Stop Counting Sheep – Tips For A Better Sleep
Did you know almost 10% of the Australian population suffer from insomnia? Often at the clinic I hear clients talk about irritability, fatigue, poor concentration and clumsiness. After questioning we both come to the agreement that it is a lack of good quality sleep causing this.
Even though 6-9 hours of sleep is recommended, the duration of sleep is not the only factor. During this 6-9 hours we require a certain number of sleep cycles in a specific orderfor the right amount of time. These cycles are known as Rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (slow wave) sleep.
Stress is often the most common triggerin sleep disturbances. The stress hormone (cortisol) is often increased in those with sleep problems.
Top tips for a good night sleep:
- Get regular exercise (avoid exercising two hours before bed)
- Eliminate stimulants such as sugar and caffeine in the evening and even limit them during the day
- Try to go to bed at the same time each night
- Create a dark sleep environment
- Limit alcohol consumption
Natural therapies vs pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical medications do a great job of making people fall asleep but the reason why people wake up groggy in the morning is because these medications do not allow for healthy sleep cycles. Therefore, the quality is not as good. These medications can also become addictive and are not addressing the CAUSE of the insomnia. A naturopath’s goal is to treat the reason for the insomnia and gently push the body into sleeping “correctly” on its own.
When visiting us at Kissun Clinics, we will test you for deficiencies in magnesium, calcium and iron, which are known to cause insomnia.
We will also discuss the issue of stress and prescribe liquid herbal tinctures from ingredients such as passiflora, damiana, panax notoginseng and bacopa to help settle the mind. We have stock of many herbal remedies which are very potent and effective in assisting sleeping issues. Some of these supplements work by regulating the ‘excitability’ of the brain. In doing so it may reduce stress and anxiety and mak it ieasier for the brain to ‘switch off’.
We may also refer you to a qualified sleep practitioner who can teach you methods to achieve lengthy, good quality sleep.
Please call the clinic if you have any questions or would like to make an initial consult.
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