Teenagers Sleep http://teenagerssleep.posterous.com News on Natural Remedies for Teenage Insomnia posterous.com Sun, 03 Jun 2012 10:59:00 -0700 Stress and Insomnia in Teenagers - Studies Confirm Natural Remedies http://teenagerssleep.posterous.com/stress-and-insomnia-in-teenagers-studies-conf http://teenagerssleep.posterous.com/stress-and-insomnia-in-teenagers-studies-conf

Sometimes the stresses, pressures or demands at work, at school, or at home with family can interfere with our good sleep.  Stress manifests on the physical level by an outpouring of the adrenal gland hormones such as cortisol.  The adrenal glands are two small triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of each kidney.  During times when these stress hormones are increased, they can deplete our calcium levels -- a mineral known to help with relaxation and sleep.

Cortisol has a stimulating effect and can promote wakefulness at the very time when one is trying to fall asleep or stay asleep during the night. Scientists have recently discovered that increased blood levels of cortisol exist in people with chronic insomnia. 

In a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, investigators monitored the sleep of eleven patients with insomnia and thirteen people without sleep disorders.  Blood was collected every thirty minutes for twenty-four hours, and levels of adrenal stress hormones were monitored.  They found that the level of adrenal hormones were significantly higher in the people with insomnia as opposed to the other group.  The insomniacs with the highest degree of sleep disturbances produced the highest amounts of cortisol, particularly in the nighttime hours.

From a nutritional perspective, the mineral calcium has long been known as a natural aid to relaxation and sleep and is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.

Research has uncovered that in the presence of elevated cortisol levels, the amount of calcium is rapidly reduced in the body.  Studies have shown that calcium levels are reduced for as long as the cells are exposed to cortisol, but promptly return to their normal level once the stress hormone is removed.  In light of recent discoveries about the relationship between stress hormones and calcium depletion, it’s likely that nighttime calcium levels can be restored and insomnia calmed by supplementing with highly absorbable forms of this mineral.

One sleep remedy that is gaining popularity due to its highly usable forms of calcium and magnesium is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com. The product contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, all combined in a softgel with carrier oils.

One mother of a teenage son who was suffering with insomnia, was grateful to find Sleep Minerals II.  She says: “Our son began to have trouble sleeping about a year and a half ago. He was up until 2:00 a.m., and then he had to get up at 5:00.  This continued for quite a while.  He was miserable and so were we.  He’s an athlete and a student and we just couldn’t live like this.”

“We had spent hundreds of dollars on testing and supplements with a naturopath and it just didn’t work.  I searched on the Internet and found Sleep Minerals II.  I thought to myself, ‘I’ll give it a try, there’s nothing harmful in it’.  Well, from the get-go it helped Mitchell sleep better.  He’s been using it as a sleep remedy for some time now.  He is sleeping well and is so happy and healthy.  He’s a normal teenager again.  I just can’t say enough about what this product has done for us.”

Other helpful tips to support our health in stressful times include eating nourishing foods such as brightly colored vegetables and fruits, taking food supplements like fish oil capsules and green drink powders, doing some daily exercise like taking walks, and creating positive communications and relationships with others.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

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Wed, 16 May 2012 17:17:00 -0700 New Studies on Sleep Inducing Foods for Insomnia http://teenagerssleep.posterous.com/new-studies-on-sleep-inducing-foods-for-insom http://teenagerssleep.posterous.com/new-studies-on-sleep-inducing-foods-for-insom

If we were to eavesdrop and listen in while the “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates spoke to his students in 400 B.C., we would hear him saying: "Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”  These words ring even more true today, when WorldHealth.net reports that each year prescription drugs injure 1.5 million people to the degree that they require hospitalization. Sleeping drugs, also known as “hypnotics”, come with their own set of side-effects.  For those who seek natural options, some recent research studies have uncovered additional food-based remedies for insomnia. 

In a study from the University of California San Diego, researchers examined the effects of potassium supplementation on sleep quality. A placebo-controlled study compared one week of oral potassium chloride supplements to one week of identical placebo capsules.  Their results were published in the journal “Sleep”, and showed that potassium significantly increased sleep efficiency due to a reduction in “Waking After Sleep Onset”. This indicates an improvement in sleep consolidation (less interruption) with potassium supplementation.

One of the highest sources of potassium is the banana, which contains about 400 milligrams.  Eating a banana before bedtime or during the night may help reduce the frequency of nighttime awakenings.  Other sources of potassium include baked potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach, almonds and prunes.

In another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers measured the effect that different types of rice have as sleep remedies.  Mahatma rice (low carbohydrate rice) was compared to Jasmine rice (high in carbohydrates) for their effects on sleep quality.  The rice was eaten either four hours before bedtime or one hour before bedtime. The study concluded that a high carbohydrate-based meal resulted in a significant shortening of the time needed to fall asleep, when eating it four hours before bed time.

The seed oil of garden lettuce has been used in folk medicine since ancient times as a sleeping aid.  A study from the June 2011 issue of the International Journal of General Medicine examined the effectiveness of lettuce seed oil in people who had frequent insomnia.  At the end of the one-week study, eighteen out of the twenty-five patients who took the lettuce seed oil supplements rated their insomnia as “very much or much improved”, while only five of the people in the placebo group reported better sleep.

Eating a lettuce salad with some heart-healthy olive oil in the evening may assist the process of relaxation when it comes time for bed.  The darker the color of green the leaves are, the richer the lettuce is in vitamins and minerals.

According to William Sears, M.D., “The best bedtime snack is one that has both carbohydrates and protein, and perhaps some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods."

Sleep remedies containing highly absorbable, quick acting forms of calcium and magnesium, such as Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, can be helpful with both falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.  This natural sleep remedy contains six types of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb - all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium loss and increase bone density.

Sandy M. of La Verne, California says: I have been using Sleep Minerals II for several months now and I see a marked improvement in my sleep. I have struggled with anxiety and sleeplessness for nearly 15 years -- increasingly so in the last 10 years. I've tried everything on the market including herbal teas, melatonin, GABA, Ambien, Lunesta, and more. Nothing has worked like Sleep Minerals II."

Hippocrates sums it all up by saying: “Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”  Many natural remedies have multiple benefits in the body, so seek out natural options that increase your overall life force and greater health.

For more information on Sleep Minerals visit http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

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