Every once in a while I suffer from bouts of insomnia and for those times I take melatonin. What’s the connection between sleep and melatonin? Melatonin occurs naturally in the pineal gland causing drowsiness and a decrease in core temperature. Levels of melatonin rise during the evening and peak in the middle of the night, if your bedroom is dark enough. 100 lux of light in your room can suppress melatonin production, that’s why sleep specialist recommend for those that suffer from insomnia, no light of any kind, not even from your alarm clock. Research proposes that melatonin will help you to fall asleep easy while maintaining your internal sleep/wake cycle. But that is not all research has found. Even though its main use is a supplement for insomnia, melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant that has shown to fight certain cancers and an immunity booster to aid in weight loss. Read more »
Sleep Easy on a Plane Tips to Make Flying Stress Free
In the next few weeks I will be flying to Europe and even though I am excited to go, perhaps too excited, I dread the 10 hour flight. If you are flying to Europe from the States your body’s sleep/wake cycle has to adjust to avoid jet lag. Researching ways to diminish jet lag and [...] Read more »
How to Fall Asleep with Jet Lag
What is jet lag or desynchronosis? It is a temporary condition people experience due to crossing several time zones or the earth’s meridians in a short period of time causing the traveler’s sleep/wake cycle to become out of sync creating an almost bipolar condition. The earth’s meridians distinguish geographic position in relation to the earth’s poles defining time zones. Jet lag is a sleep disorder not caused by abnormal sleep problems, but due to your body subjected to external stimuli and local timetables while trying to establish a new sleep/wake pattern in its new location. This adjustment involves the circadian rhythms associated within the body and its ability to learn how to fall asleep with jet lag. Circadian rhythms relate to changes in body function that occur during a 24 hour period. Circadian rhythms not only affect your sleep/wake cycle they also regulate your body temperature, operate gland and hormone, airway and kidney functions. Read more »
How To Go Asleep
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine women suffer twice as likely from the sleep disorder insomnia than men. Insomnia can cause other health problems just like not eating a proper diet or lack of exercise. Many people take prescription sleeping pills such as Ambiem which is a popular sleep aid in the United States. Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods have taken this medication according to news reports. Before you decide to take a prescription sleep aid let’s consider some theories about how to go asleep. Read more »