TREATING SLEEP DISORDERS NATURALLY - WITHOUT MEDICATION

Sleep disorders ("insomnia") are defined as people who have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. The average person in Germany sleeps 492 minutes per day (or rather per night), i.e. 8 hours and 12 minutes. According to medical science, a healthy amount of sleep is between 5 and 12 hours a day. Anything less than 5 hours and more than 12 hours is considered disturbed sleep behavior. The consequences of regular sleep disorders can have a lasting negative impact on health, and the physical and mental complaints are correspondingly significant, as a large-scale study by DAK makes clear. (^1FOCUSOnline, 2017)

The main cause of sleep disorders is stress, both professional and personal. The other reasons develop from the sleep disorder itself: Because you are often tired during the day, you consume too much coffee, smoke too many cigarettes, take naps in between and drink alcohol before going to bed. The longer this condition persists, the more difficult it becomes to get a grip on sleep problems. Because even if the stress subsides or you stop drinking coffee, the sleep disorder can become a habit. Even going to bed triggers feelings of tension and anxiety about the possibility of insomnia.

If you lie awake for a whole night, it's not too bad. The day after is difficult, but the body can regenerate the following night. It becomes dangerous for body and soul if restless sleep continues over a longer period of time and the sleep disturbances even become chronic:

-The immune system is weakened.
- The risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke increases.
- The body becomes more susceptible to depression, diabetes and cancer.

Some people are not even aware that the reason for their mental and physical exhaustion is a lack of sleep. This is because the process of increasingly reduced performance is often gradual, so that people have already become accustomed to it. Many suffer for years and simply blame the symptom of lack of energy on getting older. But without sleep disorders, they could feel much fresher and more energetic.

Do you want to fall asleep relaxed and quickly every night and get through the night without any sleep disorders so that you wake up fit and refreshed the next morning? The magic word is "sleep hygiene". It includes measures and behaviors that can prevent or alleviate sleep disorders:

Healthy eating: When it comes to "food and sleep", most people think that you shouldn't eat so much before going to bed. This can - if you are not used to it - have a negative effect on your sleep, but it doesn't have to. What is meant by nutrition is a balanced and sufficient supply of nutrients. Scroll down to find out more directly.

Comfortable sleeping environment: The bedroom should be quiet and darkened. The temperature should ideally be slightly cooler than in the living room.The mattress should be comfortable and the bedding breathable so that you neither sweat nor freeze.

No coffee in the second half of the day: caffeine increases the heart rate and stimulates brain activity. Neither of these are good prerequisites for falling asleep quickly and can be the cause of sleep disorders. This is why you should not drink coffee, tea or soft drinks containing caffeine (e.g. cola) four hours before bedtime (or even better, six hours before).Incidentally, people who regularly drink a lot of coffee during the day often have problems sleeping through the night because the body is then "on withdrawal" at night.

No nicotine: Nicotine is considered a stimulating neurotoxin and is also toxic for sleep. Like caffeine, nicotine can also prevent you from falling asleep. The withdrawal symptoms are even stronger here, which is bad for sleeping through the night. Smokers who become non-smokers fall asleep more quickly and wake up less often at night.In this case, therapy to stop smoking is worthwhile.

False friend of falling asleep: Alcohol is the biggest deception among the supposed sleep aids. If you rarely drink alcohol, a little nightcap may help you fall asleep at first, but you wake up much more often during sleep. This also applies to excessive alcohol consumption before going to bed.Incidentally, alcohol "paralyzes" the throat muscles and promotes snoring.

Sport: A lack of exercise can promote insomnia. This is because if the body has too much rest, it is not sufficiently utilized and the sleep-wake rhythm is difficult to adjust. Regular exercise, on the other hand, is a great weapon against insomnia. However, you should not overexert yourself just before going to bed, as this makes it difficult to fall asleep - even well-trained athletes have no problem with this.

Media-free zone in the bedroom: The light from the TV tricks us into thinking it is daylight, so the body is not set up for a good night's sleep and sleep disorders can set in. Please also switch off your cell phone before it causes disturbances. And: the clock by the bed causes time pressure for some people in the sense of "I absolutely have to fall asleep now".If you are one of these people, banish the troublemaker from your bedroom.

Relaxation exercises: Relaxation exercises and meditation help to "wind down" your body and mind and prepare you for sleep.Gentle sounds can also support the whole process.

Consistent sleep-wake rhythm and regularity: Get into the habit of always going to bed at the same time and preferably always getting up at the same time. Humans are creatures of habit and internalize routines.Recurring sleep rituals can also help: listening to a certain type of music, reading three pages, taking a deep breath, etc.

Sleeping pills?: If possible, avoid medication for sleep disorders. The habituation effect sets in very quickly. Before you know it, you are addicted to sleeping pills - and soon you can no longer do without them ... According to corresponding studies, over 2 million Germans are dependent on sleeping pills.(^{2Sueddeutsche}Zeitung, 2017)

In the case of acute sleep disorders, it may make sense to take sleeping tablets in the short term. However, you should always check this with your doctor beforehand. Sleeping pills can quickly become addictive, meaning that you will soon be unable to sleep without them. Unpleasant side effects can also occur - daytime sleepiness is one of the harmless ones. A sensible alternative: natural remedies for a good night's sleep. These can be taken permanently, as over-the-counter, purely herbal sleep aids as a dietary supplement have no side effects and are not addictive.

There are various ingredients that contribute to a relaxed sleep. Here is an overview:

5-HTP(5-hydroxytryptophan) and L-tryptophan
5-HTP is an amino acid that is an intermediate product in the production of serotonin. This gives it a particularly important function in the human body. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters that can influence mood. So-called "neurotransmitters" are chemical messengers that are responsible for the transmission of information between nerve cells in the brain and throughout the human body. The starting point of this production chain is tryptophan or, more precisely, L-tryptophan. This in turn is the direct precursor of 5-HTP.

5-HTPis a precursor of the "happiness hormone" serotonin and influences our brain activity and our entire nervous system. Melatonin is then formed from this hormone. Melatonin promotes sleep by regulating the sleep-wake rhythm. The African black bean ("Griffonia simplicifolia") is particularly rich in 5-HTP.Food supplements should not contain the powder, but the high-quality extract of Griffonia simplicifolia.

GABA
Gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter produced by the body. A GABA deficiency manifests itself in nervousness and susceptibility to stress. Bad conditions for a good night's sleep. A normal GABA level, on the other hand, ensures inner balance and relaxation - including that of the muscles. Food supplements with GABA are very popular when it comes to healthy sleep.

Today, there are two different categories of sleep problems: Difficulty falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep. There are over-the-counter and herbal sleeping tablets for both categories, which differ in terms of their composition.

Here are the most important vital substances for difficulties falling asleep:

Lavender
In the past, lavender flowers were put in small bags and placed on the pillow. If you think this was a symbolic act to make you dream better - far from it. The scent of lavender alone has a calming effect on us.Today, lavender flower extract is used all the more in dietary supplements when the person going to bed is nervous, tense or irritable.

Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea (or rose root) comes from the mountains of Scandinavia. The properties of this plant are as calming as it is there. It normalizes the nervous system, is helpful in dealing with stress and provides natural support for sleep problems. Rhodiola Rosea is also good for treating high blood pressure and stress-related headaches - two complaints that often prevent people from falling asleep. If you want to counteract this, you should look out for the ingredient Rhodiola Rosea (as an extract!) in food supplements.

St. John's wort
St. John's wort is the classic "sedative". It helps us to cope better with stressful situations, for example - which for many people includes going to bed. St. John's wort contributes to mental health as well as emotional balance. And: the herb with the yellow flowers even helps to suppress addictive behavior.Smokers in particular can benefit from the use of appropriate food supplement capsules.

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha, or the "sleep berry", has long been used in Indian Ayurveda to treat insomnia - to reduce stress, promote sleep and restore mental balance.Ashwagandha is usually found in dietary supplements under the names "KSM-66" or "KSM-66 Ashwagandha".

Vital substances for sleep disorders:

Hop flowers
Hops should be taken in extract form when it comes to a good night's sleep - not in the form of a beer. This is because although alcohol may make it easier to fall asleep, it only makes sleeping through the night worse. Hop flowers contribute to a normal nervous system and support relaxation. Incidentally, also during the menopause. (Did you know that there are even special food supplements with hops for the menopause?)