Supporting Sleep

Do you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep at night? Do you often wake up feeling tired and groggy, or find it hard to concentrate during the day due to lack of sleep? Do you have ruminating thoughts due to stress at night preventing you from sleeping? Or perhaps you have tried sleeping pills or other remedies but are still struggling and just not feeling yourself?

Good quality sleep is vital to our general wellbeing, particularly our immunity and mental health. Sleep deprivation or trouble falling and staying asleep affects most of us at some stage in our lives. 71% of UK adults do not sleep for the recommended seven to nine hours a night and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 27% of the population suffers from some form of sleep disorder. Poor sleep quality can lead to a wide variety of health issues, ranging from anxiety, fatigue, and low immunity to an increased risk of stroke and heart disease.

Sleep is regulated by a complex interplay of several physiological and environmental factors. The primary regulator of sleep is the circadian rhythm which has a 24-hour natural internal biological clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle, and is reset each day. It does this based on our exposure to light and dark. 

Sleep cycle refers to the transition through two stages, non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, each characterised by specific brain waves and neuronal activity. A full cycle takes around 90 minutes, and it happens several times during the night, with longer and deeper REM periods occurring towards the morning.

Additionally, hormones melatonin and cortisol fluctuate throughout the day and help regulate sleep. Cortisol is higher in the morning and makes us feel awake and ready to take on the day, while melatonin raises at night, helping us to fall asleep.

Several factors can disrupt restful and rejuvenating sleep patterns, resulting in a myriad of health problems. One significant cause is excessive exposure to artificial light (blue light) in the evening, especially from electronic devices like smartphones and tablets, which disrupts our circadian rhythm as it can suppress the production of melatonin.

Irregular sleep schedules, consuming caffeine late in the day, and engaging in stimulating activities before bed, can also compromise sleep quality. Additionally, high levels of stress, worries and unresolved emotional issues can lead to racing thoughts that hinder falling asleep and staying asleep. Stress is one of the primary factors that disrupts sleep, as it raises cortisol levels making us feel wired but tired and struggling to fall asleep.

Poor sleep is also common in menopause, a decline in oestrogen and progesterone can contribute to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Hot flashes and physical discomfort due to aches, joint pains, and headaches more common in menopause also contribute to poor sleep.

Another factor that can affect sleep quality is high blood sugar levels. Studies have found that people with higher blood sugar levels tend to experience shorter sleep duration, and longer sleep latency as well as mid-night and early morning awakenings. Poor blood sugar management may be a consideration if you wake frequently between 1:00 am and 4.00 am or if you wake frequently to use the bathroom at night.

External factors such as temperature, comfort, noise, and our daily routines can also influence our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep 

So, how can we optimize our sleep to allow us to fall asleep easily and stay asleep throughout the night? What can we do to wake up feeling refreshed and energized? How can vitamins, plant extracts and other nutrients in supplements help? Check our top dietary and lifestyle measures alongside the best nutrient options to support you sleep better.  

• Keep a regular sleep cycle by waking up and going to bed at the same time each day. Go to bed before 10pm for a better restorative sleep.
• Support melatonin production by reducing exposure to blue light in the evening (TV, phone, laptop etc.), and sleeping in a cool, dark room. Only use your bedroom for sleep and relaxation, avoid keeping a television in the bedroom.
• Expose yourself to natural sunlight by getting outside for at least 10 minutes in the first hour of waking to support your circadian rhythm.
• Practice daily mindfulness or meditation to help reduce stress, making you calmer and more relaxed. Apps including Headspace and Calm have guided meditations for sleep. Take time to interact with those in your home: read together, go for a walk, play a boardgame.
• Reduce electromagnetic frequencies exposure by turning off Wi-Fi at night and keeping electronic devices away from your bed.
• Incorporate daily movement through walking, yoga, running, football etc. Keep more strenuous exercise for early in the day to avoid cortisol spiking in the evening. Exercise is an effective way to improve sleep – it increases slow wave sleep which is the deep restorative sleep, supports sleep onset and can increase sleep duration.
• Reduce mental chatter by journalling before bed. 

• Avoid or significantly reduce stimulants and depressants such as caffeine and alcohol. Alcohol in the evening results in lower deep sleep levels needed for cleansing the brain. Instead, opt for herbal teas like chamomile and lemon balm. Have green tea [LN1] [PH2] and coffee before lunch.
• Balance blood sugar by reducing your intake of refined sugars found in cereals, biscuits, chocolate and cakes. Eat a blood sugar balancing breakfast. Include healthy fats, protein and fibre in all your main meals and avoid snacking.
• Avoid eating large meals before bed. Aim to have your last meal 3 hours before bed to allow some time for digestion before going to bed. Try to eat within a 12-hour window (e.g. 7am to 7pm)
• Avoid drinking large amounts of water before bed to prevent multiple wakes at night to use the bathroom.
• Increase foods rich in tryptophan, such as oats, bananas, turkey, oily fish, and eggs. The amino acid tryptophan is used to make serotonin and then melatonin.
• Increase foods rich in Magnesium, such as leafy greens, squash, pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, sesame seeds, quinoa, black beans, cashews, sunflower seeds, daikon radish, cacao.