(Newswire.net — June 22, 2013) Portland, OR — Good sleep is a cornerstone of health and without it, your health begins to unravel. A lack of quality sleep can cause you to gain weight, weaken your heart, shorten your life and make you depressed.
Poor quality sleep, whether it’s not getting enough sleep or not sleeping well has been linked to:
- Obesity: Poor sleep causes a decrease in the amount of leptin in your system which increases appetite.
- Diabetes: The body loses its ability to process glucose without sleep.
- Heart disease: Lack of sleep causes stress hormones to increase which damages blood vessels and can trigger high blood pressure.
- Depression: Sleep helps maintain your brain chemistry which lowers the risk of mood swings and depression.
- Headaches: Problems with sleep can be a source of chronic headaches.
People often turn to prescription and over-the-counter cocktails to help them sleep. But that solution carries its own risk, regardless of carrying the FDA seal of approval.
The number of people visiting emergency rooms because of prescription sleep issues, has risen 220 percent since 2005.
Most prescription sleep aids can lead to dizziness, hallucinations, agitation, and sleepwalking incidents. They can cause daytime drowsiness leading to a higher risk of accidental injury. The most common brand name products are Ambien CR, Edluar and Zolpimist, according to Science Daily.
Worse yet, prescription sleep aids also increase your risk of dying. In one study, researchers tracked the sleep aid use of more than ten thousand people for two-and-a-half years. When compared with a control group tracked over the same period, people taking sleep aids – even intermittently – were three and half times more likely to die during the course of the study and 35% more likely to develop cancer.
Dealing with sleep issues naturally should obviously be explored.
One thing to try is to develop good sleep habits such as:
- Don’t drink coffee after lunch.
- Do some quiet activity to help wind-down.
- Try not to worry about things right before bed
- Establish a going-to-bed routine.
- Exercise earlier in the day.
- Get up at the same time EVERY day (yes, even the weekend).
- Seriously consider disposing prescription sleeping pills and never taking another one.
There are some supplements that may also help.
Holy Basil: This herbal supplement is for people struggling with sleep because of anxiety and stress.
Valerian Root: Another herbal supplement, valerian root works by calming your nervous system. If your thoughts wake you up after you’ve fallen asleep, valerian root may be the ticket.
Melatonin: A naturally occurring hormone, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster. It’s especially useful for people who can’t keep to a regular sleep cycle.
Digestive Enzymes: Many sleep problems are actually digestion problems.
Sleep quality is important to overall health and a good quality of life. Prescription sleep aids can backfire, increasing your risk of an emergency room visit, developing cancer, or even suffering from an early death.
Work through your sleep challenge naturally by developing a good sleep routine, and try these natural supplements.
Above all – don’t take chances with your health!
Author: Google+ Jan Johansen