Nutrization: Nutrition, Supplements and Herbs

I know that sleep may not be an actual supplement in the sense of something you purchase and swallow or eat yet, it’s probably the most important supplement that anyone could take. To get the most out of the body for short term and long term sleep may come before anything else along with adequate hydration and nutrition. Some claim that without sleep for a period of time the body will die. Complete sleep deprivation results in rapid death in laboratory animals, and significant insomnia produces a litany of pathophysiological changes. Sleep deprivation is a disease promoter with premature aging consequences (Holt S. 2008). So, it can be said without air, water, food or sleep the body will just not function and death can occur.

Here is a small list of problems from too little sleep: Stress, weight gain, memory deficits, irritability, immune impairment, hormonal dysfunctions, depression, premature aging, digestive problems, blood sugar problems, high blood pressure, and an increase in several health problems including increased risks such as cancer.

There are several reasons why humans don’t get enough sleep. This is because of several factors in life that may include: young children and new born babies, no sleep schedule, bad diet, and stimulants such as caffeine. Actually caffeine is a huge disruptor of sleep. The most familiar adverse effect of caffeine is disruption of sleep. In a well-controlled sleep laboratory assessment of caffeine’s effects (Karacan et al) demonstrated a dose-related increase of sleep latency and awakenings during the sleep period. Caffeine also changes the temporal organization of slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep (Pollak, Charles P., and David Bright., 2003).

Sleep stages and brain waves, muscle tone, and eye movement have been studied and certain patterns of these have been found that indicate better sleep. To better understand this (and before I open a huge can of worms) we may need to overview what brainwaves are as recorded in Hertz on an electroencephalogram. So, quickly lets look at them.
Delta is the lowest Hertz wave, then Theta, Alpha, Beta with Gamma being the highest magnitude in Hertz. Why Alpha is in the middle? because it was the first (Alpha being first) brainwave discovered and had little to do with it’s Hertz value. Scientists divide sleep into two major types: Non-REM or quiet sleep and Rapid eye movement (REM) or dreaming sleep.

During non-REM sleep physiological activities slow down and progress into deeper sleep stages. Alpha waves emerge during relaxed wakefulness with the eyes closed. The change to Stage 1 sleep is marked by the loss of alpha waves and the appearance of theta waves. The hallmarks of Stage 2 sleep are brief bursts of activity, called sleep spindles, and K-complex waves. Deep sleep (Stages 3 and 4) is represented by large, slow delta waves (Lawrence Epstein, Steven Mardon, The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006 ).

What is important during sleep is to get through each stages of sleep enough times; moving through sleep cycles from Awake then REAM down to Stage-4 and back to REM and then back and Stage-4. To get through the first cycle effectively takes more than two hours. To have the body and mind benefit from efficient sleep the cycles need to complete at least two times from REM to Stage 4 and back. After the first two cycles sleep become less deep and more between REM and Stage 3 or Stage 2. So, it is imperative to complete uninterrupted sleep for the first four to five hours and try to continue sleep for a full eight hours of sleep.

What supplements will help sleep?
There are several supplements that can help induce sleep and increase the quality of sleep. Well, without having to single out one supplement or herb I have provided the information give by Stephen Holt, M.D., Ph. D.

The safety of the long-term use of drugs for sleep is not clear, and such drugs should be avoided in pregnancy and childhood. While other compelling reasons exist to avoid hypnotic drugs, simple, safe, and viable alternatives are required. These viable alternatives involve the use of mind-body medicine and natural, nutritional support of sleep with effective dietary supplements (Holt, S. 2008).

Synergistic Supplements for Cascades of Sleep

A large body of folklore, ethnobotanical, and scientific literature supports the use of nutrients and plants or their extracts in sleep promotion. Botanicals or nutrients that can be used with melatonin to assist in promoting restful sleep are listed Below.

Herbs and Botanicals for Sleep

These herbs can be used with nutrients and melatonin in effective
dietary supplements to support the body function of sleep.

Holt, Stephen. “Sleep deprivation, diseases, and dissonance.(Disease/Disorder overview). .” Townsend Letter. 305 (Dec 2008): 74(6).