It’s a sleep-deprived shame that so many people don’t get enough slumber. Not getting the recommended hours of rest has an enormous effect on a person’s health, memory and mood. Some of the detrimental effects include the increased risk of:
- irritability
- depression
- forgetfulness
- heart disease
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
Sleep is healing recovery time for the body, so it’s vital to not miss out on this most natural form of health care.
The amount each person needs changes with age. But statistics show that an average of 1 in 3 people in the U.S. and Canada are not sleeping enough. You likely know any number of people who say that they have trouble sleeping. You may be one of those people.
Sleep-Deprived Damage
Having a strong immune system was never at the forefront of importance than during the coronavirus pandemic. Sleeping well is one of the most natural ways to ensure your immunity is in a healthy state.
Normally, you want to avoid catching a cold whenever possible. However, a strange study published in 2009 involved giving participants nasal drops that contained a cold-causing rhinovirus to monitor their susceptibility to catching a cold, depending on the amount of sleep they were getting.
It wasn’t strange that those with a lower resistance to getting sick were the ones who had interrupted sleeping patterns and shorter durations of rest. On the other hand, the participants who were sleeping well “were three to five times more likely to beat the virus” according to NutritionFacts.org.
By the way, if you haven’t bookmarked NutritionFacts.org and Michael Greger, the physician who started this incredible resource, it’s worth checking it out to freely access the latest evidence-based health and nutrition information.
There’s more interesting information on Dr. Greger’s website regarding studies on sleep. For example, the subject of weight loss. Not getting enough sleep can put you in a weight-gaining mode. The strange part about it is that overweight subjects of a study who controlled their caloric intake but were sleep-deprived lost lean body mass not fat. Those who were not sleep-deprived lost the desired kind of weight: fat.
Sleep disorders can be exacerbated by technology that’s supposed to make our lives more convenient. Dr. Greger examines the use of mobile phones on sleep in yet another interesting post. The use of devices to access endless streams of media all the day long, especially before bedtime, can have an effect on how well or poorly people sleep. And this applies to all age groups who use computers, phones, tablets, etc.
Along with contributing to a stimulated mind, there’s blue-light emission that disrupts circadian rhythm. And being awakened by the sound or light from an active device doesn’t help either, so turning off electronics before going to sleep is a healthy move.
Sleepy Nutrition
Plant-based foods go a long way in keeping people healthy, and some studies have shown that benefits extend to sleep.
Eating a salad made with romaine lettuce provides lactucin, a natural substance with sedative properties that induces sleep. Kiwifruit and the juice of tart cherries have been shown to help people who have sleeping disorders such as insomnia. And there’s evidence that having a plant-based diet promotes regular sleep patterns, which, in turn, promotes overall good health.
For anyone who thinks sleep is a waste of time, consider what you lose by losing sleep.
AIM for Sleep
Along with a high-quality selection of supplemental nutrition, AIM offers some natural help for getting to sleep and sufficiently staying there until it’s time to awaken.
For those whose device use or stress levels may keep them awake at night, GinkgoSense contains plant-based ingredients such as ashwagandha, lutein and zeaxanthin that can help alleviate the effects of stress and blue-light exposure on sleep.
Taking a bath with Mag-nificence CWR added to the water introduces the relaxing effects that magnesium has on the body, promoting a good night’s sleep.
And then there’s the herbal calm provided by Composure to increase relaxation and quiet overactive minds at bedtime.
It’s simply good to know that there is natural help at hand for sleeping your way through the night.
The AIM Companies 