Did you sleep well?

How do people cope with sleeplessness? Unfortunately, with some rather unhealthy choices, says fitness expert PEG JORDAN.

AN epidemic that millions of people suffer from can make their days anywhere from unproductive to just plain miserable. It is a bad night's sleep - and whether it is due to a poor quality of sleep or just not enough hours, if it has happened to you, then you know the despair that can follow. All it takes is one or two restless nights, and your day is spent trying to wipe that foggy fatigue out of your mind, instead of charging ahead. The problem is severe enough that we spend more than $98 millions on over-the-counter remedies to help us sleep at night. In addition, we load up on caffeiene drinks such as tea, coffee and colas in order to stay awake during the day.

The financial costs of sleeplessness are nearly $16 billion a year for medical treatment and pharmaceutical prescriptions - but the real cost is measured in terms of human frustration. That is especially hard on the elderly, who are particularly disadvantaged by sleep problems, since it can lead to more confusion and forgetfulness. Workers, too, who must be bright and alert to do their job, can suffer from lack of focus and short attention span all due to sleeplessness.

Many people over 40 years of age complain of getting too little sleep, or that their sleep is interrupted several times during the night. What is typical is that you fall asleep well enough, but on some nights you cannot sustain a full night's rest. You wake up at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., only to find yourself drifting asleep in a business meeting or nodding off after lunch or you lie awake for hours before finally dozing off. Or you may have slept lightly and never really made the descent into a deep sleep cycle. Then you wake up so groggy you feel like you have not slept at all. Perhaps you find yourself in one of these categories. If so, you cope with the problems of occasional fatigue, like millions of others.

There are some ways to promote natural sleep, and they depend on your consistency in applying them, and your ability to decrease stress around night-time.

Why are we not sleeping?

When we examine why so many of us get so little shut-eye, two reasons become apparent: our aging population and our busy lifestyles. First, the most common cause of sleeplessness in modern society is probably due to the fact that as we age, we produce less of the hormone melatonin, which is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, the chief sleep regulator of the body. The pineal gland is sensitive to shifting light and darkness, and helps put us in sync with the rhythms of the day and the seasons. By 40, we produce about one-half the melatonin we did as young children.

Second, modern society is always on the move. One-third of us is in transit at any one time - business trips and crossing numerous time zones, all of which interrupt circadian rhythms. These are the natural rhythms in the body, which tell us when to sleep, when to wake up, when the body should naturally raise heart rates and blood pressure, when to digest food and when not to. The circadian rhythms in animals tell them when to mate and when to migrate. We share a bit of that, too. These rhythms flow from the deep internal clock regulated by the hypothalamus, and the endocrine system.

Besides travel, our body's natural rhythms are interrupted by the stress and anxiety of modern life. Whether it is a sudden move, or a trip to the dentist, changing jobs, or changing your child's diapers before you go to your job - stress itself seems to be mounting at an accelerated pace these days and people are carrying their tension right into the night. Tossing and turning over the problems of the day makes you bleary-eyed by morning, with less energy and creative brain power to approach your day.

Unhealthy sleep aids

How do people cope with sleeplessness? Well, unfortunately, with some rather unhealthy choices. Earlier, I mentioned all the caffeine stimulants we take. I am not surprised to see a new chai and coffee franchise on every corner in many international cities. It is as if we need to refuel every few blocks. One of the most common remedies for occasional sleeplessness is a nightcap to help people drift off. But sleep that is induced by alcohol short-changes your REM sleep - which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, a stage of sleep in which you dream. It is cut short due to the rebound effect of alcohol. You may have noticed that sleep following a night of drinking feels awful since you wake up earlier than normal with a hangover. You were drowsy when you went to sleep, but then in two to three hours your body goes into overdrive to metabolise the alcohol, and you are pulled out of deep sleep.

Millions more turn to over-the-counter sleep remedies containing anti-histamines which can set up a dependency - not only on the sleep medication but on the anti-histamine suppressant effect itself. That is why there are warnings for these products telling people not to use them for extended periods of time and that there are negative side effects for people with glaucoma, ulcers, asthma, seizures or prostate enlargement.

Pharmaceutical sleeping drugs represent big business, with more than 20 million prescriptions written every year for brands like "Dalman", "Doral", "Halcion", "ProCom", "Restoril", "Valium" and "Xanax". They definitely will induce sleep, but their many side- effects can be troubling. These drugs reduce that REM cycle. Not dreaming several nights in a row can be devastating psychologically. We do not always remember our dreams, but we do have four to six REM cycles a night, the last one early in the morning, is often the only dream you remember as you wake up. Prescription drugs, like alcohol, often knock out the REM cycle and can cause disorientation, anxiety, memory loss, and disordered thinking.

In short, our sleep is being chipped away by chronic stress, busy lifestyles, and the inevitable decline in the production of melatonin the body over the years. Our common solutions of nightcaps or overreliance on prescription or over the counter drugs create even more problems. What can we do to get a good night's sleep under these conditions?

Natural sleep aids

New research on the natural components in herbs, along with vitamin and nutrient support, indicates that there are natural means to place you in a calm, relaxed state so that your body's own sleep mechanisms can lead you into a night of peaceful rest.

Natural herbs can gently coax you to sleep, just like a mother cradling a baby. They are not the on/off switch of more forceful sleep medications. Here is a list of herbs that are proving to be useful: Kava Kava - Used for over 1000 years as a safe sedative, muscle relaxant, mood elevator and anxiety reliever. Healers in Hawaii believe that Kava allows your "mental chatter" to quiet down, which allows you some time to enjoy peace and quiet.

Valerian root - Most popular herbal sedative in the world, reduces stress, calm nervous stomachs and ensures restful sleep.

Lemon balm herb - Works well with valerian to produce relaxation and well-being.

Passion Flower Herb - Helps to calm the internal dialogue and circular thinking, making it especially useful for insomnia due to anxiety and daily worries.

As for the minerals and vitamins ...

Magnesium oxide and calcium lactate - Work synergistically to help lower blood pressure, calm nerves, relax muscles and do away with restless leg syndrome.

Niacinamide - Great for people who awaken during the night and have difficulty returning to sleep.

Vitamin B6 - Essential for neurotransmitters to relieve stress. Insomnia, muscle pain, and depression. Known as the vitamin for nervousness.

Melatonin - the most powerful natural sleep aid. About 2.5 mg is sufficient to give most people about four to six hours of sleep. Others find that 5 mg is necessary, but you should start with the lower amount first to see if that is sufficient.

A word of warning: When you use sleep aids, whether they are pharmaceutical or natural herbs, you should be cautious to not operate machinery or drive a motor vehicle. Adolescents, pregnant or lactating women, or women wishing to conceive should consult with a physician before taking melatonin or other nutrients.

Helpful reminders

Nighttime ritual - Get into the habit of creating a nighttime ritual. A warm bath with scented aromas or candles is an effective soother. Limit caffiene. Make sure you drop the tea or coffee habit by noon. People are often kept awake by drinking caffiene late in the day.

Stress management - Make a list of all the things that are on your mind and put it aside, away from the bed, preferably in another room. Tell yourself you can think about it tomorrow, and since it is written down, you will not forget it. Learn to compartmentalise troubles for the time being. Put a protective barrier around yourself, and give yourself a break from worrying about nagging problems.

Soothing music - Some people find they can drift off to a audiotape with quiet, lyrical music or a recording of nature sounds.

Turn off the TV - Try to avoid the habit of falling alseep with the TV droning on.

Nothing starts your day like a great night's sleep. Look for herbs and nutrients to quiet your mind, ease your end-of-day muscle tension and allow you to calmly and peacefully drift off to sleep. Sweet dreams.

E-mail the writer at peg-hindu@hotmail.com

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