Better sleep in bad times

MANILA, Philippines - With the financial crisis and socio-political problems encountered worldwide, a peaceful restful sleep is also getting affected with more people complaining of insomnia and other sleep disorders. Some manage to sleep for hours at night but complain that their sleep is not really deep and restful, making them still feel tired in the morning.

Health and wellness icon Cory Quirino recommends prayer, meditation and regular positive affirmation to help one relax and have better sleep at night.

“A good sleep is the foundation of health, beauty and wellness,” she says.

Quirino stresses the importance of a good sleep at night by natural means and recommends natural non-drug supplements such as Sleepwell.

Each capsule of Sleepwell contains three milligrams of melatonin, a natural sleep enhancer. Taken at one to two capsules one hour before sleeping every night, users report a deeper and more relaxing sleep, with hardly any side effect even if taken continuously for a prolonged period of time.

Experts on melatonin suggest a possible anti-aging and life-extending effect of the natural substance. This may be due to its protective effect against free-radical damage; its stimulation of an aging immune system to protect the elderly from disease and infections; protection of the cardiovascular system; maintenance of a youthful circadian rhythm; and stimulation of the production of growth hormone.

Although melatonin has been associated with many other beneficial effects other than its sleep-enhancing benefits, including its probable enhancement of sexual virility, experts agree that a good sleep is still the most clinically relevant benefit one may obtain from taking melatonin regularly.

Aside from natural supplements such as Sleepwell, sleep experts recommend other natural non-drug ways to have a sound restful sleep at night even during stressful times.

Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D., writing for WebMD, recommends the following pointers:

• Cut down on all caffeine-containing drinks, much more so, four to six hours before bedtime. These drinks include caffeine-containing softdrinks, energy drinks or boosters, and even some teas.

• Don’t take alcohol as a sleep aid. One may fall asleep with alcohol but the quality of sleep is generally poor, and the sleep of alcohol drinkers is associated with a lot of sleep disturbances.

• Relax before bedtime. Breus recommends a pre-sleep ritual to break the connection between all the day’s stress and bedtime. These rituals can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as an hour.

• Exercise at the right time. Many get energized by exercise and should not exercise in the evening. Mornings still make the best time to exercise.

• Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and comfortable. Earplugs, window blinds or curtains, small night-lights can help.

• Eat right. Don’t sleep hungry but avoid heavy meals. Avoid drinking fluids after 8 p.m. to prevent waking up to go to the bathroom at night.

• Restrict smoking close to bedtime. Better yet, quit it altogether. Although smokers feel smoking is relaxing, it actually raises stimulant levels in the bloodstream.

• Avoid long naps during daytime. A short 15- to 20-minute nap is good, but longer ones make sleep problems at night worse.

• Keep pets off the bed.

• Avoid watching TV, eating, and discussing emotional issues in bed. “The bed should be used for sleep and sex only. If not, you can end up associating the bed with distracting activities that could make it difficult for you to fall asleep,” writes Breus.