How can something so essential for well-being be so elusive at times? Along with a nutritious diet and regular exercise, quality sleep is a cornerstone of good health. Sleep provides the opportunity for critical restorative functions in the body, and it’s vitally important for refreshing and reviving the body and mind.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 30 percent of adults get less than six hours of sleep per night, on average, when we should be getting seven to nine. It’s not uncommon to suffer an occasional sleepless night, and most people can tolerate a couple days without sleep and fully recover.

However, habitual sleeplessness affects emotional and mental health, accelerates aging of the brain, and puts us at risk for heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, decreased immunity, obesity, and diabetes.

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?

Difficulty falling asleep, struggling to stay asleep, waking up too early, and experiencing nonrestorative sleep (sleeping through the night but still feeling exhausted and unrefreshed in the morning) are symptoms of insomnia, the most common sleep disorder. Failure to get an entire night’s sleep on most nights over a one-month period is considered chronic insomnia.

While frustrating and exhausting, insomnia is usually temporary, but if insomnia is ongoing, it’s important to have your doctor rule out conditions that cause insomnia, like depression and anxiety.

WAYS TO OVERCOME SLEEPLESSNESS

Avoid Stimulants—For many people, the most effective means of overcoming sleeplessness are also the simplest. First and foremost, avoid stimulants, especially caffeine. The majority of Americans consume 150 mg to 225 mg of caffeine daily, roughly the amount in two cups of coffee. Although most people can handle this amount, the time it takes for caffeine to leave the system can vary widely. Some people eliminate it quickly, while for others, it can take up to twelve hours or more.

If you drink more than one cup of coffee in the morning and have trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine, including tea, chocolate, and energy drinks, for a week to ten days and see if your sleep improves. If it does, caffeine was likely the cause of your sleeplessness.

Get Regular Exercise—Regular exercise is another way to improve sleep quality. While only a handful of studies have examined exercise’s effect on chronic insomnia, evidence links exercise to significant improvements. Research shows that after four to twenty-four weeks of physical activity, adults with insomnia fell asleep more quickly, slept longer, and experienced better quality sleep than before they started working out. Exercising in the morning or early evening is best, and aim for moderate-intensity activities, such as walking.

Supplement Calcium—Nutrient deficiencies are a common cause of sleeplessness. For example, inadequate levels of calcium and magnesium can cause you to wake up after a few hours and have difficulty falling back asleep. Calcium has a calming effect, and magnesium is needed to relax the muscles. It helps relieve anxiety, tension, and nervousness. Surveys show that most Americans don’t get enough magnesium from diet alone.

Up Your B-complex—They also aid relaxation and promote a restful state, relieve stress, and enhance rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the sleep stage involved in storing memories, learning, and balancing mood.

Remember Potassium—Potassium works with magnesium to improve sleep, and too little potassium can make it difficult to stay asleep throughout the night. Look for these nutrients in a high-quality daily multivitamin, as well as in supplements specially designed to support healthy sleep.

SLEEP & THE HEART

Otherwise healthy people who get too little—or too much—sleep may be at risk for heart disease. A new study finds that individuals who have poor sleep habits are more likely to suffer from stiff arteries and calcium deposits on the walls of the major arteries.

“Coronary calcium develops way before heart attack symptoms occur, and a greater amount of calcium in the coronary arteries predicts future development of heart disease,” says the study’s lead author, Dr. Chan-Won Kim. Researchers report that the sweet spot appears to be around seven hours of sleep for most people.

THREE NATURAL SLEEP AIDS

1 Melatonin is one of the most effective nutrients to optimize sleep. It plays a critical role in normalizing your circadian rhythm, or internal clock. Melatonin is produced naturally in the body by the pineal gland, which is inactive during the day and begins producing melatonin when you’re exposed to darkness.

Melatonin makes you feel drowsy, and during a good night’s sleep, your levels stay elevated for about twelve hours (from around 9pm to 9am). As the sun rises, the pineal gland reduces melatonin production and blood levels decrease. This rise and fall of melatonin levels determines your internal clock, which ideally, should make you feel sleepy at night and fully awake during the day.

When taken as a supplement, melatonin helps promote relaxation and restore your body clock to establish a healthy sleep pattern. Melatonin has been shown to be very effective in helping induce and maintain sleep in both children and adults, including those with insomnia. It can help you feel less restless and prevent daytime fatigue. For melatonin to be beneficial, it’s important to follow label directions carefully, since taking it at the wrong time could further disrupt your circadian rhythm.

2 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is another natural sleep aid. 5-HTP is converted in the brain to serotonin, an important initiator of sleep. Studies show that 5-HTP can decrease the time it takes to fall asleep and reduce the number of awakenings throughout the night. One of its key benefits is its ability to increase REM sleep (typically by about 25 percent) while also increasing deep sleep.

3 L-theanine is a relaxing amino acid that has been shown in clinical studies to induce a sense of calm in people with anxiety (a common sleep disruptor). It can help relax the body and calm the mind. Although L-theanine will not cause you to sleep longer, it may help you sleep better. Researchers report improved sleep quality, recovery from exhaustion, and refreshed feelings in individuals taking L-theanine.

Quality sleep is fundamental to our mental, emotional, and physical health—both in the short term and over the long term. If you’re suffering from insomnia, look to natural remedies that can safely and effectively send you to dreamland.