While you sleep each night, your body is working hard to recover from the previous day and prepare for tomorrow. Part of this process involves producing and regulating many of your body’s hormones.
Hormones are chemical messengers that act as messenger molecules in your body. These hormones are responsible for maintaining your bodily functions, including but not limited to:
- Hunger, appetite, and blood sugar levels.
- Sleep-wake rhythm
- Sexual function
- Body temperature
- Cardiovascular function
- Muscle and tissue repair. Body repair happens during deep sleep.
A good night’s sleep is vital to healthy hormone production and secretion.
Poor sleep quality and short sleep duration can hinder not only hormone levels but also how your hormones are produced and how they interact with each other. This can lead to hormone imbalance as well as any co-morbidities that can result from that imbalance, like thyroid diseases, sexual dysfunction, hypertension, fatty liver, migraine, cardiovascular diseases, indigestion, mood swings, etc.
Melatonin is one of the most popular over-the-counter supplements for people who have trouble sleeping.
Often referred to as the sleep hormone, melatonin is a hormone that’s produced naturally in the body, and it helps tell you when to sleep and when to wake up. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland. Melatonin is directly responsible for promoting healthy rest and regulating your body’s circadian rhythm.
“Melatonin is generally thought to be safer to use than other sleep medications and less likely to cause side effects such as daytime grogginess the next day. But in some cases, it might cause its effects to linger into the next day.”
Continuous-release melatonin tablets might also linger in someone’s system and lead to side effects.
Even though melatonin is different from sleep medications and considered generally safe, some people simply may not be able to tolerate it well. “For reasons related to people’s metabolisms and possibly genetics, some might be more prone to experiencing side effects from melatonin, such as nausea or low energy.”
3 sleep supplements to try instead of melatonin
1. Adaptogenic herbs:
“Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and kava help your body cope with stress and support your nervous system. They can also lower cortisol release, which is a stress hormone that can disrupt sleep.”.
2. Magnesium: “Magnesium is an electrolyte mineral that can have calming effects and can reduce muscle tension and headaches” (almonds, pumpkin, peanuts, cashews, spinach, etc)
3. CBD or CBN:
CBD oil, made from the hemp plant, is non-psychoactive but has calming and pain-soothing effects. CBN is a type of cannabinoid that is being used in more sleep supplements since it’s the most sedative compound found in cannabis.
As humans, we naturally produce cannabinoids in our bodies. In fact, all animals produce cannabinoids and have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which interacts with cannabinoids to regulate our pain, inflammation, immune systems, mood, and thinking. Due to certain blocks in the endocrine system, the system may not function in some people, leading to sleep disorders.
4. Acupressure is another safe option that can easily trigger the endocrine system and bring back the normal rhythm naturally. By stimulating the acupuncture points in the body, the altered signals can be corrected. Liver disorders, renal failure, psychological trauma, dissatisfaction in life, depression, over-anxiety, etc. can lead to sleeplessness. Acupressure, along with diet, exercise, and stress management, can help you get rid of sleep medications forever, naturally.
Dr Arun Vasudevan
9447554207
Thankyou
Dr Arun Vasudevan
Founder director IDRP
BHMS,MBS (UK), DAcu,
IDRP, TKD Road, Muttada PO, Trivandrum.
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Tags: accupressure, best treatment for diabetes, depression, diabetic reversal, heart attack, idrp
Categorised in: Blog
Ref: Josh Axe, a clinical nutritionist and co-founder of Ancient Nutrition.
British journal of pharmacology.
