Sleep Smarter For Day-Long Energy

Did you know that a third of the population suffers from insomnia, with women making up 63.3% of those affected? Sleep isn’t just downtime, it’s when your body recharges, repairs, and detoxifies. The amount of sleep you get has a major impact on your general health and quality of life. Energy levels take a hit and a gloomy, unmotivated mood can put the brakes on normal activities.

Why Sleep is the Key to Optimal Health

The three golden rules for achieving maximum benefits from sleep include: getting the right quantity of sleep, consistency in your sleep schedule and the quality of your sleep. All of these things are vital because while you’re sleeping the body gets to work repairing essential organs and damaged blood vessels. It also utilises this time to form proteins, control blood sugar and maintain a healthy weight. At the same time, the brain is regulating hormones and most importantly removing toxins, some of which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

These toxic proteins are removed twice as fast while you’re sleeping - little wonder that deep, restorative sleep is now recognised as a vital aspect of good health. And if you’re not getting the recommended 7-9 hours a night, you could be at increased risk of many diseases and disorders, ranging from heart disease to dementia, diabetes and obesity.

Contrary to popular belief adults don’t need less sleep as they get older, however, sleep quality can worsen as you age. But why is this happening and what is the most effective sleep aid? What’s more, do sleep supplements work?

Why You’re Having Trouble Sleeping

Sleep is a complex and dynamic process and everyone needs it to survive, but unfortunately, many factors can impact sleep patterns. It could be the environment you sleep in, how active you are, whether you have a lot of tension in your muscles, how stressed you are and if you drink too much coffee or alcohol. As well as these more obvious culprits, various other factors can really put you on the back foot when it comes to getting the kind of sleep you need to function well

1. Lifestyle & Environmental Factors

Bed Position - some research has revealed that sleeping in a north-to-south direction (head pointed South), may enhance better quality sleep and lead to fewer sleep problems. This direction is close to the position of the earth’s magnetic field, which may explain the benefits. If you’re an insomniac, moving your bed around is well worth a try.

Air Pollution – Evidence that air pollution is not good for your health is growing. Many studies have shown that exposure to air pollution is linked to a variety of adverse health effects, including ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer, stroke and chronic respiratory diseases. Experts believe it may also be behind many sleep issues. According to a study of respiratory health in the Northern European population, traffic-related air pollution is associated with difficulty initiating sleep.

Smoking – Giving up smoking may be the key to better sleep according to a study published in Sleep Medicine in 2011. Not only is cigarette smoking associated with sleep disorders amongst smokers, but it also affects non-smokers as exposure to second-hand smoke can lead to insufficient rest and sleep.

Dust Mites – house dust mites are the primary cause of respiratory allergies, which have a significant effect on sleep. Dust mites in particular have been found to have a greater effect on sleep quality than other allergies.

2. The Gut-Sleep Connection

Gut Bacteria – growing evidence suggests that the composition of bacteria in your gut may be affecting your sleep quality and how long you sleep. Several microbes in the human gut have been found to produce the neurotransmitter that promotes healthy sleep, namely GABA (gamma amino-butyric acid). Other microbes such as Corynebacterium may have the capability to synthesise serotonin, which is known to regulate sleep.

Poor Diet – Eating high-calorie, nutrient-poor food, high in saturated fat and salt, and low in vegetables has been linked to insomnia. Differences in intakes of protein and the B vitamins folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, B12 and thiamine are also shown to be significantly different between insomniacs and normal sleepers.

3. Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnoea – This is a sleep disorder that is caused by the airways partially or fully collapsing and is more common if you are obese.

Restless Legs - Restless legs syndrome, is a condition where there is an overwhelming urge to move your legs during the night. It is often accompanied with unpleasant tingling or throbbing sensations and can keep you awake at night.

Nocturnal Cramps – As many as 60% of adults complain of nocturnal leg cramps that cause severe insomnia. Muscle fatigue or nerve dysfunction is thought to be the cause but the exact mechanism is unknown.

The Health Implications of Sleep Deprivation

Symptoms of insomnia include: difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, non-restorative sleep and waking early in the morning. Symptoms like this for a couple of nights are unlikely to lead to poor health so long as this is not a regular occurrence.

However chronic insomnia that disrupts the body’s night-time repair processes is very likely to lead to dysfunction and disease. Studies show that people deprived of adequate sleep:

• Are at higher risk of developing depression later in life.

• Have increased markers of inflammation, indicating stress on the body.

• Have impaired glucose intolerance and reduced insulin sensitivity

• Have lower levels of leptin and elevated levels of ghrelin, hormones that regulate appetite.

• Are more at risk of becoming overweight and obese.

• Suffer from elevated blood pressure.

Food - A Safe and Natural Sleep Aid

It’s hard to imagine that the food you eat might play a role in keeping you awake at night, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest this idea is more fact than fantasy. And it’s all to do with the way your brain circuitry functions.

Clusters of neurons dotted around different parts of the brain become more active in preparation for sleep, this involves specific neurotransmitters that control the state of relaxation or arousal by switching cell signalling on or off.

Scientists believe that certain nutrients in food may act on these neurotransmitters and could potentially influence the quality and duration of your sleep. The key neurotransmitters known to play a role in coordinating the sleep wake cycle, include:

• GABA

• Noradrenalin

• Orexin

• Histamine

• Serotonin

GABA is associated with sleep, sedation and muscle relaxation, whereas noradrenalin and orexin are responsible for keeping parts of the brain up and running during waking hours.

Histamine is also involved in keeping you awake, which is why anti-histamine medications come with a warning that they may cause drowsiness. Avoiding high-histamine foods later in the day might lead to a better night’s sleep if you have a histamine intolerance.

Serotonin, which is derived from an amino acid called tryptophan is what your body needs to promote good quality sleep. It’s important because it synthesises melatonin – often called the sleep hormone.

Melatonin and serotonin production are known to diminish with age, which may partly explain why the elderly have difficulty sleeping. It is possible to push up the body’s circulating levels of serotonin and melatonin by eating tryptophan rich foods. Many of these foods also contain magnesium and vitamin B6.

So how does magnesium help you sleep? Magnesium like vitamin B6 may indirectly help to promote sleep because the body uses it to produce tryptophan. But magnesium may also have a more direct action on sleep quality by contributing to the maintenance of normal muscle contraction.

According to a magnesium and sleep study, the muscle relaxant effects of magnesium were shown to help with the sleep disorder ‘Restless Legs Syndrome’.

Magnesium, vitamin B6 and tryptophan are found in both plant and animal foods although a typical western diet containing processed foods, fat, refined flour and sugar is not ideal as these foods are all devoid of magnesium. To maintain good levels you need to ensure you eat a well-balanced, nutrient dense and varied diet.

Making meals that include some of the ingredients in the table below could heighten your chances of a good night’s sleep. However, nutrient-rich foods may not be sufficient for some people. Excessive stress, poor health and some medical conditions may mean you cannot absorb nutrients completely, in these instances a B complex together with a magnesium supplement to help you sleep could make all the difference.

Sleep-Enhancing Foods:

TRYPTOPHAN FOODS: Cottage cheese, Turkey Eggs,Salmon, Bananas, Broccoli, Yogurt, Oatmeal

MAGNESIUM FOODS: Whole grains, Avocado, Cashew nuts, Salmon, lentils, Dark chocolate, Leafy greens, peanuts

VITAMIN B6 FOODS: Chicken liver, Avocado, Ricotta cheese, Eggs, Tuna, Milk, Sweet potato, Spinach

Sleep Supportive Supplements

Sleeping badly doesn’t just affect your energy levels; it can also sabotage best-laid plans for eating a healthy well-balanced diet. In fact research shows that we are likely to eat more calorie-dense and carbohydrate-laden foods after a bad night’s sleep.20 Lack of sleep is a poor motivator for exercise too, so this combination often leads to weight gain. Ironically obesity is also associated with insomnia 21 – so it's a vicious cycle!

During challenging times when the biscuit tin wins over the salad bowl, it's always good to have some supplements close at hand to help you sleep. The nutrients I recommend are some of the most popular tried and tested sleep supplements. I’ve also picked out my favourite energisers to counter the sluggish mood that often follows a sleepless night. Take your pick...

Magnesium

Magnesium and sleep are inextricably linked as magnesium is one of nature’s natural tranquillisers. This may be partly due to its effect on melatonin a hormone that has long been associated with the timing of circadian rhythms and sleep.

Supplementing with magnesium has been shown to significantly increase serum melatonin concentration. What’s more magnesium may also influence biochemical pathways in the brain by binding to GABA receptors, well known for their influence on sleep.

In general magnesium research shows that magnesium deficiency and sleep problems go hand in hand. Evidence from observational studies suggests that magnesium status and sleep quality are linked. 24 Reports of agitated sleep and frequent wakening are common in people with magnesium deficiency. 25 What’s more, research has identified that a diet high in magnesium is associated with deeper less interrupted sleep.

Overall evidence suggests that magnesium supplementation may be important for people who have trouble sleeping. At the very least, increasing magnesium intake can prevent magnesium deficiency which is currently a global issue.

Vitamin D

Although vitamin D is best known for its involvement in calcium regulation and bone health, there are other ways vitamin D is believed to benefit health and this is an area of active research. Recently scientists have identified a link between vitamin D and sleep regulation.

Research suggests that vitamin D is associated with poor quality sleep and shorter periods of sleep, although it is not entirely clear why this happens. Vitamin D potentially reduces inflammatory chemicals that can interfere with sleep or act directly on regions of the brain that are involved in sleep regulation.28 Scientists have located vitamin D receptors in brain regions that are associated with sleep regulation, and are of the opinion that vitamin D could be involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.28

Female teenagers with low levels of vitamin D have been shown to sleep less than is considered healthy in that age group.28 It has also been seen that restless leg syndrome, which has a significant impact on sleep disturbances, is more frequent in sufferers with low vitamin D levels compared to control groups. 29 Results from a 2018 meta-analysis of studies investigating the association between vitamin D and the risk of sleep disorders, concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of sleep disorders in the general population.

Vitamin C

Will vitamin C help you sleep? Poor sleep isn’t something we usually associate with vitamin C status, but there is growing evidence linking oxidative stress with sleep related disorders. Because vitamin C is shown to contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, experts are now suggesting that it could be important for sleep health. In fact research has shown that individuals who sleep as little as four hours per night have significantly lower levels of vitamin C compared to those who sleep between 7-8 hours with optimal vitamin C levels. What’s more, studies have found that reduced intake of vitamin C is associated with non-restorative sleep.

Oxidative stress is also implicated in the condition obstructive sleep apnoea and some experimental animal trials have shown the benefits of vitamin C for this condition. Although you can take vitamin C to help sleep, because of its role in energy metabolism, it is best taken earlier in the day to address any deficiencies. Taking vitamin C before bedtime is not advisable as it may keep you awake.

How to combat next-day energy dips

B Complex Vitamins

If you need a vitality boost when your energy levels are dipping the B vitamins come up trumps. Studies show that vitamins B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Pantothenic acid and Thiamine all contribute to normal energy metabolism. In fact, all but one (folate) are involved in at least one and frequently several steps in the energy production pathways inside cells.

What’s more vitamins B2, B6, B12, Niacin and Pantothenic acid also contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, which is why a B complex supplement could be just what you need after a poor night’s sleep. Just remember not to take your B complex late in the day. I recommend taking B vitamins in the morning, or before lunchtime

Vitamin C

If sleep is eluding you and your energy levels have crashed, vitamin C excels as a pick-me-up. It has all the credentials needed to support you through lethargic, foggy days. Vitamin C is invaluable for its contribution to energy metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, which is supported by an abundance of research.

If you opt for a standard oral vitamin C supplement you’re probably best to take it in divided doses throughout the day as it can only be absorbed in limited amounts in this form.

Co-enzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring antioxidant that plays a crucial role in cellular energy production. Several studies have investigated its potential benefits in enhancing energy levels.

Rhodiola Rosea

If restless nights are leaving you with brain fog, this powerful botanical blend may be worth considering. Studies show that a daily dose of 750mg of Rhodiola rosea combined with Nelumbo nucifera extracts can significantly enhance sleep quality and reduce interruptions, while also boosting mental performance.

Author: Jacqueline Bolle BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy

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