Do You Have Sleep Disorders? Millions Are Suffering from Insomnia and...
Insomnia and sleep disorders have concerned me for quite some time. Personally, I am very fortunate not to have any sleeping problems, but I have several friends who are having serious problems of falling and staying asleep.I hear of their attempts to deal with it on their own; without drugs or with sleeping pills combined with other aids, such as "just a glass or two of red wine". This wine and pill combination could potentially become dangerous. Specially if, after having a glass or two of wine, you forget that you already took one sleeping pill and then take another one. You could end up with a fatal dose. And, even without the danger of an overdose, there's the danger of becoming dependent on both the alcohol and the drug.
My suggestion is; try everything else first before going the above route. I guess it's easy to say when you can sleep without a problem. After four or five sleepless nights one is just about ready to do whatever possible to get some sleep. That is understandable.
Here are many suggestions, some of which you may have already heard of, but let's go over them again and I'll post further suggestions as I come up with more information on the subject later.
Natural Supplements and herbs:
Tryptophan, an amino acid, which is also found in several common foods (i.e. turkey, milk, almonds) can be taken in a capsule or tablet form. If you can find it now that it's been banned for some time by FDA for questionable reasons. Refer to an article by Dr. Allan N. Spreen at the end of this blog.
Melatonin, a 'natural' hormone, which has been found to work on some people but not others. Is said to be excellent for jetlag. Should not be taken by women who are pregnant. Research studies on mealtonin - http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/melatsum.htm
Valerian, an herb, which has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Valerian is a mild botanical which may be effective as a sleep aid only after 14 days of use, but it is rarely effective after just one dose. Dried valerian root can be found prepared as teas or tinctures, and dried plant materials and extracts are put into capsules or incorporated into tablets.
More about valerian http://www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/valerian.asp
Chamomile, an herb known for its mild sedative effects. Usually prepared as tea and also used
to aid digestion.
Always consult your physician on any supplements you are planning to take, unless used to dealing with supplements on a long term, like myself. There could be some adverse reactions with perscription or other drugs you may be taking. It is always best to supplement safely.
Top 10 Foods for a Good Night's Sleep
Yahoo, Posted Tue, Jan 23, 2007
What is the secret to getting a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep?
Head for the kitchen and enjoy one or two of these 10 foods. They relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones - serotonin and melatonin - flowing. Yawning yet?
Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.
Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.
Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."
Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.
Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.
Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.
Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.
Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.
Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."
Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.
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The Truth about Tryptophan/5-HTP
By: Allan N. Spreen, MD, The Nutrition Physician
Discussing tryptophan is always a sore subject for me. It is a major example of how we've lost our right to decide what we want to put in our bodies, especially concerning natural substances.
That's really scary. I guess turkey should be illegal.
Tryptophan is a natural amino acid that's found there (among other foods). Yet we've been told that l-tryptophan is toxic.
Originally it was available, very cheaply, in any HF store. Then an episode occurred wherein a (single) manufacturer tried a shortcut that caused a toxic problem from contamination. It was evident, however, from early on, that any trouble from tryptophan was traceable back to this one company.
Tryptophan had been used for years, in very high doses, with no ill effects (prescription drugs should be so lucky!). Unfortunately, the syndrome caused by the contaminant was, in some cases, serious. All tryptophan was pulled from the market (not an illogical reaction at the very beginning). Once the problem was tracked down, however, the FDA never returned tryptophan to its normal commercial status.
For a long time it was completely unavailable. Now, at least, it can be acquired by prescription only, as if it's some controlled substance.
Tryptophan is involved in the formation of serotonin, and that's significant. Serotonin is needed for proper sleep patterns, control of depression, and even the ability to relax adequately.
Properly applied doses of l-tryptophan were amazingly useful, both for insomnia and anxiety. At one time it became such a multi-million-dollar sales item that it was negatively impacting the sale of prescription drugs for the same symptoms. There are those, in fact, who believe the conspiracy against tryptophan was due to this fact (and I'm one of 'em). Even psychiatric professionals were using the stuff since you couldn't kill yourself with it as could be done with some prescriptions.
Anyway, now that good ol' tryptophan is by prescription only (and far more expensive because of it), the public has to turn to one of its relatives for a reasonably priced solution to insomnia and anxiety. Instead of tryptophan we have 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP.
This substance can perform the same functions as tryptophan and actually tends to do it in lower doses. I still prefer the original since 5-HTP costs a bit more than tryptophan originally did and is handled just slightly differently from its precursor, but with Big Brother taking care of us, I guess that's the way it goes.
All in all, 5-HTP can be worth a try if insomnia or anxiety is a problem. Ask your doc, of course, since anything that alters mood should be monitored, and especially if you're on a prescription for a similar symptom.
Good Health, Allan N. Spreen, MD "The Nutrition Physician"
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Dr. Spreen is a nutritionally-oriented medical doctor in practice for over a decade before concentrating on nutritional writing. He is known for his original "Nutrition Physician" on-line sites for both America Online and iVillage's 'The Women's Network', offering nutrition information directly to the public.
His authored works include Nutritionally Incorrect-Why the American Diet is Dangerous & How to Defend Yourself (Woodland); Smart Medicine for Healthier Living (Avery), co-authored with Janet Zand and James LaValle: and The Menopause Diet (Woodland).
A graduate of both the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Tennessee before obtaining his M.D. from East Tennessee State University, Dr. Spreen wears a second hat as a coach of competitive divers at the national and Olympic levels.
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Aila Noake
www.WealthToHealth.net
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posted by Aila Noake @ 11:07 AM
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