The Best Nutrients for Better Sleep
Lets face it, getting enough quality sleep can be tough. Whether you are a sleep-deprived parent, shift worker or a stressed-out superhuman with a massive to-do list, sleep will likely be something you’re challenged by – despite feeling physically and mental exhausted.
Know that you are not alone. According to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation, of those who responded, a staggering 84% reported feeling tired during the week – mainly because they were not sleeping well or getting enough hours of shut-eye. As a nation, at-large, we are underslept and over-stressed and whilst you may think that sleep is only helpful for feeling energised, there are a whole host of health benefits associated with getting enough sleep.
Sleep is crucial to our energy levels, mental health and physical wellbeing. It is as essential to the human body as eating, drinking and breathing fresh air and when we miss out on quality sleep we hinder our hormonal health, gut health, mental health, immunity and ability to maintain our weight.
The time we spend asleep isn’t idle by any means – it’s during these sacred hours that our body undergoes a wide range of restorative processes that affect every aspect of our health. We need quality sleep!
As a practitioner, if there was one thing I could change instantly for all of the people I am so blessed to help, it would be the amount of restorative sleep they get each night. Sleep is how our body repairs and rejuvenates and without it, we miss the opportunity for healing and feeling our best.
Whilst upping your hours of sleep each night sounds like a simple task – for many individuals, the struggle is real. One of the main reasons we are all so tired is because we are all so busy and stressed. Modern life has us uptight, wired, needing caffeine to function and alcohol to relax – all of which hinders true restoration. Stress hinders a good night’s sleep by keeping our day time hormone (cortisol) elevated in the evening – when it is meant to naturally decline to help us relax. It is only when our cortisol levels fall, that sleepy hormone melatonin can begin to rise and our nervous system can enter ‘rest and digest’ mode to rise in preparation for bed time.
For better or worse, there are a myriad of modern factors that “stress us out” and thus hinder quality sleep. This said, you will be pleased to know that it is not all doom and gloom – there are lots of things you can do to support your nervous system and help your body move into relaxation mode at the end of the day. Beyond eating a balanced whole foods diet and engaging in regular exercise and restorative activities (like yoga and meditation), the addition of specific nutrients and herbs can be really powerful for helping the body to unwind at night. The following lists include some of the most effective and well-studied nutrients and herbs that can help us turn off our racing mentals and ease our bodies into a good night’s sleep.
Herbs to Support Sleep
Passion Flower
Passion flower boosts levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a calming neurotransmitter. GABA relaxes our body and our mind to relax, and eases feelings of tension and overwhelm. GABA is the neurotransmitter that is released when we breathe deeply, meditate or engage in restorative activities like yoga and is what helps us feel internally still.
California Poppy
Californian Poppy is a known relaxant, which binds to and activates our calming GABA receptor sites. If you think about Dorothy falling asleep in the poppy field in The Wizard of Oz, you have a great visual for understanding the powerful effect this herb can have on aiding deep sleep.
Chamomile
Chamomile contains an active ingredient called ‘apigenin’. Apigenin supports relaxation, and soothes anxiety by supporting our GABA receptors.
Tart Cherry
Tart cherry juice has been shown to help increase sleep duration and efficiency for people. It is thought to do this by increasing the bioavailability of tryptophan and consequently increasing the production of melatonin – our sleep hormone.
Ginger Root
Ginger supports the gastrointestinal system by increasing hydrochloric (HCL) acid levels in the stomach that help to reduce acid reflux and mitigate night-time nausea, which can keep us awake. Ginger also possess anti-inflammatory properties, which can soothe cramps.
Lavender Powder Extract
Lavender works as an anxiolytic that encourages relaxation and a sense of inner calm. Lavender helps to ease the mind and support relaxation, which makes it easier for us to fall and stay asleep.
Nutrients to Support Sleep
Magnesium
Magnesium is a relaxing and calming mineral that has been shown to significantly decrease stress hormone levels. As a result, it helps to aid melatonin production and increase both sleep quality and duration.
Zinc Picolinate & Vitamin B6
Zinc and B6 are synergistic nutrients that help to ease anxiety and stimulate the pathways in our body that make melatonin. Zinc is arguably one of the most important nutrients for our health and wellbeing, with the body needing to use it in over 200 enzyme pathways.
At the BePure Clinic, we often see clients experiencing difficulties in getting to sleep, staying asleep, and waking up tired – even when they’ve had eight or so hours of sleep. The above range of herbs and nutrients can be incredibly supportive for winding down the brain and the body, in preparation for a night of quality rest.
As part of my role at BePure, I research and support the formulation of our products, such as the BePure Deep Sleep, which includes these sleep-loving ingredients and is a simple, effective way to support you in falling into a deep sleep. I highly recommend topping this up with some extra magnesium to calm and relax your muscles if you find your body is quite restless when it comes to trying to get to sleep.
