We’ve all been there. You crawl into bed, drowsy and ready to drift into dreamland. But just as you start to doze off, you remember that you forgot to respond to an email. You open your eyes and reach for your phone. An hour later, you’re mindlessly scrolling through social media. It’s now well past your bedtime, but you’re wide awake. No matter how tired you are at the end of the day, it can be hard to prioritize rest. Whether you have trouble falling asleep or you wake in […]
In the quest for a good night's sleep, some people turn to melatonin as a useful ally. Although your body produces this sleep hormone naturally, some people take melatonin in a supplement form. But is melatonin safe? Whether you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, melatonin may seem like a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter sleeping pills.[1] While melatonin is generally safe for short-term use, taking it regularly over the long-term may worsen your sleep issues. Read on to find out why. What Is Melatonin? Melatonin […]
If you’re searching for deep, restful sleep, you may have overlooked one of the simplest solutions: magnesium. An essential mineral, magnesium plays a role in sleep because it promotes the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid — also known as GABA. This neurotransmitter reduces the “excitability” of cells in your brain and nervous system. Those wild-thoughts running through your mind and anxious feelings that keep you awake? Yep. Those are excited neurons and can be calmed by higher GABA levels. If you have trouble falling asleep or can’t stay asleep, you have […]
A great night’s rest does wonders for the soul. Every night, thousands of body processes get to work, restoring your body and mind to a more healthful state. But when you can’t sleep? There’s an herb for that! Valerian root has a long history of traditional use for sleep issues — as well as for the occasional anxiety that often accompanies them. Between 50 and 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder — the most common being a habitual inability to sleep.[2] Occasional insomnia affects 30 percent of adults worldwide. […]
When Hippocrates had a headache, it's possible he enjoyed a nice steaming cup of valerian root tea. The ancient Greek physician was one of the first to describe the therapeutic benefits of valerian root. Since the early days in Greece and Rome, people sought the benefits of valerian for everything from head discomfort to heart health, nervousness, feminine issues, and the blues. Valerian brings some unique mythological history as well. People once used it to keep away troublesome elves — stay away Dobby! — and folklore experts believe it helped […]
