Spotlight: Melatonin, the “Dracula of Hormones”

Image from myhealthnewsdaily.com

About a year ago, a co-worker told me that when she had trouble sleeping, she just took a small dose of melatonin and that helped her sleep through the night and wake feeling well rested. I had been having trouble falling asleep at night, and I asked her to tell me more. She told me that melatonin was a natural hormone and was sold over the counter for a relatively inexpensive amount. It sparked my curiosity, but I was too overwhelmed with work at the time to research it further.

I have a good friend who suffers from insomnia. She sometimes goes days without getting more than a few hours of sleep—and not for lack of trying. She often “rests” on days like that, which means she often spends hours lying in bed, exhausted, trying to fall asleep. From time to time I have bouts of sleep trouble as well, tossing and turning for several hours before drifting off into an uncomfortable sleep, only to reawaken a few hours later. As I continued to hear stories from my friend about her inability to sleep, I kept asking myself about melatonin. Finally, I sat down to learn more. Here’s what I discovered:

Image from crystalinks.com

• Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland in our brains, which is a pea-shaped gland just above the center of our brains. It is produced to help control our sleep cycles, with larger quantities of it being produced starting around 9 PM and lasting until about 9 AM—our natural sleep hours.
• Melatonin is found in some foods naturally, which is why it is the only hormone that the FDA allows to be sold as a dietary supplement.
• Light directly affects how much melatonin our brains produce, which is part of what leads to symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
• Melatonin is generally produced in higher amounts in children and adolescents, with that amount naturally dropping off as we age. Some older adults only make small amounts or none at all.
• Not enough research has been done on melatonin, but scientists are looking into using it as a treatment for SAD, to help control sleep patterns, preventing/reducing sleeping problems after surgery, and reducing chronic clutter headaches.
• It’s possible that melatonin may help slow or even stop the spread of cancer, slow aging, and strengthen the immune system.
• Melatonin seems to help some people struggling with sleep problems, but during formal research it was shown to be ineffective as a sleeping pill. There is evidence, however, that it can help reset our internal clock—though whether it is more effective than light remains to be seen.
• Some research suggests melatonin may help people fall asleep faster. It could also help those working night shifts adjust their schedules. It may also be an effective treatment for jet lag. For the treatment of insomnia, the study results have thus far been inconclusive.

Image from gnc.com

In sum, melatonin may or may not be effective as a sleeping aid. The good news is that there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that use of it could be harmful, so it could be a good option to try if you’re wary of prescription sleeping pills (as I am). Dosage can vary from 0.2 mg to 20 mg, though, so if you’re considering giving it a go, you should discuss dosage with your doctor first.

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Spotlight: Energy Supplements & Vitamins

Life moves quickly these days, and it always seems like there isn’t enough time in a day to get all the things done we needed or wanted to. We’re tired and run down sometimes, and going to the grocery store seems to scream a singular solution: energy bars, pills, drinks, and more. But do you really know what you need versus what you’re getting?

There are multiple types of energy supplements and vitamins available for purchase, and they accomplish different ends because they affect your body differently. And you might not even “need” one at all.

Stimulantsbasically rev up your metabolism. Stimulants include caffeine, guarana, yerba mate, kola nut, green tea, capsaicin (red pepper), Asian ginseng, and Bitter Orange (synephrine). These will help pick you up when you feel groggy or sluggish in the middle of your day. Caffeine is one of the most potent and effective stimulants. Many natural alternatives to caffeine still contain it or something similar to it; most have the same or similar effects as caffeine. They will give you a temporary boost in energy when you need it.

Substances that affect energy metabolism are a different kind of “energy” supplement. This category includes products like Coenzyme Q10, B vitamins, folic acid, thamine, niacin, Creatine, carnitine, and amino acids. Rather than temporarily boosting our metabolism, these products change the way our bodies process and convert nutrients to energy. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will generally get you the same effects as taking these supplements. Taking them on their own isn’t proven to increase energy except in those who are deficient in those substances. In those who are deficient, taking supplements could be of some benefit to your energy levels.

 

Calories, much to the disbelief of many, are not the same thing as fat. Calories are, simply put, energy. Carbohydrates (including sugars) are easy for our bodies to break down and absorb as energy, and that’s generally what energy drinks, bars, and gels are full of. The problem is that with too much sugar, our bodies’ glucose levels get spiked and we experience an insulin surge—which can cause problems on its own. For athletes working their bodies hard, carbs can give them the boost they need to refuel or recover. But when you’re not exercising, that spike in glucose will likely quickly lead to a crash, which will make you feel sleepy. And those calories you don’t burn will get converted into fat.

When choosing whether or not to use a supplement, consider whether or not you have a medical condition that would affect you adversely. Some supplements could be dangerous for you. Remember that many of the “energy” supplements haven’t been scientifically studied—or they may just be straight sugar and carbs.

Consider whether or not you really need it before you try it, too. If you’re regularly going on just a few hours of sleep, constantly taking energy supplements could not only be less than optimally effective, it could be dangerous. As I’m sure you’ve heard before, the best way to boost energy is to get enough sleep and exercise and eat a healthy diet.

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Afternoon Exercise May Be The Best

It turns out that the best time to exercise might be in the afternoon, according to a new study published by the LA Brain Research Institute in the Journal of Physiology. Our bodies have an endogenous circadian rhythm, an internal clock, which controls everything from our hearts to our brains. Sometimes that clock gets out of whack, and researchers say that exercise can help put it back on the right track.

The preliminary results, based on results on mice, suggest that midday is the time when exercise most affects our circadian rhythm in a positive way. We have cells within our brains that help us tell what time of day it is, which influences when we naturally sleep and wake, among other things.

Signals from light and darkness cause genes within these cells to produce proteins and release them into the body. From there, they move to all our vital organs and keep them synchronized.

The problem is, sometimes our internal clocks don’t function like they ought to. They get confused and off because of things like artificial light in the evening; even aging makes the internal clock less functional. When this happens, we have a harder time falling asleep, sleeping through the night, and staying awake during the day. More severe consequences are a higher risk for diabetes, obesity, some types of cancer, memory loss, and mood disorders.

But Dr. Christopher Colwell and his colleagues believe that exercising may be the key to getting our circadian rhythms back to normal. After several weeks of letting healthy mice run on a regular basis, they found that their circadian protein production was up, meaning their internal clocks were being regulated effectively.

Some mice had malfunctioning internal clocks, so the researchers had these mice exercise at different times of the day to see if running would also help “fix” them. As it turned out, these mice also started producing more of the proteins, especially those who ran during the equivalent to our “afternoon.” Their internal clocks were functioning better than they had been before.

What this study tells us is that exercising in the morning and afternoon does help our internal clocks regulate. Colwell says that some evidence he’s gathered suggests that late-night exercise might actually be harmful to our sleep rhythms, though. More research will need to be done before the specifics can be nailed down. But one thing’s (still) for certain: exercise is good for us!

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9 Natural Remedies To Sleeplessness

Photo by Chuck Pefley

I live in a big city. I spend most of my day in front of a computer screen. I have the worsttime falling asleep at night. Surprising, no? Unfortunately, I’m not the only one struggling with nighttime woes—quite the opposite, actually. As we become more connected with technology and more in tune with a faster-paced lifestyle, knowing how to wind down at the end of the day is becoming more and more important.

Sure, there are drugs for that, but most of them leave you feeling woozy in the morning and can sometimes even create dependence—making it hard to ever fall asleep without the extra help. As someone who’s not too fond of the idea of having to take drugs every night to fall asleep, I turn instead to natural sleep remedies to help me get my ZZZs.

I can’t sleep with lights on, and as luck would have it, turning off all the lights is the first natural remedy suggested by Blisstree.com. Our bodies naturally crave sleep when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light. Turning off lights gives your body a cue that it’s time to wind down.

Next on their list is shutting down electronics, or at least resisting the urge to use them just before snuggling up. The blue light emitted by TVs, computers, and phones simulates daylight and makes your body want to wake back up.

It may seem counterproductive, but if you can’t fall asleep, you should get out of bed. Lying in bed for extended periods of time (after 15-20 minutes) creates anxiety that can lead to insomnia. If you can’t sleep, get up and do something else until you feel tired enough to go back to bed. Remember: try not to go to electronics—that’ll really wake your brain back up.

Other suggestions for how to improve your ability to fall asleep at night include not eating closer to bedtime than three hours, turning down the heat, working outduring the day, refraining from drinkingalcohol and caffeine close to bedtime, not working night shifts, and trying supplements like Relora, Passionflower, and Melatonin.

Which of these have you tried/are you interested in trying? I turn down my lights, work out, and don’t drink before bed. Unfortunately, I am a computer junkie and tend to let myself toss and turn until I eventually drift off to a fitful sleep.

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The Rules of Naps: Sleep Cycles

I’ll admit it: I’m a lover of naps. Sometimes days seem to stretch on forever, and whether it’s because I didn’t get enough sleep the night before or I’ve just had a particularly tiring day, sometimes a midday shuteye session is just what I need to get going again.

But naps can be dangerous, too. Many of us have strayed into the three and four hour range, and while that can be helpful, it’s not exactly conducive to getting things done. The best length of time for a “power” nap is actually less than thirty minutes.

There are three main stages of the sleep cycle. Stages one and two are considered “light” sleeping, and occur within 10-30 minutes. Slow eye movement begins in stage one, as you start drifting off. When you go into stage two, your brain starts inhibiting processing, ignoring outside stimuli, and consolidating memories.

Waking up from stage one sleep often feels as though you didn’t even sleep at all. Waking up from stage two, in contrast, often gives people a boost in productivity and cognitive function, enhanced memory and creativity, and helps them feel more awake and less tired.

Stage three, which occurs after thirty minutes, is considered “deep” sleep, and is when rapid eye movement (REM) begins. Here is where most dreams begin and your body starts slowing down for long-term rest. Waking from this deep stage of sleep causes what is called sleep inertia. Motor dexterity goes down, while grogginess and the desire for sleep increases.

In order to be helpful, not hurtful, naps should be limited to about 25 minutes during the day. Taking a nap can be rejuvenating and increase productivity, keeping you from dragging through the rest of your day. In fact, in Japan, some nap salons have even opened up, giving sleepy workers a chance to get a little shuteye on a daybed before returning to work.

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