sleep. At this point, your brain activity increases and becomes more similar to that of wakefulness. Your eyes begin to move rapidly in different directions, and your breathing and heart rate also increases.
Most people cycle through these two sleep cycles several times throughout the night. The body goes through all of these phases four to six times each night, with a duration of 90 minutes for each cycle. The length of time spent in each stage varies, but deep sleep typically makes up around 20% of total sleep time, while REM sleep makes up around 20-25%.
The sleep stages of non-REM sleep and REM are important because they serve different functions. Deep restful sleep is essential for physical restoration, while REM sleep is important for mental and emotional restoration. This is why it's so important to get a good night's sleep: so that your body and mind can both rest and repair themselves.
What happens when you don't get a good and restful sleep?
Most people know that feeling of being tired after a long night of tossing and turning. Maybe you were worried about an upcoming deadline at work or you just couldn't get comfortable to fall asleep and stay asleep. Whatever the reason, not getting a good night's sleep can leave you feeling groggy and irritable the next day.
But did you know that chronic insomnia can lead to serious health problems? When you don't sleep well, your body goes into a "fight or flight" mode, releasing stress hormones like cortisol. This fear response can make it difficult to concentrate, remember things, and make decisions. In addition, it can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. If left unchecked, chronic insomnia could lead to sleep disorders and cause daytime fatigue, depression, anxiety, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating during waking hours.
Some of the causes of chronic insomnia or sleep disorders are caffeine and alcohol consumption, stressful life events, poor sleeping habits, stress, medications, sleep apnea, and smoking tobacco, just to mention a few examples.
If you or a loved one want to learn more about sleep disorders and how to overcome them, I recommend our article "Sleeping Disorders | Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options".
How to get a restful sleep naturally
Sleep quality is something that you can definitively improve starting with a few simple changes to your lifestyle and habits. This can also be supported with natural sleep aids, brainwave entrainment, meditation, exercises, and a healthy diet.
Natural sleep aids
Certain natural sleep aids, such as supplements and herbal teas can help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. It is important to know what they are and how to take them to improve your overall sleep quality.
Melatonin supplements, melatonin is a hormone that is produced by your pineal gland, which is located in your brain. However, as we get older, our melatonin levels drop. Melatonin supplements is a great natural sleep aid that can help regulate our sleep-wake cycle and improve our sleep quality.
There are many different types of melatonin supplements on the market, so it is important to do your research to find the one that is right for you. Usually taking 2.5 mg one hour before going to sleep will help you fall asleep faster.
Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in regulating communication between nerve cells in the brain. GABA is an amino acid responsible for inhibitory neurotransmission, which helps regulate the nervous system by preventing neurons from becoming overexcited. This process is essential for maintaining normal brain function and preventing extreme conditions like seizures.
Unfortunately, over time our body's ability to produce Gamma aminobutyric acid GABA decreases. In addition, stress, an unhealthy diet, sugar, alcohol, some prescription drugs, bad sleeping habits, or a brain injury can all lead to a decrease in GABA levels as well. For this reason, taking a GABA supplement can be an effective sleep aid to improve your sleep quality. Taking 400 mg of GABA one hour before going to sleep will help to calm down a very active brain.
Magnesium supplements, Magnesium supplementation helps you feel calm, balanced, and mentally focused. Magnesium is a mineral that is required for all cells in the body, and it is particularly important for nerve cell electrical activity and the millions of information connections (synapses) in the brain's neurons. Known as “the relaxation mineral,” Magnesium helps to support healthy sleep, maintain fluid balance, relaxes muscles, generates energy, and regulates adrenaline levels. 100 mg of magnesium with dinner will help relax the central nervous system.
Valerian root extract, is an herb that has been used for centuries to treat anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. Valerian root extract is a natural sleep aid that works by increasing the levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This is another natural sleep aid that can be found as herbal tea or in supplements. 300 mg of Valerian with dinner will help relax the body.
L-theanine is an amino acid found in herbal tea leaves that has been shown to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. L-theanine supplements are often used to help reduce stress and anxiety levels. This amino acid works by increasing levels of GABA and serotonin in the brain.
Extensive clinical research links this amino acid with the health benefits of green tea. It enhances relaxing alpha brain wave activity, reduces tension, and fosters a restful state without diminishing daytime alertness. It also promotes healthy blood pressure stability against the over-excitability associated with stress. 200 mg of L-theanine with dinner will promote a restful state.
5-HTP or 5-hydroxytriphenomyceptophan is a modified amino acid that’s naturally made in the brain. It’s readily converted to serotonin and promotes calm, positive mood, and healthy sleep. Extracted from the African plant Griffonia simplicifolia, 5-HTP is also a powerful brain antioxidant. 50 mg of 5-HTP with dinner to promote a calm and healthy sleep.
Chamomile is a traditional herbal tea medicine that has been used for centuries to calm the nerves and ease anxiety. Chamomile tea or chamomile extract supplements can be taken before bedtime to promote sleep. Chamomile works by increasing levels of glycine, a neurotransmitter that helps relax the nervous system.
Melatonin, GABA, magnesium, valerian root extract, L-theanine, 5-HTP, and Chamomile are all great natural sleep aids that can help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. However, taking all these natural supplements individually could be expensive and hard to keep track of. Fortunately, Restful Sleep is a natural sleep aid that combines the most effective ingredients into one supplement.
Restful Sleep Supplement
Restful Sleep is a well-known sleep aid created by Dr. Daniel Amen, who is widely recognized as a leading expert on brain health. Backed by clinical research, Restful Sleep can help you prepare your mind and body for sustained and restorative sleep. It can help you improve mood, sleep faster, and stay asleep.
Two capsules contain 10 mg of Vitamin B6, 50 mg of Magnesium, 375 mg of GABA, 2.5 mg of Melatonin, and 300 mg of Valerian root extract.
If you are interested in trying Restful Sleep, you can purchase it by following the link below. BrainMD offers cart Free shipping on all subscriptions and US orders over $75.
Healthy habits to get a great restful sleep
- Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. Both of these substances can disrupt sleep.
- Avoid working or using electronic devices in bed. The blue light from screens can keep you awake.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine to wind down before sleep. This could include reading, taking a bath, or stretching.
- Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool to promote optimal sleep conditions.
- Listen to brainwave entrainment soundtracks to help your brain transition from beta brain waves to alpha brain waves.
- Exercise during the day to help your body produce more hormones.
- Take a natural sleep supplement like Restful Sleep to help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.
- Eat sleep-promoting foods. There are a few dietary tweaks that can help as natural sleep aids. For example, consuming foods that contain tryptophan can help to encourage sleepiness. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate sleep. Foods that are rich in tryptophan include poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, soybeans, and nuts. In addition, eating foods that contain magnesium can also help to promote sleep. Foods that are high in magnesium include dark leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
If you already tried the above natural sleep aids and haven't seen results, it's important to see a brain health specialist. Our Amen Clinics Brain Health Certified professionals can help you with that. We look at sleep problems from a holistic perspective, taking into account your diet, exercise, nutritional deficiencies, toxins, stress levels, and negative habits. We can create a personalized and natural plan to help you get the quality sleep you need to feel your best. When you follow our proven and time-tested methodology the changes become permanent. You can finally get the deep and restful sleep you need to feel energetic, productive, and happy during the day.
If you want to learn more about our approach to brain health and sleep, please contact us today. We offer a free 30-minute consultation to see how we can help you improve your sleep and overall brain health.
I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us directly. Until next time, happy sleeping!
If you found this article interesting, please share it with your friends and family. Knowledge is power!
Thanks for reading!
Please note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please speak with a doctor or other healthcare professional. Sleep disorders can be serious, so it is important to seek medical help if you think you may be experiencing symptoms. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Natural Sleep Aids Safe?
Generally speaking, natural sleep aids are considered safe for most people. However, it's always important to speak with your doctor before taking any supplement, even if it is natural. This is because some supplements can interact with medications you're already taking or have other side effects. For example, some natural sleep aids contain herbs such as valerian or kava that can cause drowsiness. So if you're taking other medications that make you drowsy, such as antihistamines or certain antidepressants, taking a natural sleep aid could make you too sleepy.
What is the best vitamin for insomnia?
According to sleep experts, the best vitamin for insomnia is vitamin B6. This essential nutrient helps the body to produce melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates sleep. Vitamin B6 can be found in foods like chicken, turkey, fish, and bananas. Supplementing with vitamin B6 can help to improve sleep quality and duration.
What are natural sleep aids?
Anything that is found in nature and helps you to fall asleep or stay asleep can be considered a natural sleep aid. This includes things like supplements, food, herbal tea, meditation, and any other activity or substance that has a calming effect on the body, brain, and mind.
Do sleep aid supplements work?
When taken in the right combinations and quantity, sleep aid supplements can be an effective way to improve sleep quality and duration. However, it's always important to speak with your doctor before taking any supplement, even if it is natural. This is because some supplements can interact with medications you're already taking or have other side effects.
What are some sleep disorder symptoms?
One of the most common sleep disorder symptoms is insomnia, which can cause difficulty falling asleep or waking up during the night. Other symptoms include regularly waking up during the night and feeling unrefreshed after a full night's sleep. Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder that can cause loud snoring and pauses in breathing. People with sleep apnea often wake up feeling tired, even after a full restful sleep.
Restless leg syndrome is another condition that can interfere with sleep. People with restless leg syndrome often have an irresistible urge to move their legs, which can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Shift workers may also have difficulty sleeping due to their irregular work schedules. Night owls may have trouble sleeping during the day because their bodies are programmed to be active at night.
What are prescription sleep aids?
Sleep aids are medications used to help people fall asleep and stay asleep. There are two main types of sleep aids: those that are taken before bedtime to help you fall asleep, and those that are taken during the night if you wake up and have trouble falling back asleep. Some sleep aids are available over-the-counter, while others require a prescription from a doctor. The most common sleep aid medications belong to a class of drugs called sedatives, which work by slowing down the nervous system. Other types of sleep aids include antihistamines, which can help people who have allergies or colds, and antidepressants, which can be effective for people with depression or anxiety disorders. Although sleep aids can be helpful for some people, they should be used with caution. Side effects can include daytime drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired memory and coordination. In addition, some sleep aids are addictive and can lead to dependency. As a result, it is important to talk to a doctor before taking any sleep aid medication.
