Some people as they approach middle age may find it more difficult to stay asleep during the night. They can fall asleep okay and the first part of their night is fine, but around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., they find themselves habitually awake and unable to get back to sleep. Here are some sleep tips that may help:
Use a black eye mask to cover your eyes and use earplugs to keep the noise out. A dark, cool room is most ideal to help the body produce melatonin, the hormone produced by the brain which helps to regulate sleep and wake cycles.
Get some sunlight by taking a walk during the day. Being out in the sun will also set your wake-sleep cycle in a good way. Additionally, the exercise and body movement helps with better, more restful sleep at night.
If headaches or tension are keeping you up, try using some magnesium. One German study found that 42 percent of the people taking magnesium reduced the duration and intensity of their migraine headaches.
For females that experience hot flashes and night sweats during the night, take some extra steps to keep yourself and your bedroom cooler at night. Wear lighter bedclothes, use less blankets, and you can also use a slightly damp washcloth on your forehead or neck.
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep, therefore highly absorbable calcium and magnesium supplements are effective. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis advises that during pre-menopause or menopause, the lack of estrogen and progesterone can cause severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur such as irritability, leg cramps, insomnia, hot flashes and night sweats.
It can work well for some people to take a calcium and magnesium supplement before bed and then again at the time of night they habitually wake up and are unable to go back to sleep. This last tip just may be the clincher that finally puts one’s insomnia issue to rest.
This health information is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia. The formula is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep. To learn more click here.
A recent poll from the National Sleep Foundation found a correlation between the use of cell phones in the bedroom and poor sleep.
The findings showed that about 39% of Americans are using cell phones in their bedrooms in the hour before trying to go to sleep.
72% of these are teenagers between 13 and 18 years old. Those who texted in the hour before going to sleep said they were less likely to get a good night’s sleep, were more likely to drive drowsy, and were more likely to wake up feeling un-refreshed.
While cell phones and computers can increase productivity, it may be more conducive of good sleep to turn them off in the hour before bed and do some relaxing reading, take a bath, or other calming activity to unwind.
This health information is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia.
A study was recently published in the Archives of Neurology on Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). RLS is a disruptive condition that affects the nervous system and up to 10% of the U.S. population have some form of it.
It results in an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the legs such as creeping, crawling, tingling, pulling or pain. Because RLS most often occurs in the evening, it can disrupt sleep, contribute to insomnia, and reduce a person’s quality of life.
In the Archives of Neurology – Montreal Canada study, RLS patients were followed up in a specialized sleep center for 15 years. 479 affected family members were assessed by their responses to a structured questionnaire.
The Results — the researchers data showed that RLS occurs in families, with 77% of those having the condition being in a family with other members who have it. Siblings of a person who is severely afflicted with the condition are about 3.6 times more likely to have the disease than those without an affected sibling, and offspring of parents with the condition have 1.8 times the risk.
The researchers also write that RLS has an average duration of 24 years and is more prominent among women who also have an increased incidence of anemia or iron deficiency, arthritis, or a number of pregnancies.
Comment from the Blog Author Nutrition Breakthroughs:
One natural insomnia remedy showing good results with restless leg syndrome and insomnia is Sleep Minerals II, made by Nutrition Breakthroughs in Clearwater, Florida. This natural sleep remedy contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, restless legs syndrome, heart health, bone strength, and menopause insomnia.
The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc, and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Kimberly B. of Troy, Michigan says: “I just wanted to take the time to write and say that I have been taking your supplement “Sleep Minerals II” for about a month now. I can’t thank you enough. I have tried everything out there and this supplement is amazing! I have suffered with insomnia and restless legs for 2 1/2 years now. I have not had one bad night since I started taking this. I have had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had…..it’s gone for a month now. This has been a miracle for me!”
The U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently updated their web page that describes the many potential side effects of sleep drugs.
On their site, they state that “Complex behaviors are a potential side effect of sedative-hypnotic products – a class of drugs used to help a person fall asleep and stay asleep. These include making phone calls, sleep-eating, and getting into the car and driving while not fully awake. Most people do not remember these events later.”
Russell Katz, M.D., Director of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products says, “Complex behaviors, such as sleep-driving, could be potentially dangerous to both the patients and to others.”
Other rare but potential side effects of sedative-hypnotic sleep drugs are a severe allergic reaction and severe facial swelling, both of which can occur as early as the first time the product is taken. Katz says, “Severe allergic reactions can affect a patient’s ability to breathe and can affect other body systems as well, and can even be fatal at times.”
To make the serious risks of these products better known, the FDA requested earlier that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products strengthen their product labeling to include warnings about complex sleep-related behaviors. The revised labeling affects the following drug products:
From a nutritional perspective, several research studies have shown certain minerals to be effective alternatives to help people fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”
The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis discusses minerals as an insomnia remedy in her book Let’s Get Well. She says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the billions of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase.
The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
In magnesium deficiency, chronic insomnia is one of the main, central symptoms. Sleep is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
The study was titled “Effects of trace element nutrition on sleep patterns in adult women.” It’s important to note that a balanced ratio of calcium and magnesium is beneficial to overall health, and that these two minerals should be taken together in a 2 to 1 ratio for best results.
Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and founder of Nutrition Breakthroughs in Clearwater, Florida, is someone who fought her own battle against sleeplessness and insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural ingredients for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals II.
This natural sleep aid contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, as well as heart health, restless leg syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia. The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc, and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
L.R.C. of Massachusetts says: “Due to some very stressful issues in my life, I hadn’t slept much in two and a half months before being prescribed sleep drugs. I had become dependent on them and couldn’t sleep without them. I did my research on the Internet and came across Sleep Minerals II. I take two before bed and now I can sleep through the whole night without drugs. If I do have to get up, I can fall right back asleep. Another benefit is it also helps alleviate my chronic fatigue and aches and pains.”
Sleeping drugs can wreak havoc on one’s health and well-being and cause life-threatening side effects. The right blend of natural minerals can be an effective natural insomnia remedy that helps the sleepless get some good rest.
At a time when the use of sleeping drugs is on the increase and their harmful side effects continue to emerge, Nutrition Breakthroughs of Glendale California is announcing an even more formidable soldier in the fight against insomnia — a brand new reformulated Sleep Minerals II. The ingredients are provided in a softgel with healthy oils, making them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep. Heart-healthy rice bran oil is now the base for the minerals in the product, which include calcium and magnesium, the best-known minerals for sleep and relaxation.
The National Health Service in the United Kingdom spent nearly 50 million on sleep medications (known as “hypnotics”) for their citizens last year. In Canada, the number of prescriptions for hypnotics increased to more than 20 million and an article in Canada.com warns against addition and withdrawal difficulties.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration web site lists the possible side effects of sleeping drugs as chest pain, severe allergic reactions, memory problems, anxiety, dizziness, headache, suicidal thoughts, as well as sleep-eating, sleep-walking, and getting into the car and driving while not fully awake.
For several years, Sleep Minerals II has been a popular product supplying the needs of people of all ages who prefer not to take sleeping drugs, but would rather use a safe natural remedy. The best thing is that it not only helps with sounder sleep, but contributes to better overall health. Calcium and magnesium are proven to strengthen the bones, protect against colon cancer, alleviate migraines and muscle cramps, reduce restless leg syndrome, support heart health, and relieve the symptoms of menopause and PMS.
Jobee Knight, President of http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com says: “Before I developed this product, I was suffering from insomnia and was up for hours in the middle of the night. I decided to put my background as a nutritional researcher to work. When I found these ingredients and began to sleep well, I decided I had to share this with others and Sleep Minerals was born. This newest formula is the result of our purpose at Nutrition Breakthroughs to continually upgrade the quality of our products in line with recent developments in the nutritional field.”
L.C., a Sleep Minerals II customer in Massachusetts, says: “Due to some very stressful issues in my life, I hadn’t slept much in two and a half months and I was prescribed sleeping drugs. I had become dependent and couldn’t sleep without them. I did my research on the Internet and came across Sleep Minerals II. I started taking them before sleeping and now I can sleep through the whole night without drugs. I’m also able to easily fall back asleep if I do get up to use the bathroom in the night..”
Golden rice bran oil is highlighted in the new version of Sleep Minerals II. It is rich in two types of natural vitamin E and also high in Oryzanol (a word that sounds like “Original”), which is a powerful antioxidant only found in rice bran oil. Antioxidants protect our tissues from deterioration and help slow the aging process. Rice bran oil is a heart-healthy oil, proven in an studies to lower cholesterol levels, remedy menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, strengthen the immune system and protect the retina of the eye.
Lyn K. of Los Angeles, CA. says: “Not only do I sleep much sounder with Sleep Minerals II, it seems to fill in a missing link in my health. I feel stabilized and I’m carried through my day with a stability from the sound rest. Also my heart and eyes feel healthier and stronger.”
Insomnia can wreak havoc on the health and lives of its sufferers, causing excessive daytime sleepiness, extreme lack of energy, irritability and depression. For sleeplessness and insomnia, try putting some Sleep Minerals II into the cupboard to create an arsenal of effective natural remedies.
Sleep Minerals II is an effective natural insomnia remedy. It contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium, in combination with vitamin D and zinc. The ingredients are formulated in a softgel with healthy oils, making them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
P. P. of Houston, TX. Says: “I am a physician in Texas. I had developed sleeping problems and I took sleep medications for several weeks — Ambien and then Lunesta. I discontinued them and then I had terrible rebound insomnia. At that time, I literally got only about 20 hours of sleep in 6 weeks. I was staring at the ceiling ALL night long, crying out to God to help me get some sleep. Then I found Sleep Minerals II on the Internet. I’ve been taking it for a couple of weeks and now I get a full 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night. This is a great way to help people without unhealthy sleep medications. It was an answer to my prayers. As a doctor, I would never prescribe sleeping drugs – I would recommend Sleep Minerals II.”
V. H. in Santa Clarita, CA. says: “I had such bad menopause insomnia that I couldn’t fall asleep. It took me hours to get to sleep even though I was very tired. I also had creepy crawly feelings in my legs at night. I got the Sleep Minerals II and started taking it. After a few days it started to work really well. In fact for the last few nights, I’ve reduced the dosage to one as its working great. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more creepy crawlies in my legs.”
E.H. of Mineral Wells, TX. says: “In the past I have tried a lot of different things for my insomnia and most of it didn’t work at all. Sleep Minerals II has helped me a lot and I don’t ever want to run out of it. Now I at least sleep 4 or 5 hours, sometimes 7.”
W.W. in Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know that I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. Surprisingly, I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
Sleeping well is a highly valued thing. According to an article in the United Kingdom’s “Daily Telegraph”, a good night’s sleep has been voted life’s “Greatest little pleasure”. The poll, which interviewed 3,000 people in the UK, asked them what their greatest little pleasures in life were. The sleep theme showed up in other places as well, with “Little pleasure” number three being “Sleeping in newly laundered bedding.“ Number six was “Cuddling up with a loved one in bed”.
Chronic insomnia contributes to sleepiness during the day, increased accidents and illness, and may have an adverse effect on concentration, relationships and the ability to handle stress. Because good sleep is so vital to health, scientists continue to pursue the trail of finding things that enhance its quality and quantity. Dr. Ramakrishnan, a professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, says, “Exercise improves sleep as effectively as sleeping drugs in some studies.” His study found that on average, exercise increases total sleep time by 42 minutes.
Studies at the University of Arizona found that walking more than six blocks a day at a normal pace significantly improves sleep at night for women. Scientists suspect that exercise helps set our biological clock into a consistent wake/sleep pattern, or it may boost the brain’s production of serotonin, a neurochemical that encourages sleep.
A drop in body temperature may help you fall asleep. According to a study in the Journal “Sleep”, making a special effort to cool down before bedtime may be of particular benefit to insomniacs. Researchers identified the time at which the subjects’ body temperature fell most sharply. This point almost always occurred in the two hours before sleep began. A hot bath about 90 minutes before bedtime may benefit sleep. When getting out of the bath, the body temperature will drop rapidly and this may help falling asleep faster. It also helps to sleep in a comfortably cool room, using extra blankets as needed.
Warm milk has long been a highly recommended folk remedy for insomnia. Regarding this, William Sears, M.D. says: “Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and President of http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com in Glendale, CA., is someone who fought her own battle against sleeplessness and insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural insomnia remedies for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals II, a sleep remedy which contains highly absorbable forms of the best minerals for sleep and relaxation: calcium and magnesium. The ingredients are delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making them more easily assimilated than capsules or tablets and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know that I’ve had insomnia for a very long time. Surprisingly, I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
So if you need help with getting better sleep, take the tips of recent research studies and do some form of exercise during the day, keep yourself cool before bedtime, and use an effective form of calcium as a sleep remedy to relax yourself into a deep, restful sleep.
The British Medical Journal recently published a study on the health effects of eating nutrient-deficient white rice.
In an analysis of several studies, the researchers found that higher white rice consumption was associated with a significantly elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
This association seems to be stronger for Asians than for Western populations. A dose-response analysis showed that each serving per day of white rice consumption was associated with an 11% increase in risk of diabetes in the overall population.
Compared with minimally processed whole grains such as brown rice, white rice has a lower content of many nutrients including fiber, magnesium, vitamins, and healthy plant chemicals. These are lost during the refining process when brown rice is converted to white.
Some of these nutrients, especially insoluble fiber and magnesium, have been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in studies. Thus, a high consumption of white rice may lead to increased risk of diabetes because of the low intake of beneficial nutrients.
Comments from the blog author, Nutrition Breakthroughs:
When eating highly processed foods, our bodies then need to take the missing nutrients out of our tissues in order to assimilate the deficient food. This includes fast foods, pastries, cakes, cookies, sodas, and other foods made from highly processed white flour or white sugar.
One particularly important nutrient is magnesium — one that much of our population is deficient in. Mildred Seelig, M.D., the leading medical researcher on magnesium says: “Many people needlessly suffer pain – including migraines and muscle cramps – because they don’t get enough magnesium.”
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center web site, inadequate magnesium also appears to reduce serotonin levels in the brain. One study found that magnesium was just as effective as an antidepressant drug in treating depression.
In addition, researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute in Sweden reported that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes decreased by 15 per cent.
Chronic insomnia is also one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep, from a study done at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
This information is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium — combined with vitamin D. The ingredients are formulated in a softgel with oils, which makes them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept! This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people do know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
The type of foods we eat in the evening can have a pronounced effect on the quality of our sleep. One of the keys to a restful night’s sleep is to calm and relax the brain, rather than stimulating it.
Certain foods are a natural insomnia remedy that contributes to restful sleep, while others keep us alert and awake.
The calming foods contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin. Two recent studies confirm that eating more carbohydrates than protein increases tryptophan production, while eating a higher protein ratio increases tyrosine – an amino acid related to a stimulated, alert frame of mind.
One key study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is titled “High-Glycemic-Index Carbohydrate Meals Shorten Sleep Onset”. The glycemic index measures the effect of different types of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Sydney Australia gave two different kinds of meals to the study participants, a few hours before bedtime. They found that a carbohydrate-based, high glycemic index meal resulted in a significant shortening of the time needed to fall asleep, compared with a low glycemic meal. (Feb. 2007, Vol. 85, No. 2).
In another study done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists honed in on specific measurements of tryptophan vs. tyrosine in the brain, based on whether carbohydrates or proteins were eaten at breakfast. Blood samples were collected after the meals, and the researchers concluded that a carbohydrate-rich diet raises tryptophan levels, while high-protein foods depress it. (Amer. J. of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2003, Vol. 77, No. 1).
For those who need to stay alert and sharp during the day, high protein, medium-carbohydrate meals are best eaten for breakfast and lunch. For dinner and bedtime snacks, eat a meal or snack that is high in healthy carbohydrates, with a small amount of protein that contains just enough tryptophan to relax the brain.
According to William Sears, M.D., “The best bedtime snack is one that has both complex carbohydrates and protein, and perhaps some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Dr. Sears recommends that foods high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein, make the most ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Some examples are whole-grain, gluten-free cereal with milk, oatmeal and raisin cookies with a glass of nutmilk or regular milk, or an almond butter sandwich with ground sesame seeds.
Sesame seeds are rich in tryptophan. Other foods that are high in tryptophan, which can be combined with healthy carbohydrates to become natural sleep remedies, are whole grains, lentils, chickpeas, beans, eggs, sunflower seeds, and miso. As always, it’s best to stay away from caffeine, sodas and nicotine in the evening.
The well-known nutritionist Adelle Davis writes about the roles of calcium for sleep in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit”. She discusses a natural insomnia remedy and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”
Sleep remedies containing highly absorbable, quick acting forms of calcium and magnesium, such as Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs can be helpful with both falling asleep and staying asleep during the night. This natural sleep remedy contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as rice bran oil have been shown to increase mineral absorption and reduce calcium excretion.
P. P. of Houston, TX. says: “I am a physician in Texas. I had developed sleeping problems and took sleep medications for several weeks – Ambien and then Lunesta. I discontinued them and then I had terrible rebound insomnia. At that time, I literally got only about 20 hours of sleep in 6 weeks. I was staring at the ceiling all night long, praying to God for some sleep. Then I found Sleep Minerals II on the Internet. I’ve been taking it for a couple of weeks and now I get a full 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night. This is a great way to help people without unhealthy sleep medications. As a doctor, I would never prescribe sleeping drugs – I would recommend Sleep Minerals II.”
In conclusion, bedtime snacks and dinners that are high in carbohydrates, low-to-medium in protein, and contain calcium, will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night’s sleep. And an effective natural sleep remedy such as Sleep Minerals II can also be taken before sleep and during the night if you find yourself waking up and unable to go back to sleep. Here’s to your good sleep.
